O’Malley
this
time
claims
there
is
sufficient
support
in
the
Senate,
which
twice
blocked
his
previous
legislation
after
approval
by
the
lower
house.
Both
chambers
are
controlled
by
his
Democratic
Party.
He
says
that
24
senators
will
co-sponsor
the
bill,
double
the
number
in
2012,
a
majority
in
the
47-seat
Senate.
The
new
bill
is
similar
to
the
one
last
year.
It
creates
a
carve-out
for
offshore
wind
energy
in
Maryland’s
renewable
portfolio
standard.
Enacted
in
2004,
and
revised
three
times
since
O’Malley
took
office
in
January
2007,
the
mandate
requires
electric
utilities
to…
