Washington College

Center for Environment & Society

Chestertown Climate Action Program

In the spring of 2007, Chestertown Mayor Margo Bailey approached the Center for Environment & Society (CES) at Washington College for assistance in implementing the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement (MCPA). A Chestertown Climate Action Committee was formed, comprised of the Mayor, interested citizens, and CES staff. The Town was about to join the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), planning to use their assistance and protocols to quantify greenhouse gas emissions at the community and government operations levels, quantify the impacts of existing efforts to reduce the Town's climate impact, and provide a basis for developing a community-wide strategy for further reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, Chestertown government lacks expertise in this area and its existing staff is stretched thin, making compliance a difficult task.

The Center applied for funds from the Town Creek Foundation and the Chesapeake Bay Trust Urban Greening Project to hire a climate action coordinator to assist Chestertown in moving into compliance with the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, while documenting the process and producing a series of tools that can aid other jurisdictions in joining the Agreement. Under this arrangement, the Climate Action Coordinator assumed related responsibilities for the Chestertown Urban Greening Project, along with the Chestertown Climate Action Project. This arrangement has been extremely effective.

Over the past year, environmental awareness has been increasing along with a growing appreciation for the magnitude of global climate change challenges. This growing awareness is reflected in Chestertown, as evidenced by the progress reported below. It also is apparent at Washington College, with its signing of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, the formation of a President's Committee on Sustainability, the adoption of green building and purchasing plans, and the construction of new dorms and other buildings meeting LEED standards.

Four primary objectives were set out for the climate action project in Year 1; these are enumerated below and progress to date is noted for each objective.

  1. "The Center for Environment & Society will assist Chestertown in designing and implementing an Environmental Action Agenda."

    2. Working through the Town's Climate Action Committee, CES and Chestertown have identified specific actions that will help the town meet its obligations to the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. A clear agenda is in place and actions already underway to meet those obligations.

  2. "With grant support from the Town Creek Foundation, the Center will house a Climate Protection Coordinator who will serve as staff to Chestertown's Climate Action Committee and the Mayor. The Center will provide office space, resources, and technical expertise to the effort, along with project supervision from senior Center staff."

    3. The position of Climate Action Coordinator was filled temporarily by a student intern during the spring and summer of 2007. After a national search, it was filled with a full-time staff member, Briggs Cunningham, in November, 2007. He has been working steadily with the Town and the Mayor in order to prioritize the action agenda and help the Town meet its obligations to the MCPA. Mr. Cunningham's office is located at CES in the Custom House, and he has available to him all of the resources of CES and Washington College.

  3. "At the end of Year 1 we expect to have a clear Environmental Action Agenda for Chestertown, one that has been prioritized and thoroughly discussed at all levels within the Town. Mechanisms for putting the agenda in place will have been identified, many agenda goals will have been met or be in process, and benchmarks and evaluation methods will be established. We expect that the initial steps toward implementation will reveal both unforeseen obstacles and unrecognized opportunities, allowing for continuous refinement of the agenda."

    4. The Town's Climate Action Committee has proceeded on the following 12 actions that will help it meet obligations set forth by the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement:

