Hogan is no environmental leader

Maryland recently marked the one-year anniversary of one of the state’s top environmental victories: the fracking ban bill being signed into law by Gov. Larry Hogan. How did his administration decide to honor this milestone? By promoting fracked gas infrastructure in our state. This week, the four members of the Maryland Public Service Commission appointed by Governor Hogan voted to approve the AltaGas merger, thereby promoting more pipeline construction and fracked-gas infrastructure (“Grumbles: ‘Maryland is an environmental leader,’” April 3).

Meanwhile, Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles dares to proclaim Governor Hogan, and Maryland, as an environmental leader. Maryland just approved a gas pipeline beneath the Potomac River, recently exported its first shipment of liquefied natural gas from the Cove Point terminal, and is failing to move off fossil fuels as quickly as the science says we have to in order to avoid catastrophic climate change. If Messrs. Hogan and Grumbles actually wanted Maryland to be an environmental leader, they would not be promoting more fracked gas in the state, and would instead commit to 100 percent clean, renewable energy by 2035.

We need leaders who are willing to stand up to the fossil fuel industry and build a clean energy system that works for all of us. Mr. Hogan has taken our state in the wrong direction, but we have a chance this year to elect a new governor and move off fossil fuels for good.