Letter to Montgomery County Council Members in Support of the Maryland Clean Energy Jobs Act

On Tuesday, October 31, the Montgomery County Council is scheduled to vote on a resolution to support the Maryland Clean Energy Jobs legislation. The resolution was introduced on October 17 by County Council President Roger Berliner and Councilmember Marc Elrich. So far, Councilmembers Elrich, Leventhal and Katz have indicated they will co-sponsor. We have the opportunity to show that Montgomery County residents overwhelmingly support renewable energy by urging every single Councilmember to vote YES. 

Targets are Councilmembers Floreen, Hucker, Navarro, Rice and Riemer.

The Maryland Clean Energy Jobs Initiative would not only double wind and solar power in Maryland, it would help employ thousands of workers across the state in the renewable energy industry by providing unprecedented funding for clean energy jobs training and investments. Learn more at: http://chesapeakeclimate.org/maryland/clean-energy/

 

ACTION 1:  Call and email your county council member who has not yet voiced whether they will co-sponsor the resolution (Floreen, Hucker, Navarro, Rice, Reimer) and let them hear directly from you that you support clean energy.

Nancy Floreen At-Large 240-777-7959, Councilmember.Floreen@montgomerycountymd.gov

Tom Hucker, District 5 240-777-7960, Councilmember.Hucker@montgomerycountymd.gov

Nancy Navarro, District 4 240-777-7968, Councilmember.Navarro@montgomerycountymd.gov

Craig Rice, District 2 240-777-7955, Councilmember.Rice@montgomerycountymd.gov

Hans Reimer, At-Large 240-777-7964, Councilmember.Riemer@montgomerycountymd.gov

 

  • When you call say:

My name is __________ and I am a constituent of Councilmember ____________ and I would like him/her to vote yes on the resolution to increase Maryland’s renewable energy standard to 50% by 2030. Thank you for your time.

 

  • Use this sample email:

Subject line: MoCo resolution: Vote YES for clean energy Tuesday October 31

Dear Councilmember,

On October 17, Council President Berliner and Councilmember Elrich introduced a resolution to support the Maryland Clean Energy Jobs Initiative.  This state legislative initiative would DOUBLE Maryland’s use of wind and solar power, making sure that half of our electricity comes from renewable sources statewide in the coming years. Baltimore City has already passed this resolution as a way to encourage lawmakers in Annapolis to do the right thing. Now it’s Montgomery County’s turn. In addition, the Maryland Clean Energy Jobs legislation would employ thousands of residents across the state in the renewable energy industry with dedicated funding to workforce development and capital investments in the renewable energy industry. The proposed legislation would also end inappropriate state subsidies to trash-to-energy plants across the state. These plants are currently labeled as “clean” energy but in reality use ratepayer subsidies to crowd out the development of more wind and solar power in the state.

 

I strongly support this initiative and urge you to vote Yes on October 31st to increase Maryland’s clean energy standard and move Maryland forward on clean energy.

Sincerely,

 

 

ACTION 2:  Send Thank You emails to your Councilmember(s) Berliner, Elrich, Leventhal and Katz and let them see that you support clean energy.

Dear Councilmember:

Thank you for introducing and supporting a resolution to support the Maryland Clean Energy Jobs Initiative. This campaign will combat the climate crisis by raising Maryland’s renewable electricity to 50% by 2030. In addition to reducing climate pollution, it will spur economic development, creating thousands of family-sustaining Maryland jobs. More clean energy will also protect our health, saving our families money on doctors’ bills and preventing asthma attacks and other respiratory illnesses.  Investments in workforce development and women-, veteran-, and minority-owned businesses will ensure that low-income communities and communities of color, often the ones who pay the price for our dirty energy, will also benefit from the clean energy economy. In addition, phasing out incentives for trash incineration will strengthen and clean up Maryland’s RPS.

 

Thank you for standing with your constituents for a clean energy future for Maryland.

Sincerely,