SM LEADERSHIP TRAINING

ACCESSING FUNDING FOR CLIMATE AND ENERGY-RELATED PROJECTS

FEBRUARY 26

Join Sustainable Maryland staff and energy finance experts on Monday, February 26 from 9:00am - 4:00pm for a hybrid (in person and Zoom) leadership training on Accessing Funding for Climate and Energy-related Projects.

Overview: Learn about the Climate Solutions Now Act (CSNA); existing and upcoming funding opportunities related to building electrification, electric vehicle transition, and adopting renewable energy; and best practices for securing funding.

NOTE: This is a hybrid event: registrants may attend in-person at Adele H Stamp Student Union at the University of Maryland in College Park, or attend virtually via Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to all registrants.

REGISTER NOW!

AGENDA

8:30 - 9:00am: Breakfast (provided onsite)

Morning Sessions:

9:00 – 9:20am: Introductions and Session Overview

9:20 – 10:50am: The Climate Solutions Now Act, Available Climate Funding, and Technical Assistance

• What the CSNA covers.
• Funding and technical assistance opportunities are available to local governments.

10:50 - 11:00am: Break

11:00 am – 12:00pm: Energy-Related Projects

• Learn from other communities and explore what energy-related projects they have completed.

12:00 – 12:45pm: Lunch (provided onsite)

Afternoon Sessions:

12:45 – 1:45pm: Identifying Projects and Engaging Residents

• Identify what projects are best suited for your community;
• building partnerships;
• integrating community feedback.

1:45 – 2:00pm: Break

2:15 – 3:45pm: Building a Strong Proposal

• Enhance capacity to access funding through grant writing, budgeting, and other essential strategies.

3:45 – 4:00pm: Wrap Up

MDE ANNOUNCES MARYLAND'S CLIMATE POLLUTION REDUCTION PLAN

The Maryland Department of the Environment has announced the State of Maryland's Climate Pollution Reduction Plan, an important step in meeting requirements set by the State's 2022 Climate Solutions Now Act. The plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 60% by 2031. Estimated costs of the program are around $1B. Next steps for the MDE include finalizing funding sources to support new policies.

For more information about Maryland's greenhouse gas reduction planning, click here.

To read the full Climate Action Plan and appendices, click here.

CLIMATE POLLUTION REDUCTION GRANT UPDATE

MDE is organizing stakeholders interested in the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants, phase 2. Please visit their website for more information. Highlights are below:

The State of Maryland is requesting stakeholder input on the Maryland Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP). Fill out this survey before January 12th to submit "near-term, high-priority, implementation-ready GHG emission reduction measures/projects for consideration"

Join MDE monthly Info Sessions - Register Here

• February 12, 2024 (11:00 am - 12:00 pm)
• March 20, 2024 (1:00 - 2:00 pm)

Sign up for our CPRG email distribution list -

• FAQ about Maryland CPRG  
• Introducing our new shared email account for this grant program: climategrants.mde@maryland.gov

EFC PROJECT OUTCOMES WEBINAR

JANUARY 30, 1PM

Please join us for the Tree Roundtable: Outcomes Webinar, Tuesday, January 30, from 1:00 - 2:00 PM Eastern.

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Tree Canopy Funding and Policy Roundtable project was a year-long effort intended to accelerate state and regional efforts to expand urban tree canopy in communities across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, culminating in a two-day virtual Roundtable held in 2023. This event convened over 100 state and local leaders to share their research and approaches to promoting healthy tree canopies.

During this webinar, attendees will hear highlights of the project, learn outcomes and findings from the Roundtable event, and discuss how this process can help guide more equitable, climate-resilient tree canopy implementation throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed going forward.

Register here!

This project was coordinated by the University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center in partnership with the USDA Forest Service and the Chesapeake Bay Program. Support for this project was provided by the EPA Goal Implementation Team Funding Program.

TOWN OF SOMERSET INSTALLS SOLAR PANELS AT TOWN HALL, MOVING TOWARDS CARBON-NEUTRAL PLEDGE

"Town Manager Matt Trollinger stands with the newly installed solar panels at Town Hall. "- The Somerset Journal. Photo by Barton Rubenstein.

In accordance with the Town’s pledge to be carbon

neutral by 2050 or earlier, the Town has recently installed 33 photovoltaic solar panels on the roof of the Town Hall.

The installation was initiated by the Environmental Committee and completed with the collaboration of Town Manager Matt Trollinger and the Town Council. It will mostly offset the emissions produced by Town hall and its garage. The town hopes that this project will inspire homeowners to install solar panels on their own homes, moving towards a lower carbon future.