For Immediate Release: Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Resolution to Support Increasing
Maryland’s Renewable Energy Goal
to Be Introduced at Council Meeting on
October 17 at 1 p.m.
Also on Tuesday: Resolution condemning acts of gun violence,
resolution opposing WGL Holdings and AltaGas merger,
and a public hearing on resolution regarding
transportation solutions for northwest Montgomery County
ROCKVILLE, Md., October 16, 2017—On Tuesday, October 17 the Montgomery County Council is scheduled to introduce or vote on resolutions that promote clean energy usage in Maryland, condemn gun violence, and oppose the WGL Holdings and AltaGas merger. Washington Gas is a wholly-owned subsidiary of WGL Holdings. The Council also is scheduled to hold a public hearing on a resolution regarding transportation solutions for northwest Montgomery County at 7:30 p.m. Both the Council meeting and the public hearing will take place in the Third Floor Conference Room at the Council Office Building, which is located at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville.
Council President Berliner is the lead sponsor of the resolution to support having the Maryland General Assembly increase Maryland’s Renewable Portfolio Standard to 50 percent by 2030, which would double the current standard. Councilmember Elrich is a cosponsor. The sponsors believe that Maryland should do more to promote sustainable, environmentally-friendly sources of energy and increase investments in clean-energy workforce development projects. Increasing the State’s renewable energy portfolio in this way can help to create jobs, particularly in the solar and wind power sectors.
The full resolution can be viewed at:
http://tinyurl.com/y7dmjxtl
The Council is scheduled to vote on a resolution condemning acts of gun violence. Councilmember Leventhal is the lead sponsor. All other Councilmembers are cosponsors. In light of the tragic October 1 mass shooting in Las Vegas, the Council resolution recommits the County to working collaboratively with health, social services, and criminal justice systems to address conditions that exacerbate gun violence and nonrecreational firearm usage. Among other provisions, the resolution calls on legislators at all levels of government to work to prevent access to firearms by individuals with violent or suicidal behavior and to limit the number of firearms that may be purchased per month. The Council believes that, “These steps can be taken without infringing upon the use of firearms for legitimate hunting or other sporting purposes.”
The full resolution can be viewed at:
http://tinyurl.com/ybgjbxqs
The Council also is scheduled to vote on a resolution opposing the proposed merger of WGL Holdings Inc. and AltaGas Ltd. Councilmember Elrich is the lead sponsor. Council President Berliner and Councilmembers Hucker, Katz and Navarro are cosponsors. Washington Gas is a natural gas distribution company operating in the County and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of WGL Holdings. The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) is currently reviewing a request to approve a proposed merger between AltaGas LTD and WGL Holdings, Inc. If the PSC approves the merger, Washington Gas would become part of the family of AltaGas distribution utilities.
The full resolution can be viewed at:
http://tinyurl.com/y8memd7p
At 7:30 p.m. in the Third Floor Council Conference Room, the Council will hold a public hearing on a resolution regarding transportation solutions for northwest Montgomery County. Council Vice President Riemer is the lead sponsor. Council President Berliner and Councilmembers Elrich, Navarro and Leventhal are cosponsors. The resolution supports expanded capacity on I-270, the Corridor Cities Transitway, Bus Rapid Transit on or near MD 355 and improvements on MD 355. The resolution also directs the Montgomery County Planning Board not to assume additional road capacity from the northern extension of Midcounty Highway when calculating the land use-transportation balance in future master plans.
The full resolution can be viewed at:
http://tinyurl.com/y8ghc74f
The Council meeting and public hearing will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM). The channel can be viewed on Cable Channels 996 (high definition) and 6 (standard definition) on Comcast; Channels 1056 (HD) and 6 (SD) on RCN; and Channel 30 on Verizon.
The Council meeting and public hearings also are available via live streaming through the Council’s web site at http://tinyurl.com/z9982v8 .
# # # Release ID: 17-320