Advocates Condemn Washington Gas Lawsuit Against Maryland’s Clean Building Standards
The lawsuit seeks to undermine the state’s efforts to cut emissions, boost energy efficiency, and reduce air pollution
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Zahra Ahmad, zahmad@earthjustice.org
Washington Gas and several building associations filed a lawsuit on Monday against the state of Maryland for its clean energy standards.
The attack against Maryland’s Building Energy Performance Standards is part of a coordinated nationwide campaign to undermine local clean energy policy and modern building codes across the United States. Washington Gas has brought similar lawsuits attacking Montgomery County and D.C.’s clean building codes, which are essential for protecting the public from indoor air pollution from gas-burning appliances.
“Across the U.S., we’ve seen the gas industry and its allies wage attacks in federal courts against commonsense measures that can build healthier communities and meet our climate goals by ensuring large buildings upgrade to highly efficient electric equipment,” said Tim Oberleiton, a senior attorney for Earthjustice. “It’s disappointing to see Washington Gas take advantage of overbroad interpretations of federal law to thwart Maryland’s path away from fossil fuels.”
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