Old Line’s Lobbyists Successfully Advocated for Changes Impacting Their Client’s Renewable Power Business
Brookfield’s renewable power business retained the lobbying services of Old Line Government Affairs, and our lobbyists worked with legislators to successfully amend legislation that re-establishes certain hydroelectric power assets as part of Maryland’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).
In an effort to produce and provide more clean energy throughout the state, Maryland created the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard for approved energy sources. Maryland was actually one of the first states to enact legislation regarding such standards. As owners of hydroelectric facilities throughout the state, Brookfield wanted to ensure hydroelectric power would still have a place within that portfolio.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and an early-ending session in 2020, there wasn’t an opportunity to address the issue. Through communication with legislators and other organizations throughout the 2021 legislative session, Old Line worked to reinstate hydroelectric power — and the process literally came down to the wire. From lengthy discussions about multiple energy types, to a typo that impacted the date of enactment, to a busy backlog piling up toward the final day, it took until 10:54 PM on sine die – the final day of the legislative session – for SB 65 to pass.
SB 65 addresses multiple Tier 2 renewable sources including hydroelectric power, qualifying biomass requirements, and compliance fees. Upon passage of SB 65, Old Line’s client, Brookfield, can continue to invest in renewable power and offer a diverse baseload technology that includes hydroelectric, wind, utility-scale solar and more to benefit customers and the environment.