The Environmental Finance Center at the University of Maryland announced that the City of Mount Rainier was one of 17 Maryland municipalities honored at the Sustainable Maryland Awards Ceremony at the Maryland Municipal League’s annual Fall Conference last Thursday. The City was certified at the Silver level.
A detailed summary of Mount Rainier’s sustainability Actions can be found in their Certification Report.
"The City of Mount Rainier is dedicated to a sustainable future, and we’re honored to once again achieve Sustainable Maryland certification, joining municipalities across the state in this shared commitment,” said Mayor Celina Benitez. “We continue to lead by example right here at home, by working together, remaining committed to environmental stewardship, and setting a sustainable path for generations to come."
“The 17 towns achieving certification this year represent the leading edge of Maryland’s sustainability initiatives at the local level,” said Mike Hunninghake, Director of the Sustainable Maryland program. “Their efforts, and those of many towns and cities across the state, collectively move the needle in the right direction as we grapple with making communities climate-resilient, healthy, and economically viable places to live for current and future generations. Sustainable Maryland is proud to support their vital work, which serves as a beacon of inspiration for other communities.”
Sustainable Maryland Certification: To achieve certification, municipalities are required to form a Green Team comprised of residents, community leaders, municipal staff, and officials; complete a variety sustainability-related Actions worth a total of at least 150 points for Bronze level certification, or 400 points for Silver level certification, and submit the appropriate documentation as evidence that the Sustainable Maryland Certified requirements have been satisfied. The Sustainable Maryland Action Menu can be seen here: https://sustainablemaryland.com/certification/actions
About Sustainable Maryland: Sustainable Maryland is an initiative of the Environmental Finance Center at the University of Maryland that is designed to support Maryland's 157 municipalities as they look for cost-effective and strategic ways to protect their natural assets and revitalize their communities. Using best practices in resource areas like water, energy, planning, health, food, and economy, a municipality can earn points toward sustainability certification. Sustainable Maryland offers a customizable menu of concrete actions, allowing communities to select initiatives that best fit their specific needs. This free and voluntary program, with the support of the Maryland Municipal League, the State of Maryland and the US Environmental Protection Agency helps communities choose a direction for their greening efforts; complete their chosen actions with help from program tools, trainings, expert guidance, and other resources; and be recognized statewide for their accomplishments. For more information about Sustainable Maryland: www.sustainablemaryland.com