Gov. Martin O'Malley has signed into law a series of five bills that will promote green job creation for workers and sustainability across Maryland. The governor's 2010 Energy Agenda focused on increasing renewable energy production and tax credits for Maryland families and workforce. The bills signed last week will also help to promote the use of electric vehicles and will continue to spur clean energy development in Maryland.
"Energy touches every aspect of our lives from the cost of heating our homes to sustaining our resources for future generations," says Gov. O'Malley. "In these last three years, we have made the choices that have transformed Maryland into one of the leading clean energy states in the nation. Each of the bills signed into law today will provide resources and incentives for our families and workforce, create jobs, and fuel innovation as we continue to strive for a Maryland that is truly Smart, Green and Growing."
Key bills enacted include an acceleration of the State's solar Renewable Portfolio Standard to put more clean energy on the grid faster, as well as successfully extending renewable energy tax credits for businesses interested in going green, and tax credits for families to purchase plug-in electric vehicles as they become commercially available later over the coming year.
The O'Malley-Brown Administration's new energy legislation impacts Maryland as follows:
HB 469 Motor Vehicle Excise Tax - Tax Credit For Electric Vehicles
This Administration bill creates a tax credit for the purchase of qualified plug-in electric vehicles equal to 100% of the State vehicle excise tax imposed, not to exceed $2,000. The bill requires a transfer of $279,000 from the Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Fund to the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) in fiscal 2011, $939,600 in fiscal 2012, and $1,287,000 in fiscal 2013. The tax credit applies to electric vehicles purchased from October 1, 2010 to June 30, 2013.
SB 602 High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes - Use by Plug-In Vehicles
HB 674
This bill authorizes a "plug-in electric vehicle" affixed with a State permit designating it as such to use high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. There are HOV lanes along two federal highways in the State: one on I-270 in Montgomery County; and one on U.S. Route 50 in Prince George's County. The bill will sunset on October 1, 2013.
HB 464 Maryland Clean Energy Incentive Act of 2010
This Administration bill extends the termination date of the clean energy incentive tax credit to December 31, 2015. The bill also extends to January 1, 2016, the date by which a facility must begin producing qualified energy in order to claim the credit; and prohibits the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) from issuing an initial credit certificate for less than $1,000. The bill also makes the clean energy incentive tax credit refundable.
SB 277 Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Solar Energy
This Administration bill increases the percentage requirements of the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards (RPS) that must be purchased from Tier 1 solar energy sources each year between 2011 and 2016. The bill also increases the alternative compliance payment (ACP) for a shortfall in solar RPS requirements by $0.05 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) over the current amount in 2011 and 2012, by $0.10 per kWh between 2013 and 2016.
Source: Maryland Energy Administration
Writer: Walaika Haskins