CBT Urban Trees Grant
Deadline: March 3
MEA Public Solar Facility Grant
Montgomery County Green Bank
Montgomery County Energy Efficiency Program
Prince George's County Sustainable Energy grants
Prince George's County Green Energy Loan program
Maryland Urban & Community Forestry Grants
(Maryland DNR)
Deadline: semi-annual
Charles County Forestry Grant Program (Chesapeake Bay Trust)
Deadline: Rolling
Community Engagement & Restoration Mini-grants (Chesapeake Bay Trust)
Deadline: Rolling
Prince Georges County Raincheck Rebate (Chesapeake Bay Trust)
Deadline: Rolling
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Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) workshops
Dates: March 15, April 20
National Environmental Justice Conference
Dates: March 9-11
Location: Washington, DC
Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit
Date: March 19
Location: Chestertown
Naturally Latinos
Dates: March 22-26
Location: virtual/in-person
National Environment and Recreation Research Symposium
Dates: April 2-5
Location: Annapolis
EARTH DAY
Date: April 22
Middletown Green Expo
Date: April 23
Maryland Rural Water Association Conference
Dates: May 2-5
Location: Ocean City
National Climate Leadership Conference
Dates: May 24-26
Location: Washington, DC
Maryland Land Conservation Conference
Dates: June 1-2
Location: Kent Island
Maryland Municipal League Summer Conference
Date: June 12-15
Location: Ocean City
Washington Youth Summit on the Environment
Dates: June 26 - July 1
Location: Fairfax, VA
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SM COMMUNITIES IN THE NEWS |
More electric car charging stations coming to Gaithersburg
Thurmont receives $160k in state funding for Woodland Park Playground
Expanding tree canopy in Frederick: An increase in tree canopy can help offset the negative impacts of climate change
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SM EXPANDS WORK WITH HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS IN GAITHERSBURG |
Sustainable Maryland has been awarded funding for a third consecutive year of work helping to organize Green Teams and develop Sustainability Action Plans with homeowners and civic associations within the City of Gaithersburg. This effort to pilot a Residential Sustainability Action Framework, based on SM's 10 years of work with municipalities, has yielded successful results, including 6 new HOA Green Teams within the City in the last two years. SM expects to work with another 5 communities in 2022-23. This work is funded by the City of Gaithersburg Stormwater Program Fee via a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust.
The Gaithersburg Sustainability Summit for HOAs and Civic Associations will be held virtually on Thursday, March 24 from 6:30-8:30pm. This program will offer examples of HOA Green Teams and Sustainability Action Plans; information about Gaithersburg programs that could be beneficial for HOAs and their residents; and breakout discussions to foster collaboration and inspiration for homeowners and civic associations in the City. This event is co-sponsored by the City of Gaithersburg and the Chesapeake Bay Trust.
Click here for more information, including and agenda and registration details.
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UPDATE ON SUSTAINABLE MARYLAND PROGRAM FUND HB0100/SB0014 |
A bill currently before the Maryland General Assembly would provide stable funding for the Sustainable Maryland program in the future. HB0100/SB0014 Sustainable Maryland Program Fund - Establishment would provide the program with the crucial support it needs in order to continue to properly assist Maryland's municipalities in reaching their individual, and the State's, ambitious sustainability, climate and equity goals.
SB0014 was heard by the Senate Economy, Health and Environmental Affairs committee on February 9, and the general response and questions posed were very positive. Many thanks to the folks who testified on behalf of the bills at both the House and Senate hearings:
-Mayor Jud Ashman, City of Gaithersburg
-Mayor Dia Costello, Town of Glen Echo
-Mayor Jacob Day, City of Salisbury
-Jacqueline Goodall, Maryland Black Mayors, Inc.
-Bill Jorch, Maryland Municipal League
-Mayor Emmet Jordan, City of Greenbelt
-Mayor Michael O'Connor, City of Frederick
-Mayor Patrick Wojahn, City of College Park
And many thanks to all of the people and organizations that have submitted written testimony on behalf of the bills!
If your Mayor, Council or Green Team has not signed on yet, please consider clicking this link and indicating your support. Or go to Find My Representative to contact your Senator or Delegate to urge them to support the final bill. Thank you!
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SM CERTIFICATION AND RE-CERTIFICATION, WEBINAR, MARCH 16 |
Join Sustainable MD staff on Wednesday, March 16 from 1:30 - 2:30pm for an overview of the 2022 Sustainable Maryland certification cycle and a review of the new certification tier.
This year brings many exciting new additions to our program and the certification process, including:
- A new Silver SM Certification Tier
- More than 20 new SM Actions
- New SM Action Categories
- A new SM website
So whether your municipality will be applying for certification or re-certification this year, and you are looking for inspiration for new Actions, or updating your Action Plan, please join us on March 16!
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SM HAPPY HOUR: THURSDAY, MARCH 3 |
It's been awhile since we've heard from you!
Join SM staff for a virtual Happy Hour on Thursday, March 3 at 4:30pm. As we all emerge from another tough year and are thinking about Spring (we saw snow drops this week!), we'd like to catch up with what's going on with you, with your Green Team, and with your community.
We'll update you on HB100/SB14; our new website, new Actions, and new certification tier. Click this Zoom link to join the conversation on March 3.
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QUOTE
"What we’re reporting out is historic. The United States is expected to experience as much sea level rise in the next 30 years as we saw over the span of the last century."
-Rick Spinrad, NOAA administrator, at a news conference announcing the findings that sea levels along the coastal United States will rise by about a foot or more on average by 2050, with the result that rising water now considered “nuisance flooding” will become far more damaging.
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