Environmental protection was once an overwhelmingly bipartisan issue. However, declines in heavy industry over the past decades have led powerful lobbyists to claim that environmental protection is burdensome and comes at the expense of economic growth and job creation. Having spent 20 years in the private sector working in sustainability, I know the choice between our environment and economic growth or job creation is a false one. When we bring government, businesses, and communities together, we can achieve win-win-win solutions that benefit our environment, health, and economy.
Since Ellicott City experienced two deadly “1000-year storms'' within two years, I have worked tirelessly to address the current and future effects of climate change. As a member of the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee, I remain committed to addressing climate change both by reducing our impact on the environment and by improving our resilience against immediate environmental risks.
- In 2020, I supported the Clean Energy Jobs Act, which increased Maryland’s use of renewable energy sources & provided significant funding for workforce development initiatives in wind and solar energy.
- In 2021, I introduced and passed a bi-partisan, first-in-the-nation Resilient Revolving Loan Fund to provide nearly $1B of federal dollars to save our coastlines, cropland, and buildings and roads from environmental damage.
- In 2022 my work was instrumental in passing the Climate Solution Now Act: setting bold and achievable goals to reduce Maryland’s greenhouse gas emissions by electrifying the state’s vehicle fleet, leveraging private funding for green energy investments, and curbing carbon emissions from large buildings.
