UM Expert to Testify on Greenhouse Gas Reduction Bill; Cost of Delay

First Md. Hearing on O'Malley Administration Measure

WHAT:

University of Maryland researcher, Matthias Ruth - part of the Maryland Governor's Climate Change Commission - will testify before the state Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee as it opens consideration of the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act.

Ruth will testify as part of a panel of the Commission's experts. He wrote Chapter 3 of the Commission report, the results of a study focusing on the costs of delay or inaction.

Ruth's study concludes that climate change will cost the Maryland economy billions of dollars, and finds that the state is particularly vulnerable to a "cascade" of economic consequences.

The Commission's Climate Action Plan was transmitted to Governor O'Malley last summer.

At the time, Ruth said, "Maryland's highly integrated economy, growing population and extensive, interconnected infrastructure make it very vulnerable to widespread direct and ripple economic effects. The economic data simply don't exist yet to project a precise bottom line, but the trend is clear - it will cost Maryland and the nation billions, and inaction or delayed action will only add to the cost."

NEWS CONTEXT

In January, Gov. O'Malley, along with bill sponsors Sen. Paul Pinsky and Del. Kumar Barve, unveiled legislation - the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act - to implement the Climate Change Commission's action plan committing Maryland to a 25 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2020.

The O'Malley Administration says that the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative cap-and-trade program, Clean Cars Act, and Empower Maryland, have put the state on track to reduce greenhouse gases by 12.5 percent - half of the new 25 percent reduction goal. The Commission's Climate Action Plan is designed to achieve this larger goal.

WHEN/WHERE:

The Maryland Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee will meet at 1 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009 to conduct the first hearing on the bill in the Senate Environmental Affairs hearing room. Maryland Department of Environment Secretary Shari Wilson is also scheduled to testify.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND INVOLVEMENT