On January 28, Associate Policy Director Sarah Sample testified before the Appropriations Committee in support of HB 61 – Public School Construction and Renovation – Solar Canopies for School Parking Lots – Underground Infrastructure with amendments. This bill mandates all new or renovated parking lots at a public school shall be required to be designed, engineered, and constructed with the underground infrastructure for an eventual solar canopy.
There is a lot of pressure on the State and local governments to establish renewable and sustainable energy options for powering communities across Maryland. Identifying and allocating funding that is earmarked for this exact purpose will help further those goals without putting a new financial mandate on local governments and school systems, particularly at a time when it is well known that current resources are not sufficient to meet existing infrastructure demands in schools.
Counties appreciate the intent of HB 61 and would like to find ways to encourage this kind of development without adding an unreasonable burden on local government and school finances.
More on MACo’s Advocacy:
