This is going to be a big year for Maryland’s environment.
With Governor Wes Moore’s leadership and Maryland's Climate Pollution Reduction Plan released to the public, we are poised to make real progress tackling climate change. This department is taking a big step and setting an example with exciting improvements to our headquarters at Montgomery Park in Baltimore.
The Board of Public Works approved a new 20-year lease for our building last month. Part of the deal with our property owner is to modernize the property and install a 66-kilowatt solar panel array. We will electrify the heating and air conditioning system to be consistent with building performance standards in the climate plan—six years before it is required for the rest of Maryland.
These building performance standards outlined in the climate plan are designed to ensure that government, residential and commercial buildings operate as efficiently, effectively, and cleanly as possible. We know that this transition into making Maryland a cleaner and greener state through electrification will be a process. It will not happen overnight and it will take all of us to get it done. That is why our plan calls for phasing in the new standards for buildings.
Energy use that comes from buildings is a significant contributor to Maryland’s greenhouse gas emissions. As you all know, one of our bold goals is to cut those emissions to net zero by 2045.
We are also in the thick of Maryland’s 90-day General Assembly session, which means I will spend the next few months engaged with legislators in order to effectively communicate our vision and advise what legislative actions may be needed.
We are making progress on our goals and seeking out new opportunities to work together in order to create a more prosperous and environmentally healthy Maryland for all.
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