Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley joined students from across the state of Maryland in front of the State House at noon yesterday to show support for the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2012 (HB 441/SB 237).
Holding banners and signs asserting their support for clean energy, more than one hundred young people from an unprecedented 12 college campuses gathered to deliver petitions and letters of support from their universities for the bill.The action came one day before a scheduled House Economic Matters Committee hearing on the bill. The rally was one of the largest student demonstrations on energy policy in Annapolis history.
Governor O’Malley thanked students for championing the initiative, which would plan and implement financing of a 310 MW offshore wind farm off the coast of Ocean City. Senator Rob Garagiola, Delegate Heather Mizeur and Delegate Benjamin Barnes spoke, at the event.
Student speakers urged lawmakers to consider the long-term benefits of offshore wind, which many say has been oft-neglected in dialogue around the issue.
Johns Hopkins University student Joni Slinger said, “We are here today to speak up to legislators and say that we need offshore wind power to play a major role in our clean energy future.”
University support has been a key issue in the offshore wind debate. As large purchases of energy, universities would be subject to a temporary 2.5% increase in their energy bills under the legislation. In 2011, a perceived lack of university support was a major reason the bill did not get out of committee. This year, students have been working with universities to demonstrate their support for the investment in offshore wind.
The University of Maryland, College Park’s Student Government Association –which represents more than 27,000 students — passed a resolution this week officially endorsing the bill. In addition, President of St. Mary’s College of Maryland Joseph Urgo and President of Chesapeake College Barbara Viniar sent official letters of support to legislators.Faculty membersfrom Coppin State University also sent letters supporting the initiative.
“Governor Martin O’Malley’s Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2012 meets our students and our University System’s common goals. We recognize the significant, positive, and lasting impact this legislation would have on Maryland’s environment, economy, and public health” , declared Collin Wojciechowski, student regent for the University System of Maryland.
“I’m overwhelmed and shocked by the outpouring of support for wind power,” added St. Mary’s College student Ashok Chandwaney . ” Within the first hour of collecting signatures, more than 10 percent of the student body had signed our petition. Today, we’re well past one third [of the student body].”
The rally was organized by the Maryland Student Climate Coalition (MSCC), a state-wide organization led by students representing more than a dozen campuses across Maryland.
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Offshore WIND staff, February 23, 2012; Image: smcm