Pedal Power

      Climate activists Vinny and Jamie DeMarco are hoping pedal power will prompt Gov. Larry Hogan into signing the Clean Energy Job Act. The bill passed the General Assembly in April and now awaits the governor’s pen to put it in action. He has until late May to make a decision.

         The bill would raise Maryland’s renewable portfolio standards to 50 percent by 2030. That means more energy coming from sources such as wind, solar, biomass and geothermal. Hogan previously vetoed the act in 2016.

         The DeMarcos will cycle 150 miles from Annapolis to Ellicott City to Potomac to Frederick to symbolize how residents are connected in the fight against climate change from the communities hardest hit to the decision makers in the capitol. The father-son duo biked nearly 400 miles in their Ride for the Override in 2016 to urge the General Assembly to override the governor’s veto.

         “Maryland can lead the way in helping to protect our climate and creating clean energy jobs in our state,” Vinny DeMarco said. “By riding our bikes to places where climate change has had an impact — City Dock in Annapolis and Ellicott City — we are showing the importance of protecting our climate. The governor has said he understands. He needs to sign this bill so we can move forward as a state, especially in a time when it seems our nation is moving backward.”