Students from the 11 University System of Maryland campuses comprising the Maryland Student Climate Coalition have been fighting to pass the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act. We’ve rallied, we’ve gathered petition signatures, and we’ve met with administrators and legislators because we know clean, renewable energy will be good for our state.
Students support this act because we know it will improve public health, make the state a leader in curbing global climate change and boost the state economy – the General Assembly should pass it immediately.
This act would allow the construction of a wind farm 10 miles off the state’s coast. The proposed project would generate 310 megawatts of electricity annually, powering 50 percent of homes on the Eastern Shore, or over a third of homes in Baltimore.
Offsetting this amount of electricity produced by coal, the state’s primary electricity source, would prevent huge amounts of harmful substances such as mercury (which bioaccumulates in seafood); nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, which cause respiratory diseases and acid rain; and carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from entering the atmosphere. This offsetting would save at least $27 million per year in public health costs (along with an estimated 390 lives).
Other benefits of this act include an estimated 1,300 construction jobs and hundreds of ongoing maintenance jobs for the wind farm, as well as countless savings for agriculture, fisheries and coastal properties.
Students across the state, realizing this act will be hugely beneficial for the state’s future, have been working together to show support for the bill. We’ve woken up early on Saturday mornings to gather letters in far away districts, we’ve organized photo petitions and we’ve shown how much we care about the future of energy in our state. Right here in College Park, students in groups such as MaryPIRG and UMD for Clean Energy have been speaking to legislators, canvassing in swing-vote districts, organizing rallies and collecting student signatures. Thanks to grassroots support, the Student Government Association unanimously passed a resolution in support of the bill.
In February, the MSCC held a rally and lobby day at the Statehouse in Annapolis in support of offshore wind. Eighty students, representing more than a dozen campuses, stood alongside delegates, senators, professors and Gov. Martin O’Malley to stand for offshore wind – all on a Wednesday morning.
At the event, Board of Regents student member Collin Wojciechowski said, “Gov. 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.”
Despite sweeping student support, the fight for renewable domestic energy isn’t over yet. The bill did not get out of committee last year, and this year the bill’s status is still uncertain. Students will keep sending a loud message, and we need your help. April 2, come to the “Circle of Support” rally in Annapolis, where hundreds of environmental advocates of all ages will meet at 7 p.m. to circle the Statehouse. MaryPIRG is providing free bus rides there and back, leaving from Cole Field House at 5:30 p.m. and returning at about 10 p.m. If you want a free ride to Annapolis to help pass this historic legislation, RSVP at marypirgstudents.org. You can help bring positive change to the state – don’t let this opportunity for safer, smarter energy slip away. Come to the rally, talk to your student government and college administrators and take the initiative to help pass the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Bill.
Nina Randazzo is a freshman environmental science and policy major. She can be reached at ninarandazzo@msn.com.