    1. Inventory global warming emissions in Town operations and in the community, set reduction targets and create an action plan.
      The Town's staff has been given instructions and inventory forms in order to collect the data that will form the baseline of the Town's greenhouse gas emissions inventory. The data collection process is well underway, but we have found it more difficult than originally anticipated to collect the necessary data. However, given the experience that is being learned from a similar project at Washington College, this process should be concluded within the next few months. More man hours are what are needed most, especially in finding and translating receipts and invoices. A Chestertown Climate Action Committee has been formed and meets regularly, comprised of the Mayor, interested citizens, and the CES Climate Action Coordinator. In order to encourage collaboration and synergy, Washington College's Sustainability Committee includes members of the community, including Jim Gatto, Chair of the Town Planning Commission. While we originally anticipated using a completed GHG inventory to identify action items, we have moved ahead with implementation of action as data comes in and have therefore made substantial progress, as outlined below.
    2. Adopt and enforce land-use policies that reduce sprawl, preserve open space, and create compact, walkable urban communities.
      The Mayor has discussed these concepts as working town policies with the Planning Commission. Much of what Chestertown does in these areas must be in accordance with county and state policies. Kent County enforces strict land-use and open space policies, and the Town has resisted sprawl and development by adhering to those policies. CES hosted a week-long charette, or visioning process, for the possible annexation of the Clark Farm, a 500 + acre parcel just outside of Chestertown's municipal boundary, in October of 2007. This solidified our ties to the Town and the County, generated much new discussion among residents as to the desirability of sustainable, walkable neighborhoods, and limiting the scope of development. The Town Planning Commission is working on policies that will support many of the desirable neighborhood and community qualities identified during the charette.
    3. Promote transportation options such as bicycle trails, commute trip reduction programs, incentives for car-pooling and public transit.
      A public bus service is already in operation for parts of the Upper Eastern Shore, the MUST bus service. The Town has in the works a feasibility study of a rails-to-trails program in Kent County, and is promoting walking and biking in its public green campaign. As a rural community, Chestertown will find this action item one of the more difficult points to address.
    4. Increase the use of clean, alternative energy by, for example, investing in "green tags", advocating for the development of renewable energy sources, recovering landfill methane for energy production, and supporting the use of waste to energy technology.
      With assistance from CES (in partnership with the Chester River Association and the University of Maryland's Wye Research and Education Center), the Town is exploring the use of a biomass burner to produce clean energy for some of the Town's facilities. Discussions have been initiated in the Planning Commission over possible mandates for or encouragement of alternative energy sources. Similar discussions have been initiated with the Chestertown Historic District Commission and the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) regarding the use of solar panels and other energy sources on historic buildings, which will likely require changes to the Town's Historic District Design guidelines and perhaps changes in MHT's policies for the state's Historic Preservation Tax Credit. CES has initiated discussions with MHT on this issue.
    5. Make energy efficiency a priority through building code improvements, retrofitting city facilities with energy efficient lighting, and urging employees to conserve energy and save money.
      Energy-efficient lighting has been installed in the Town's buildings. Town employees have been issued clear directives on conserving energy and saving money. The Town manager is in discussions with the Town's electric supplier to obtain more energy efficient street lighting.
    6. Purchase only Energy Star equipment and appliances for Town use.
      This item has been adopted as official town policy by the Mayor and Council and is being followed.
    7. Practice and promote sustainable building practices using the U.S Green Building Council's LEED program or a similar system.
      The town has put into place a new position as a first step toward more rigorous code enforcement: Assistant Zoning Administrator and Code Enforcement Officer. A review of the town's building codes is underway by the Planning Commission to find ways to include sustainable building practices in the code. Several new buildings being constructed in town have LEED certification and are using geothermal energy systems. As noted in Item 4 above, changes to the town's Historic District Guidelines are being considered to help promote green retrofits or upgrades to the town's historic building stock. It should be noted that historic district controls themselves may be considered green or sustainable policies, in that older houses are often more environmentally friendly than new construction, and the re-use of buildings is far preferable to demolition and replacement.
    8. Increase the average fuel efficiency of municipal fleet vehicles; reduce the number of vehicles; launch an employee education program including anti-idling messages; convert diesel vehicles to bio-diesel.
      Town employees have received directives about anti-idling, fuel saving tips, and saving money. As the Town's fleet is relatively small, and the budget for same even smaller, the Town must evaluate the need to replace each vehicle as it becomes necessary. The Town is in the process of devising a strategy for replacing older vehicles as needed with newer, more fuel efficient ones.
    9. Evaluate opportunities to increase pump efficiency in water and wastewater systems; recover wastewater treatment methane for energy production.
      The town recently completed installation of a multi-million-dollar upgrade to its wastewater system that includes an enhanced nutrient removal operation. A full review of the pump efficiency is in process. The issues of pumping, municipal water, and waste water capacity have moved to the forefront in review of development and annexation proposals.
    10. Increase recycling rates in Town operations and in the community.
      The Mayor gives recycling tips on her weekly radio show, as well as at town meetings. Recycling tips are offered weekly in the local newspapers. Discussions with the town council are underway for requiring local businesses and residents to recycle. The Town has produced a "door hanger" that will be printed and distributed to all residents of Chestertown and will provide residents with tips to increase recycling in the community. Efforts are underway to ramp up the recycling programs at all Kent County schools. CES and the Town collaborate in public exhibits and displays at events such the Kent County Home and Garden Show and Earth Day. This spring, CES and the Town will have a presence at the weekly Chestertown Farmer's Market, making available information on sustainability and energy conservation.
    11. Maintain healthy urban forests; promote tree planting to increase shading and to absorb CO2.
      The Town has long been recognized as a "Tree City USA" and has a long-standing Tree Committee. Chestertown recently received a grant from a local citizen to improve the tree canopy in town, as well as a large grant from the State of Maryland to replant and refurbish Wilmer Park and its environs. In addition, the Town and Washington College's CES collaborated on a successful grant proposal to the Chesapeake Bay Trust, and an urban greening plan is being prepared. This includes an inventory of the Town's trees and other vegetation based on analysis of satellite imagery by the College's GIS Laboratory (part of CES) and ground surveys by volunteers and staff. This study will be completed by the end of May and will give the Town tools with which to better plan new tree planting and the establishment of green corridors. The initiative will undertake demonstration tree planting in several parts of town. In addition, and most importantly, the project will develop ordinances to better protect trees and make explicit requirements of all new development.
    12. Help educate the public, schools, other jurisdictions, professional associations, business and industry about reducing global warming pollution.
      The Mayor informs the public about greening tips through her weekly radio show and during televised Town meetings. Green tips are printed in local newspapers and on the Town's website. Plans are set for the League of Women Voters to help the Mayor organize a global warming "road show" in order to get the word out through local groups (e.g., Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, Chester Valley Ministries). The Mayor met with the 4-H Club of Rock Hall, which has offered to take on the task of reducing the amount of plastic bags that are used in Kent County shops. A local bookstore now carries a full selection of "green" books and has a window display promoting green practices. At the Home & Garden Show, exhibitors will feature environmentally-friendly gardening (e.g., composting, rain gardens, planting native cultivars, and sensible water usage practices). The Mayor has met with the Superintendent of Public Schools to organize a series of environmental education programs through the State of Maryland's outreach programs. The Town's Climate Action Committee will be distributing tips for reducing energy usage to all residents of the community, and will enlist assistance from local business leaders to distribute a brochure to area businesses, informing them of global warming issues.
  4. "A basic tool kit, including procedural guidelines, sample documents and other materials will be prepared and housed on a project web site. This set of tools will provide the platform for spreading Chestertown's model to other Kent County municipalities in Year 2."

