Baltimore Sun

Burning trash shouldn’t count as green energy

- — Ashley Esposito, Baltimore

As a concerned parent, elected city school board commission­er and advocate for environmen­tal justice, I’m proud to have testified in support of Del. Vaughn Stewart and state Sen. Karen Lewis Young’s Reclaim Renewable Energy Act. The students of Baltimore are already taking significan­t steps to combat climate change and foster a healthier future for our city from implementi­ng school composting programs to advocating for renewable energy. It’s time for the Maryland General Assembly to follow our youths’ lead and stop forcing Baltimore families to subsidize trash incinerati­on (“Stop subsidizin­g trash incinerati­on as ‘renewable energy’ in Maryland,” March 7).

As a mother, I am deeply committed to leaving behind a better planet. I do not wish for my son to inherit the same battles for environmen­tal justice that we face today. Thirteen years ago next month, long before my son was born, Maryland made the mistake of declaring trash incinerati­on “renewable energy” to boost new proposed trash incinerato­rs — incinerato­rs that community groups here in Baltimore City and in Frederick County were able to fight off. Every year that Maryland delays passing this bill, we waste tens of millions of dollars on old incinerato­rs that could have gone toward the renewable energy we actually need more of. That’s money our kids can’t afford for us to waste.

That’s also money our local government­s don’t want for trash incinerati­on. Baltimore City and Montgomery County, where Maryland’s two trash incinerato­rs are located, both joined me in testifying in support. Councilman Mark Conway delivered testimony signed by a supermajor­ity of the Baltimore City Council. Comptrolle­r Bill Henry underscore­d the importance of directing these funds towards clean energy initiative­s to power our schools and homes.

Passing the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act will make significan­t strides toward a healthier future for our kids. Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson and Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, stand up for Baltimore’s kids and schedule votes on the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act now.

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