TO: Maryland Commission on Climate Change Mitigation Working Group
FROM: Joshua Tulkin, Director, Maryland Sierra Club on behalf of AIA Maryland, Audubon Mid-Atlantic,
Baltimore County Progressive Democrats Club, Cedar Lane Environmental Justice Ministry, Chesapeake
Climate Action Network, Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility, Coalition for Smarter Growth,
DoTheMostGood, Elders Climate Action Maryland Chapter, Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, Howard County
Climate Action, Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA), Maryland Legislative Coalition, MLC Climate Justice
Wing, NAACP Maryland State Conference, Environmental and Climate Justice Committee, Rewiring America,
Safe Skies Maryland, Solar United Neighbors, Strong Future Maryland, Unitarian Universalist Legislative
Ministry of Maryland
DATE: September 2, 2022
SUBJECT: Recommendations for the Maryland Commission on Climate Change Annual Report
Dear Maryland Commission on Climate Change Mitigation Working Group,
We understand that Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) is looking for ways to build upon and
supplement the previous Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act (GGRA) Plan to meet the new 60%
greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2031 target that took effect with the passage of the Climate Solutions
Now Act of 2022. We offer the following recommendations for various sectors believing that they can help
Maryland close the emissions gap between the 2030 GGRA set in 2017 (40% by 2030) and the new Climate
Solutions Now Act goal (60% by 2031). The Federal Infrastructure and Inflation Reduction Acts provide
unprecedented levels of federal funds to accomplish many of these goals. Maryland agencies and local
governments should take maximum advantage of these funding opportunities.
We encourage the Maryland Commission on Climate Change to incorporate the following recommendations in
its annual report and provide active support for them in actions with agencies, decisionmakers, and
stakeholders throughout the year.