Coal in Maryland
There are 18 coal-fired power plants in Maryland, generating about 40% of the state's electricity. The negative health and climate impacts of coal from cradle to grave are serious and well-documented.
Check out these resources for more information about the dangers of coal:
- Death and Disease from Maryland Power Plants, Clean Air Task Force, 2010.
- Full cost accounting for the lifecycle of coal, Annals of the New York Academy of Science. Dr. Paul Epstein et. al, Feb 2011.
The wind blowing off Maryland's Atlantic coast is a vast, untapped energy source. Offshore wind has the power to provide clean energy, create local jobs, establish long-term electric price stability, and produce the equivalent of two thirds of Maryland's current electricity needs.
Recent studies show that we are on the cusp of understanding the full impacts of shale gas drilling in Maryland. This evidence suggests that in addition to the adverse impacts on public health and the environment, shale natural gas could pose an even greater threat to our climate than coal.