Academy Newsletter

Fall 2022 (Issue No. 3)

This newsletter is by and for participants and alumni of the Maryland Climate Leadership Academy, the nation’s first state-sponsored institution providing continuing education and executive training programs specifically designed for state and local government officials, infrastructure executives and business leaders.

ACADEMY ALUMNI: We Need to Hear From You! Help Us Shape Future Programming

The Maryland Climate Leadership Academy needs to hear from its alumni to help shape future Academy offerings and programs.

As a follow up to the first Academy Alumni virtual town hall in September, we have created this survey to help us learn more about your challenges, your needs, and your interests. Additionally, we would like to understand what type and amount of engagement our Academy alumni are most interested in.

This form should take less than 10-15 minutes to complete. Thank you in advance for your ideas and input!

Next Gen Climate Training Enhanced by Maryland’s Climate Solutions Now Act

The Maryland legislature took a significant step forward for climate this year by passing the landmark Climate Solutions Now Act (CSNA) (S.B.528) in April. This legislative work builds on Maryland’s progress in addressing climate at the state level since 2007 with the creation of the Maryland Climate Change Commission and the state’s entry into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Read this issue’s feature article to learn more about how the recently passed CSNA is helping one program, the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps (the Corps) managed by the Chesapeake Bay Trust (Trust), continue to support and train the next generation of stewards in professions that restore and protect our environment, ensure healthy places for Marylanders to live, and address climate change in underserved communities.

Q&A with Joel Dunn and Tim Male:
Creation and Passage of the Conservation Finance Act

On April 21, the Maryland Governor signed the Conservation Finance Act (H.B.653/S.B.348). This bill, sponsored by Senator Sarah Elfreth and Delegate Sara Love, makes traditional infrastructure financing equally available to green and blue infrastructure projects and promotes private investment in such solutions (NCEL 2022).

Read this issue’s Q&A with Tim Male, executive director, Environmental Policy Innovation Center and Joel Dunn, president & CEO, Chesapeake Conservancy.