Recap: Community Energy Efficiency Workshops /
Greening the Gray in MML Mag /
Climate Leadership Workshop for Elected Officials, Jan. 7 /
Smart Energy Communities Grants Due Dec. 20
Our monthly sampling of news, resources, events and other items of interest from across the sustainability spectrum in Maryland.
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Community Energy Efficiency workshop in Hyattsville
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FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES
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Prince George's County Stormwater Stewardship Grant
Deadline: Dec. 5
MD Smart Energy Communities Grants
Deadline: Dec. 20
Maryland's Chesapeake and Coastal Grants Gateway
Deadline: Feb. 14, 2020
Montgomery County Green Bank
More info
Montgomery County Energy Efficiency Program
More info
Prince George's County Sustainable Energy grants
More info
Prince George's County Green Energy Loan program
More info
Maryland Urban & Community Forestry Grants
(Maryland DNR)
Deadline: semi-annual
More info
Charles County Forestry Grant Program
(Chesapeake Bay Trust)
Deadline: Rolling
More info
Community Engagement & Restoration Mini-grants
(Chesapeake Bay Trust)
Deadline: Rolling
More info
Prince Georges County Weatherization Program
Deadline: Rolling
Prince Georges County Raincheck Rebate
(Chesapeake Bay Trust)
Deadline: Rolling
More info
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EVENTS CALENDAR
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Chesapeake Watershed Forum
Dates: Nov. 15-17
Location: Shepherdstown, WV
Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation Conference
Date:
Nov. 18-20
Location:
Baltimore
Link
Looking Ahead
P3 Government Conference
Dates: Dec. 3-4
Location: DC
Sustainable Business & Advocacy Summit: "Making Capitalism Work for All"
Dates: Dec. 10-11
Location: DC
Rebuilding Maryland:
The People's Climate Summit
Date: Dec. 14
Location: Annapolis
B Corp Workshop
Date: Jan. 22, 2020
Location: Bethesda
Watershed Stewards Academy Annual Conference
Date: Feb. 22
Location: Annapolis
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SUSTAINABLE MARYLAND COMMUNITIES IN THE NEWS
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Bel Air Breaks Ground on Chesapeake Sensory Plaza
Annapolis honored at Sustainable Maryland awards
Ocean City receives sustainability honor
Havre de Grace receives 2019 sustainability award
City of Hyattsville wins 2019 Sustainability Champion award
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Maryland's Chesapeake and Coastal Grants Gateway (Grants Gateway)
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Maryland's Chesapeake and Coastal Grants Gateway (Grants Gateway) was created to streamline the grant application process for government and non-governmental organizations as well as academic institutions. Grants Gateway provides a one-stop location for partners seeking technical and financial support for projects that foster healthy ecosystems, communities, and economies that are resilient in the face of change.
Grants are made possible with funding through the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund, the Coastal Resiliency Program, the Waterway Improvement Fund, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay Program. Grant proposals are due February 14, 2020.
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RECAP: COMMUNITY ENERGY EFFICIENCY WORKSHOPS
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More than
75 elected officials, county and municipal staff, Green Team members, and foresters attended our recent Community Energy Efficiency workshops in Cambridge, Hagerstown and Hyattsville earlier this month.
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Discussing municipal energy efficiency projects at Hagerstown workshop
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- Ron Kaltenbaugh, President of the Electric Vehicle Association of Greater Washington DC, kick off each of our three workshops with an overview of energy efficiency and its role in mitigating climate change.
- Jenny Willoughby, Sustainability Coordinator with the City of Frederick, discussed several city-wide projects that engaged volunteers in creative ways.
- Jackie Guild, Director of the Office of Environmental Policy for the City of Annapolis, detailed their recent energy audit, which identified dozens of projects resulting in more than $400,000 in yearly savings on energy costs.
- Briggs Cunningham, Christopher Russell and Brandon Bowser from the Maryland Energy Administration outlined grants and other incentives available for counties, municipalities, businesses and residents, including the Maryland Smart Energy Communities grants (see more info below)
- Elizabeth Hitchman from Pepco discussed the various rebates and incentives available to residential, commercial and local government customers.
- Peter Doo and Rebecca Gullot from Doo Consulting provided examples of plans, policies and ordinances that communities can adopt to further their energy efficiency goals.
Many thanks to all of our speakers! Their presentations can all be found here.
SM has also partnered in the coming year with the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and four other Sustainable States Network (SSN) member programs - Great Plains Institute MN (lead), Green Cities California, Sustainable CT, and Sustainable Jersey - to work on City Energy Efficiency over the next year. The project will focus on building a cohort of active municipal staff and volunteer "green teams" interested in developing their skills and knowledge on energy efficiency best management practices. Sustainable Maryland communities will work towards collaborative solutions that help foster action towards increasing energy efficiency at the municipal, residential and commercial scale. SM communities will be invited to participate webinar/learning series led by ACEEE and workshopping policy, program, or actions cities are interested in implementing. Stay tuned for more details coming soon!
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MML MAGAZINE - GREENING THE GRAY: A FRAMEWORK FOR INTEGRATING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INTO PROJECTS AND POLICY
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 Check out the Sept./Oct. edition of the Maryland Municipal League magazine, Greening the Gray, featuring many SM-registered and certified municipalities and their green infrastructure projects, including Forest Heights' green roof at town hall, Cambridge's Maryland Avenue Green Street, Frederick's Carroll Creek project, and many more!
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MD SMART ENERGY COMMUNITIES GRANTS: DEADLINE DEC. 20
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 Maryland Energy Administration is pleased to announce that the Maryland Smart Energy Communities (MSEC) program for fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) is now open. The FY20 program budget is $860,000 and will be divided between new communities and existing MSEC communities. Funding is available for energy efficiency, renewable energy and transportation projects. Application deadline is Dec. 20. Click here for more information. And don't hesitate to reach out to SM staff for advice on project proposals that align with SM certification.
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CLIMATE LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS
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The State of Maryland is inviting local elected and politically appointed officials to a one-day educational program focused upon climate change that has been designed specifically for these officials in Maryland.
Maryland Climate Leadership Academy Workshop for Elected/Appointed Officials
January 7, 2020 (8:30am - 5:00pm)
Crowne Plaza, Annapolis
This program will provide participants with foundational knowledge around climate change impacts to regional and local economies across Maryland, as well as examine the impacts upon critical infrastructure, security and public health.
The workshop will explore the authorities and tools available for understanding and adapting to various climate implications, as well as participate in a series of facilitated exercises designed to help you consider a variety of planning actions. Additional information about the program is available at www.MDClimateAcademy.org/elected.
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QUOTE
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"Cities, states, and businesses haven't had a formal place at the negotiating table, but the Paris Agreement succeeded in large part because their voices were heard, and they will keep us moving forward until we have a president who will confront the climate crisis and put the public's health and safety first."
--Michael Bloomberg, philanthropist and former mayor of New York City, responding to the Trump administration's decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement.
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Sustainable Maryland is an initiative of the Environmental Finance Center at the University of Maryland. It is a free and voluntary program designed to help Maryland communities choose a direction for their sustainability efforts, improve access to resources needed to implement action, and recognize their accomplishments. Our sponsors include the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Maryland Municipal League. For more information about how your municipality can register in the Sustainable Maryland program, plus customized Green Team training and access to student resources that are available to provide consultancy services for municipal planning, please contact 301-405-7956 or [email protected]
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Mike Hunninghake
Program Manager
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