The new Maryland Commission on Climate Change (MCCC) held its first meeting on June 20, 2016, and charted a new course for itself. An old version of the Commission was created through Executive Order by former Governor Martin O’Malley in 2007 and modified in 2014. The new Commission was created by statute (SB 258 of 2015) and was only slightly changed from the 2014 version.
The MCCC’s primary task is to recommend how Maryland can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act of 2016 (SB 323) requires Maryland to achieve a 40% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from their 2005 levels by 2030. The legislation also includes some economic and job protections as the State works to achieve the reduction goal. Maryland is on track to meet a prior emission reduction goal of 25% by 2025.
The MCCC has 26 members including Administration, General Assembly, local government, business, labor, public health, and environmental representatives. MACo has a representative on the Commission and will be formally naming its appointment shortly. Maryland Secretary of the Environment Ben Grumbles chairs the Commission.
The MCCC has four working groups: (1) Adaptation and Response; (2) Education, Communication and Outreach; (3) Scientific and Technical; and (4) Mitigation. The working groups will be meeting throughout the summer and fall on potential recommendations. MACo Legal and Policy Counsel Les Knapp is a member of the Mitigation Working Group. The next meeting of the full MCCC will be on September 19.
If you have an interest in serving on a working group or want further information about the activities of the MCCC, please contact Les Knapp at 410.269.0043 or lknapp@mdcounties.org.
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