HB 397

Public Utilities – Thermal Energy Network Systems – Authorization and Establishment (Working for Accessible Renewable Maryland Thermal Heat (WARMTH) Act)

Sponsor: Lorig Charkoudian (District 20)Committee: Economic MattersSubject: EnergyStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 564 (as of Nov 13, 2024)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring gas companies serving at least 75,000 customers in their distribution territories and authorizing gas companies serving fewer than 75,000 customers to develop a plan for a pilot thermal energy network system or systems on or before October 1, 2024; requiring certain gas companies to submit a certain proposal or proposals to the Public Service Commission for approval on or before July 1, 2025; authorizing certain entities or a community organization to submit neighborhoods for consideration as part of a pilot system; etc.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (57)

MGA witness list

FAV 44FavorableFWA 6Favorable with amendmentsUNF 5UnfavorableINFO 2Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Feighner, Liz	BWCUMC Creation Care	Position only
FAV	Leonard, Victoria	Baltimore-DC Building Building Trades	Written (PDF)
FAV	Coronado Flores, Jose	CASA	Position only
FAV	Villasenor, Ernestolobbyist	CCAN	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Dunning, Bryan	Center for Progressive Reform	Position only
FAV	DeMarco, Jamie	Chesapeake Climate Action Network	Oral
FAV	Held, Karl	Climate Coalition Montgomery County	Written (PDF)
FAV	Demiray, Sonia	Climate Communications Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	McGilvray, Laurie	Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Goldberg, Donald M.	Climate Law & Policy Project	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hudson, Lee	Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCA	Position only
FAV	Gallagher, Zoelobbyist	Economic Action Maryland	Position only
FAV	Stewart, Frances	Elders Climate Action Maryland	Position only
FAV	Barry, Justin	Green & Healthy Homes Initiative	Written (PDF)
FAV	Terwilliger, Brianlobbyist	IBEW Local Union 410	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Duer-Balkind, Marshall	Institute for Market Transformation	Position only
FAV	Novey, Joelle	Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVa)	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Albacarys, Rico	International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 24	Written (PDF)
FAV	Santry, Adam	Maryland Geothermal Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Rehr, Rebeccalobbyist	Maryland League of Conservation Voters	Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Scarr, Emilylobbyist	Maryland PIRG	Position only
FAV	Baker, Benjamin	Maryland Public Service Commission	Oral
FAV	Hoover, Frederick	Maryland PublicService Commission	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Edwards, Donna	Maryland State & DC AFL-CIO	Written (PDF)
FAV	Ascher, Jasonlobbyist	Mid-Atlantic Pipe Trades Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Fitzgerald, Garrett	Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection	Written (PDF)
FAV	Guitarra, Denisselobbyist	Nature Forward	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lapp, David	Office of People's Counsel	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Lewis, Jamal	Rewiring America	Written (PDF)
FAV	Elaine, Arndt	SELF	Position only
FAV	Shriner, Mariahlobbyist	Sierra Club Maryland Chapter	Written (PDF)
FAV	Rosales, Marianalobbyist	The Nature Conservancy	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jackson, Gerald	UA Local 486/Maryland State and DC AFL-CIO	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	White, Ruth	www.HoCoClimateAction.org	Written (PDF)
FAV	Alexander, Peter	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Arndt, Dave	Individual	Position only
FAV	Auerbach, Ruth	Individual	Position only
FAV	Charkoudian, Lorig	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Cohn, Debbie	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Charkoudian, Delegate Charkoudianlegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Kickenson, Jerry	Individual	Position only
FAV	Latino Caucus, Maryland Legislative	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Kraska, Martinlobbyist	ABC Chesapeake Shores	Written (PDF)
UNF	Ferguson, Jeffrey	Ferguson Trenching Co Inc	Oral
UNF	Tompsett, Thomas	Harris Jones & Malone	Oral
UNF	Bereano, Brucelobbyist	Individual	Oral
UNF	Love, William	Individual	Position only
FWA	Washington, Charleslobbyist	BGE	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Cook, Chuck	Department of Housing and Community Development	Written (PDF)
FWA	Anthony, Hadley	Department of the Environment	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Pavlak, Alex	Future of Energy Initiative	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Coffman, Eric	Maryland Energy Administration	Oral
FWA	Lombardi, Joycelobbyist	Maryland Energy Administration	Oral + Written (PDF)
INFO	Collins, Carvillelobbyist	Maryland Employers for Civil Justice Reform Coalition	Written (PDF)
INFO	Geraldo, Manuellobbyist	Washington Gas	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

