FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 22, 2021 – Nuclear Powers Maryland (NPMD) announced today that the Baltimore-D.C. Building Trades has joined the coalition, along with its 23 affiliated local construction unions. The Building Trades is the affiliate organization for all the construction unions in Maryland, including the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA), the United Association (UA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). The Baltimore-DC Building Trades represents more than 25,000 skilled construction workers and their families.

NPMD is a collection of organizations who recognize that Maryland has an opportunity to be a national clean energy leader by embracing the numerous benefits of carbon-free nuclear power. The coalition works together to educate the public about the benefits of nuclear energy and advocate for state policies that recognize nuclear energy’s critical role in accelerating clean energy progress and economic growth in Maryland.

The Building Trades join current coalition members American Nuclear Society; Calvert County Chamber of Commerce; Calvert County Government; Center for Climate and Energy Solutions; Centrus; Excel Services Corporation; Exelon; Nuclear Alternative Project; Nuclear Energy Institute; Nuclear Matters; Orano; Sensible Energy Matters to America; Studsvik Scandpower; Western Services Corp; and X-energy.

The Baltimore-D.C. Building Trades is the local affiliate of North America’s Building Trades Unions. It supports the 23 construction unions in the greater Baltimore/Washington, DC/Northern Virginia region, which represent thousands of skilled craft professionals in the building and construction industry. Its mission is to work with industry, government and community leaders to raise industry standards and provide opportunity. By encouraging public and private investments in the construction industry that will provide continued and increased access to career training and employment, the Baltimore-D.C. Building Trades promote opportunities through partnerships in pre-apprenticeship and jointly-managed apprenticeship programs throughout the region, while providing value to the industry and strengthening its communities.

Laborers’ Local 11, one affiliate of the Building Trades, represents 3,500 members who live and work in the Baltimore-Washington region. Laborers’ Local 11 members are a skilled and experienced union workforce trained to work safely in the energy industry. Members work in every area of the energy sector, including in the maintenance of nuclear power plant facilities.

Maryland stands at a crossroads in the transition to clean energy as the threat of climate change grows more urgent. It has joined states around the country in passing ambitious legislation with science-driven targets to meet the climate challenge, like the Clean Energy Jobs Act, which aims to achieve 100% clean power by 2040. However, action is urgently needed today to meet these goals and avoid dangerous near-term impacts of climate change. Carbon-free nuclear energy can and will play an increasingly important role to enable the state to quickly and cost-effectively transition to clean energy.

Nuclear power is already a major source of clean power in the United States. Nationally, nuclear energy provides nearly 20% of electricity and more than half of the country’s carbon-free power. In Maryland, nuclear accounts for an even greater share, delivering 38% of electricity generated in the state, 82% of carbon-free energy, and nearly 1,200 family-sustaining jobs.

As Maryland’s largest source of carbon-free energy, nuclear energy is the state’s most important tool for enabling cities, communities, and businesses to transition to clean energy, while maintaining access to affordable, reliable electric power. The state’s strong nuclear industry – which includes both traditional and advanced technologies – represents a critical opportunity for Maryland to invest in clean energy jobs, improve public health through fewer emissions, rebuild the economy in the aftermath of COVID-19 and become a national leader in clean energy.

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About Nuclear Powers Maryland
Nuclear Powers Maryland is a statewide coalition of clean energy advocates dedicated to supporting the State of Maryland’s transition to clean energy. Comprised of a diverse group of like-minded organizations – energy and electric companies, non-profits, local governments and trade associations – the coalition is dedicated to educating the public about the value of carbon-free nuclear power and supporting Maryland’s continued clean energy progress and economic growth. For more information, visit www.nuclearpowersmd.com or follow @nuclearpowersmd on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Contact:
Jason Martin
Finsbury Glover Hering
[email protected]
301-204-1319