BALTIMORE — Maryland leaders are advancing Governor Wes Moore's Clean Heat Initiative, which aims to phase out gas and oil heating systems in favor of electric heat pumps.
The initiative focuses on improving both environmental and safety conditions for families across the state. Advocates argue this technology could prevent accidents while improving indoor air quality.
WATCH: Maryland advances clean heat pump initiative for safer homes
"We need to talk about clean air when we're not just talking about what it does, but how it's seeping through our homes and equipment that's not working well, that fails, that causes explosions and causes harm," supporter Reverend Dellyne Hinton said. "So today I come before you, telling you that we need to switch the source of our energy."
Beyond safety improvements, the transition could create new employment opportunities in Maryland's growing clean energy sector.
The Maryland Department of the Environment will begin the rulemaking process for new heating standards in the coming months, marking a significant step toward implementing the Clean Heat Initiative statewide.
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