MD climate bill likely to pass House

According to Baltimore Sun's Bay and Environment Blog, the Maryland "House of Delegates gave preliminary approval...to the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act, turning aside a "killer" amendment offered by the chamber's Republican leader." The blog further asserts that the bill is likely to pass, having already passed the Senate as "a parallel measure."

The bill is likely to be successful this year because it exempts manufacturing from emissions controls. "Del. Brian McHale, a Baltimore Democrat supporting the bill...said manufacturers produced only a small share of the greenhouse gases, and they were exempted to spare them from being put at a competitive disadvantage with factories in other states lacking greenhouse gas regulations. "