This week Mayor Jeffrey Slavin of Somerset, MD became the tenth mayor to sign on to Maryland Sierra Club’s “Maryland Mayors for 100% Clean Energy.” Last month Mayor Dia Costello of Glen Echo, MD was the ninth. They join the ranks of mayors of municipalities from the Eastern Shore, Southern Maryland, and Central Maryland.
The “Maryland Mayors for 100% Clean Energy” are a group of mayors who have acknowledged that a just transition to 100% clean and renewable energy will help make communities stronger, healthier, and more resilient; create jobs and new business opportunities; and allow communities around the state and around the world to become a more equitable and give all parts of society the opportunity to benefit from a thriving local economy. They state their intention to continue to work with all stakeholders to transition away from dirty energy and invest in local, affordable solutions like energy efficiency, solar, wind, and pollution-free electric transportation.
Regarding this important step towards energy sustainability, Mayor Costello stated, “Clearly from scientific research and our own observations over the recent years, global warming is a huge concern for us individually, in our town, and community. Renewable energy use by town buildings is one essential component to assist in reducing carbon emissions.”
“As a Montgomery County resident, I’m really proud and inspired to see our municipalities speaking out on the need to transition quickly to renewable energy,” said Sierra Club volunteer leader Laura Espinoza. “I hope they can continue the momentum to move all our municipal and county governments to one hundred percent renewables by 2030.”
In Maryland, action by local governments is already a significant driver of renewable energy growth as towns and cities across the state take critical steps to reduce carbon emissions, clean the air, strengthen the economy, and improve the lives of their residents. Positive, bipartisan, community-driven solutions continue to be key in the drive to build communities that can be sustainable and prosperous while being a positive contribution to the health of their citizens and the world around them.
Kevin Cheung, Chair of the Maryland Sierra Club’s Clean and Renewable Energy Committee, stated, “It’s impossible for us to overstate the necessity of a rapid and just transition to renewable energy and away from fossil fuels. Every mayor that joins in the call to build our renewable future, every town that makes a commitment to buy from renewable energy sources, is a step towards a cleaner, more sustainable future. It is a step towards cleaner air to breathe, a cleaner Chesapeake Bay watershed, better health for all Marylanders, and a more sustainable future for our children.”