Yesterday, BGE became the first utility in Maryland to gain regulatory approval for the use of “renewable natural gas” in state pipelines. What industry calls “renewable natural gas” is really biogas — a false climate solution that provides a lifeline to the fossil fuel industry by keeping dirty energy infrastructure like pipelines on the grid. Food & Water Watch Maryland Organizer Lily Hawkins said:

“Biogas is nothing more than an industry greenwashing scam. Instead of moving our state onto truly clean, renewable energy, Maryland has established a renewable portfolio standard that allows loopholes for dirty energy sources like biogas. Maryland needs to clean up its act and cut polluting energy sources out of our energy grid — starting with biogas.”

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Bioenergy Devco will be the first company to bring biogas online in Maryland. The company is exploring multiple biogas facilities in the region, including one using factory farm gas in Delaware and one using food waste in Howard County. Both projects have been met with staunch opposition from local residents concerned by the public health, safety and environmental threats posed by the polluting industry.

“Facing declining sales to power plants and buildings, the gas industry wants to lock in continued production and use. The industry has embraced biogas as so-called Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), promoting its use to maintain and extend current gas infrastructure. We are working to move Howard County and Maryland to all-electric homes in the coming decades — we do not want the gas industry using RNG to justify the continued use of gas in homes and other buildings,” said Ruth White of HowardCountyClimateAction.org.

Contact: Phoebe Galt, [email protected]