ABC Chesapeake ShoresUNF 1

Baltimore-DC Building Building TradesFAV 1

BGEFWA 1

BWCUMC Creation CareFAV 1

CASAFAV 1

CCANFAV 1

Center for Progressive ReformFAV 1

Chesapeake Climate Action NetworkFAV 1

Climate Coalition Montgomery CountyFAV 1

Climate Communications CoalitionFAV 1

Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Climate Law & Policy ProjectFAV 1

Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCAFAV 1

Department of Housing and Community DevelopmentFWA 1

Department of the EnvironmentFWA 1

Economic Action MarylandFAV 1

Elders Climate Action MarylandFAV 1

Ferguson Trenching Co IncUNF 1

Future of Energy InitiativeFWA 1

Green & Healthy Homes InitiativeFAV 1

Harris Jones & MaloneUNF 1

IBEW Local Union 410FAV 1

Institute for Market TransformationFAV 1

Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVa)FAV 1

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 24FAV 1

Maryland Employers for Civil Justice Reform CoalitionINFO 1

Maryland Energy AdministrationFWA 2

Maryland Geothermal AssociationFAV 1

Maryland League of Conservation VotersFAV 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland PIRGFAV 1

Maryland Public Service CommissionFAV 1

Maryland PublicService CommissionFAV 1

Maryland State & DC AFL-CIOFAV 1

Mid-Atlantic Pipe Trades AssociationFAV 1

Montgomery County Department of Environmental ProtectionFAV 1

Nature ForwardFAV 1

Office of People's CounselFAV 1

Rewiring AmericaFAV 1

SELFFAV 1

Sierra Club Maryland ChapterFAV 1

The Nature ConservancyFAV 1

UA Local 486/Maryland State and DC AFL-CIOFAV 1

Washington GasINFO 1

www.HoCoClimateAction.orgFAV 1

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVVillasenor, ErnestoCCANRegistered for: Chesapeake Climate Action Network Action Fund

FAVGallagher, ZoeEconomic Action MarylandRegistered for: Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition DBA Economic Action Maryland

FAVTerwilliger, BrianIBEW Local Union 410Registered for: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 410

FAVRehr, RebeccaMaryland League of Conservation VotersRegistered for: Maryland League of Conservation Voters

FAVScarr, EmilyMaryland PIRGRegistered for: Maryland PIRG Citizen Lobby

FAVAscher, JasonMid-Atlantic Pipe Trades AssociationRegistered for: Mid-Atlantic Pipe Trades Association; UA Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 486

FAVGuitarra, DenisseNature ForwardRegistered for: Nature Forward

FAVShriner, MariahSierra Club Maryland ChapterRegistered for:

FAVRosales, MarianaThe Nature ConservancyRegistered for: Nature Conservancy, The

UNFKraska, MartinABC Chesapeake ShoresRegistered for: Maryland Catholic Conference; ABC Chesapeake Shores

UNFBereano, BruceRegistered for: 5400 Holiday Drive LLC; Anne Arundel County Fair; Aurora Technical Systems; BWI Airport Fire Rescue Local 1742; BWI Airport Professional Firefighters; BWI Taxi Management, Inc.…

FWAWashington, CharlesBGERegistered for: Baltimore Gas and Electric Company

FWALombardi, JoyceMaryland Energy AdministrationRegistered for: Center for Hope

INFOCollins, CarvilleMaryland Employers for Civil Justice Reform CoalitionRegistered for: Artesian Resources Corporation; Columbia Gas of Maryland; Maryland Employers for Civil Justice Reform Coalition; Pepco Holdings, LLC.; Health Facilities Association of Maryland; General Motors LLC…

INFOGeraldo, ManuelWashington GasRegistered for: Washington Gas Light