With the climate crisis growing more urgent every day, we can no longer wait for Washington to launch our clean energy future. The recent congressional elections just saw a wave of climate deniers come to office. For hope on addressing the climate crisis, Americans need to look to state leadership.

Fortunately, Maryland is in a unique position to pass legislation that could help launch a national and international clean energy revolution. The state's history of climate and clean energy leadership make it perfectly suited to lead the the development of wind farms in an area of the Eastern seaboard called the Mid Atlantic Bight that studies show contains wind energy potential equivalent to 70% of current U.S. energy needs. This amazing clean energy resource is located next to the densely populated northeast corridor - an area of the country containing nearly a third of the US energy market. Developing the Bight to it's full potential could transform the way we produce energy in the United States and the world.

Companies like Google are ready to invest billions to to develop the Bight, and the Department of the Interior just announced plans to streamline the federal offshore wind permitting process. To put this transformative project in full gear we just need the Maryland General Assembly to pass supporting legislation.

In the 2011 General Assembly session, Maryland legislators decided to defer action on offshore wind for at least another year. It is vital that they take up the issue again in 2012. Please Please write to urge them to prioritize passing legislation in 2012 that will bring offshore wind farms to Maryland by 2016.