HB 1525

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, EmPOWER Energy Efficiency Programs, and Community Solar Energy Generating Systems

Sponsor: William J. Wivell (District 2A)Committee: Environment and TransportationSubject: EnvironmentStatus: Hearing 3/10 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring the Governor to withdraw the State from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative by January 1, 2027; authorizing the State to rejoin the Initiative if all other states served by PJM Interconnection become full Members, or the State becomes and remains a net exporter of electricity; eliminating the surcharge that allows recovery of costs to utilities from the EmPOWER energy efficiency programs; providing that a certain tariff may not require an electric company to purchase or provide a certain bill credit; etc.

AI analysis is off. Set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY to enable summaries, pros and cons, and questions.

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 (18)

MGA witness list

FAV 8FavorableUNF 7UnfavorableINFO 3Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	DeMinco, Lynne	BCRW	Position only
FAV	Pavlak, Alex	Future of Energy Initiative	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Wivell, Delegate Wivelllegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Ennis, Ella	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lang, Alan	Individual	Position only
FAV	Meyerovich, Mark	Individual	Position only
FAV	Tibbals, Trudy	Individual	Position only
FAV	bugos, robin	Individual	Position only
UNF	Stegman, Matt	Chesapeake Bay Foundation	Written (PDF)
UNF	Brown-Burnett, Gloria	Department of Human Services	Written (PDF)
UNF	Stewart, Frances	Elders Climate Action Maryland	Written (PDF)
UNF	Smith, Virginia	IndivisibleHoCoMD	Position only
UNF	Magruder, Katherine	Maryland Clean Energy Center	Written (PDF)
UNF	Baker, Jeremy D	Maryland Department of the Environment	Written (PDF)
UNF	Rehr, Rebeccalobbyist	Maryland League of Conservation Voters	Written (PDF)
INFO	Barve, Barve	MD PSC	Written (PDF)
INFO	Lapp, David	Office of People's Counsel	Written (PDF)
INFO	Wivell, Delegate	Individual	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

BCRWFAV 1

Chesapeake Bay FoundationUNF 1

Department of Human ServicesUNF 1

Elders Climate Action MarylandUNF 1

Future of Energy InitiativeFAV 1

IndivisibleHoCoMDUNF 1

Maryland Clean Energy CenterUNF 1

Maryland Department of the EnvironmentUNF 1

Maryland League of Conservation VotersUNF 1

MD PSCINFO 1

Office of People's CounselINFO 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

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