Dec 06 - The Daily Record (Baltimore)

Sen. Rob Garagiola, D-Montgomery, and a coalition of environmental advocates yesterday rolled out an ambitious legislative package to address energy conservation issues and increase the use of renewable energy in Maryland.

The federal government's doing nothing about it, so the states have to take independent action, said Garagiola at an event in North Baltimore.

The proposal includes seven bills, which Garagiola said he made a tactical decision to introduce individually. Two of the bills deal with the solar energy grant program created by legislation he sponsored in 2004, which provides solar power startup grants for both residential and non-residential property.

The bills would double the amount available for grant awards and dedicate $1 million to the program. It's the initial startup cost that's expensive. But once you get it running, the energy's free, Garagiola said. Other bills in the package focus on helping power plants reduce emissions, and one would provide a sales tax holiday for consumers purchasing energy efficient products.

In September, Garagiola and several Senate colleagues asked Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. to reverse his decision not to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative - an agreement between nine states to collectively reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

We got a letter back from the environmental secretary saying 'No way,' he said. I'm going to introduce legislation to require Maryland to become part of this coalition.

Garagiola said he already has a number of co-sponsors signed on to that legislation.