There’s a plan to save Maryland from its energy crisis

Utility rates have surged in Maryland amid rising costs and demand for energy. Kim Hairston/Staff

Maryland lawmakers are facing a moment of reckoning. We are on the brink of economic disaster with less than two months to address a growing energy crisis and a $3 billion budget deficit. These crises didn’t appear overnight; they have been brewing for years, fueled by misguided policies championed by well-funded and powerful special interest groups that put ideology over people.

For decades, groups like the Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation have shaped Maryland’s energy policies. Backed by wealthy donors and lobbying, their influence has driven energy costs higher, hurting working families, small businesses and seniors. While Marylanders face $500+ monthly electric bills, these groups push for bans on natural gas, accelerated net-zero goals and 100% renewable energy in Annapolis.

We are more than halfway through the 90-day legislative session, and the Maryland Freedom Caucus (MDFC) has offered legislation to bring immediate relief to your sky-high gas and electric bills. We hear heartbreaking stories like a Baltimore City resident in a recent hearing who said, “I shouldn’t have to choose between oxygen and heat. Sometimes, I turn my heat off just to keep my oxygen going because of the bill.” This isn’t a hypothetical scenario — it’s the reality for thousands of Marylanders.

The MDFC sent a letter last month to Gov. Wes Moore, House Speaker Adrienne Jones and Senate President Bill Ferguson urging them to take up emergency legislation to stop the EmPOWER fee and pause the other state taxes and fees. This would immediately reduce everyone’s utility bills.

Joined by Congressman Andy Harris on Feb. 12, the MDFC rolled out a four-point plan to address the energy crisis, offering both short-term relief and long-term solutions. Our plan calls for the state to:

Keep power plants open and reopen closed facilities.

We call for federal intervention to prevent further shutdowns and reinstate reliable energy sources.

Halt EmPOWER fees and pause energy taxes.

We must suspend the EmPOWER utility fee and institute a 60-day moratorium on all state-imposed energy taxes and fees — just like the gas tax pause in 2022.

Repeal or reform the Climate Solutions Act (2022).

The radical mandates in this law must be repealed or overhauled by passing H.B. 1451 this session.

Stop the $180 million climate bureaucracy and other costly Green New Deal-style programs.

When asked by the press about our urgent call for action, Gov. Wes Moore dismissed it, saying, “Do not just bring me short-term solutions that do not address the long-term challenge of energy.” This tone-deaf response is astonishing. The MDFC has provided solutions, yet the governor seems more concerned with political posturing than addressing the real suffering of his constituents.

The MDFC has fought against reckless policies, emphasizing a fundamental economic truth: You can’t heat homes with wishful thinking. Wind and solar alone cannot sustain Maryland’s energy grid — certainly not at an affordable price. Right now, these sources contribute only 12% of the state’s energy, yet radical policies continue forcing an unreliable, unaffordable and unachievable increase in wind and solar.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright recently called the push for net zero emissions by 2050 a “sinister goal,” stating, “It’s unachievable by practical means … This is not energy transition; this is lunacy. It’s impoverishing your own citizens in a delusion that this is somehow going to make the world a better place.” Marylanders are already seeing the effects of this ideological fantasy — massive energy bills, fewer jobs and an exodus of people and businesses to more affordable states.

Maryland’s push for net zero by 2045 will lead to skyrocketing utility bills and higher taxes to fund these failing programs. Even if Maryland eliminated all carbon emissions, the global climate impact would be zero.

Marylanders are already struggling with rising gas and electric bills, worsened by government fees like EmPOWER. This program takes millions from hardworking families. In January, the Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. alone collected $36.5 million through EmPOWER.

Meanwhile, neighboring states like Virginia and Pennsylvania offer lower energy costs, taxes and housing expenses. While Maryland faces a $3 billion deficit and the General Assembly is raising taxes, the neighboring states of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia all have budget surpluses.

Gov. Moore’s plan to use AI, quantum computing and life sciences to grow our economy will falter due to Maryland’s soaring energy prices and tax hikes. Energy-dependent industries will not expand here.

You can take action. Call your legislators today and demand lower electric bills.

Kathy Szeliga ([e-mail]) is a Republican representing District 7A in the Maryland House of Delegates.