Press Release

September 27, 2011
CARDIN PRAISES MARYLAND CITIES FOR WINNING EPA’S GREEN POWER COMMUNITY INITIATIVE

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today praised Montgomery County cities for winning the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “Green Power Community Challenge,” a year-long competition challenging cities to voluntarily use more renewable energy sources for their electricity needs.  Brookeville is the challenge winner for the highest green power percentage of total electricity use and Rockville placed 10th for towns using the most amount of green power. 

“I’m proud of Brookeville and Rockville for their dedication to a clean energy future, and in turn, a cleaner environment and safer, more prosperous America.” said Senator Cardin, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.  “This innovative EPA initiative proves that a more sustainable tomorrow isn’t a pipe dream, but an attainable goal that towns all across America are committed to achieving.”  

“As Green Power Communities, Brookeville and Rockville are demonstrating their commitment to improving people’s health and the environment by using electricity provided from less polluting sources,” said EPA mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin.  “The towns’ citizens should be especially proud since residents and businesses who chose to buy green power over the past year helped earn this recognition.”  

The EPA competition began September 2010 and included 34 communities that competed in two categories – (1) to increase their purchases of green power kilowatt hours and (2) increase the percentage of green power use in their overall electricity consumption.  All 34 towns were ranked in both categories.  Brookeville won the first category by purchasing more than 45 percent of its total electricity from green power sources.  Rockville placed 10th for the second category by purchasing more than 67 million kWh from renewable resources.

Green power is generated from resources including solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, biogas, and low-impact hydropower. These resources produce electricity with significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions. 

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