The Honorable Lawrence Hogan

June 5, 2017

The Honorable Lawrence Hogan

Government House

100 State Circle

Annapolis, MD 21401

Dear Governor Hogan,

I am writing to urge you to join your fellow governors and bring Maryland into the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan group of states that have committed to upholding the Paris Agreement on climate change within their state borders.

The Trump administration’s foolish and damaging decision to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change has been roundly condemned by business leaders, climate scientists, and politicians from both sides of the aisle. Even members of President Trump’s own administration have publicly stated the importance of remaining in the agreement. Like the rest of America, Marylanders are angry and embarrassed about this utter abdication of leadership. More than 70 percent of Marylanders favor remaining in the Paris Agreement, and only California, New Jersey, Washington D.C., Hawaii, and New York had higher levels of popular support. I expect our state and local leaders to do all they can to ameliorate the consequences of this terrible decision.

Maryland has a long-standing reputation as a leader in American technology and innovation. Our state is already a part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which uses a market-based cap-and-trade approach to reduce CO2 emissions. According to a 2015 report by the Maryland Department of the Environment, Maryland’s current greenhouse gas reduction plan contributes between 2.5 and 3.5 billion dollars to the state's economy and supports between 26,000 and 33,000 renewable energy jobs. In 2016, Maryland added 1,160 new jobs in the solar energy sector alone. Our current efforts to promote renewable energy production are already aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Failing to join our peers in filling the leadership gap left by the Trump administration is a wasted opportunity.

Every state in our country will suffer from climate change, but Maryland stands to fare worse than many others. Some of our most valued natural features, such as the Chesapeake Bay and our coastline, will become liabilities as sea levels rise and hurricanes become more severe. According to Climate Central, more than 55,000 Marylanders live less than five feet above the local high-tide line. This zone has 41,000 homes and 19.6 billion dollars in property value. At the same time, the economic benefits we currently enjoy from of these natural resources will diminish.

Most importantly, though, joining the U.S. Climate Alliance is simply the right thing to do. A commitment to environmental protection is a core value for Marylanders. Failure to seize on this opportunity would not be consistent with the values of voters in our great state.

I applaud the statement made by your spokesperson that the decision to withdraw from the agreement is not one you would have made, and that you remain “committed to preserving Maryland’s natural resources for future generations.” I believe one of the most effective ways for you to demonstrate this commitment is by bringing Maryland into the U.S. Climate Alliance. I look forward to seeing you demonstrate the leadership the Trump administration lacks, and joining the ranks of the other forward-thinking states that have already taken on the responsibility of protecting our environment for future generations.

Sincerely,