On Tuesday, June 13, the Board of County Commissioners adopted a resolution to affirm and restate Charles County’s commitment to promoting environmentally sustainable initiatives to help deter the harmful effects of climate change.
Commissioner President Peter F. Murphy said, “I believe the risks of climate change warrants thoughtful action, and this resolution shows Charles County’s commitment to protecting our environment.”
The resolution shows Charles County’s commitment to utilizing environmental protective measures that help protect the health, safety, and welfare of county residents and natural resources; and the goals and ideals of the Paris Climate Accord and the United States Climate Alliance.
“This resolution is an act of unity. It shows our citizens that we prescribe to the belief that climate change is real and that our local policies will do everything we can to combat it. There is no fiscal note attached because it does nothing more than put an exclamation mark on what we already are doing,” said Commissioner Ken Robinson (District 1).
Charles County supports renewable energy including: the new solar parking canopy installation at the Government Building, which is an expected annual cost saving of $35,300; and the existing Crain Memorial Welcome Center, which is operated by the county and partially powered by an on-site wind turbine. The County Commissioners recently passed legislation that created the Watershed Conservation District where objectives include, but are not limited to, the protection of the Mattawoman Creek Stream Valley and the headwaters of the Port Tobacco River and the watershed areas natural resources, protection of water resources and Tier II streams, protection of wildlife habitat, and implementation of the total maximum daily load thereby restricting pollutants.