Wind Press Conference

Press Conference

Thank you Senator Pinsky -- and thank you Delegate Hucker. Jim Strong, it is great to stand here with the United Steelworkers of Maryland! And Jason Rosvold, it's to stand with the Sheet Metal Workers!

It is also great to be joined by Mike Tidwell of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network and Brad Heavner of Environment Maryland.

We are able to stand here both with the United Steelworkers and with the environmental community because we have the opportunityto secure a win-win for Maryland. A wind-win for jobs and for ratepayers. A win for our land, water and air. A win for Maryland's Innovation Economy.

Wind energy is safe, clean, reliable, and affordable. And the turbines are typically 90% steel -- which means more jobs for steelworkers. And this is going to mean more jobs for sheet metal workers, too.

We're here today with a three word message: "pass,… the,… bill." Pass the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act for jobs. Pass it for opportunity. Pass it for ratepayers. Pass it for cleaner, greener energy.

The Choice is Ours

Make no mistake: this bill is the right choice for Maryland ratepayers. It stabilizes long-term prices and decreases our reliance on imported, dirty fuels that have volatile price tags.

And today we're proposing an amendment to further protect Maryland consumers. It ensures that no project is approved that costs Maryland families more than $2 a month on their energy bills. But we believe the impact will be much lower than that -- in fact the PSC says it could be as low as 92 cents.

But the big picture here is that this bill is designed to save ratepayers money in the long-term.

In this changing new economy, there will be states that lose and states that win. To win, we have to choose.

And if we don't make the right choices, we can rest assured that other states will. In the global competition for jobs and opportunity, our competitors at home and abroad are already investing in off-shore wind.

Whether we create 2,000 construction and manufacturing jobs here in Maryland, or whether we watch them go to other states, depends on whether we choose to act now.

Whether we succeed in bringing more green-businesses and green jobs to Maryland depends on whether we choose to act now.

Whether we pump $1.9 billion into Maryland's economy, depends on whether we choose to act now.

Whether federal wind dollars flow to Maryland,… or float to other states,… depends on whether we choose to act now.

Whether we move forward toward energy independence for Maryland, or whether we settle for importing more dirty, expensive, fossil-fuel energy, depends on whether we choose to act now.

Whether we reach our goals for reducing greenhouse emissions and increasing our renewable energy portfolio might very well depend on whether we choose to act now.

Conclusion

Wind-win or lose-lose,… forward or back,… the choice is ours.

It's my honor to bring to the microphone Jim Strong of the United Steelworkers of Maryland. Jim, I look forward to coming to the Sparrow's Point Steel Mill with you to sign this bill when the General Assembly passes it.

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