    5. The Center for Environment & Society has recently redesigned its website, and created a Campus Sustainability page, on which will be housed a basic tool kit. This part of the project depends upon completion of the bulk of the first year's work for this project and is in progress. The Town's web site currently is being redesigned, and the environmental action project will be featured on this new page when it is complete.

Projected Year 2 Objectives

In Year 2 of this long-term project, the Chestertown Climate Protection initiative will continue with project implementation, benchmarking, and evaluation. The primary focus of our project, however, will be transferred to other towns in Kent County. In last year's application, we suggested that the role of the Climate Protection Coordinator would shift in Year 2, as the Coordinator's role as staff to the Chestertown initiative is taken up by a student intern from the Center for Environment & Society. While we will bring an intern into the project as planned, the Climate Action Coordinator will still be involved with the Chestertown initiative, ensuring that the positive, personal relationships developed this year are maintained. The major thrust of the Coordinator in Year 2, however, will be to work closely with the mayors and managers of other towns to: 1) aid them in utilizing the Municipal Environmental Action Toolkit; and 2) design and implement their own Environmental Action Agendas. While all towns in the county will be encouraged to sign the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and participate in full, some may not feel that this is feasible. In these cases, an attempt will be made to assess the level of participation that is practical and assist the town in meeting these objectives, while encouraging voluntary public participation.

During Year 2, the toolkit will be expanded and refined, reflecting the experience gained over time in Chestertown and other towns. We fully expect that the resulting products, completed at the end of Year 2, will be useful to other towns throughout the region and nationally. Dissemination of project results via the web, news articles, public presentations, updates to the Maryland Municipal League, and other venues will encourage wider use of the tools developed in this project. We further anticipate that Kent County government – and others – may wish to adopt many of the measures outlined during this initiative, thus widening the impact of the project.

The consequences of this project will be the adoption of a range of more environmentally sustainable policies in participating municipalities, as well as a greater awareness and better practices on the part of municipal employees and residents. We anticipate significant consequences that will include all 12 of the objectives outlined for Chestertown in Year 1, including:

In addition, we will assist towns in preparing greenhouse gas emissions inventories so that they can better understand areas where there are opportunities for change and to track those changes overtime.

Summary of Project Schedule

Month 1 Begin review of the 12 action points for the Mayors Climate Agreement with each new town
Establish project web pages with regular updates and progress report
Begin implementation of a small number of sample initiatives
Begin aid to towns in preparing greenhouse gas emissions inventories
Begin documentation of the process, to run concurrently with all subsequent phases

Month 2 Complete review of the 12 action points and prioritize for each new participant
Begin development of Environmental Action Agendas

Month 5 Complete draft Environmental Action Agendas
Review of drafts and consultation with mayors & councils, staff, commissions

Month 8 Finalize Environmental Action Agendas

Month 9 Begin implementation of Action Agendas (specific steps may be taken earlier)

Month 10-12 Continue implementing agendas and refine municipal toolkit

Month 12 Assess project results for Years 1-2, prepare summary report on project activities
Complete Year 2

Our objectives in Year 2 will be to: A) continue to work with Chestertown in refining and further developing its Environmental Action Agenda; and B) fully engage with at least two additional Kent County municipalities to implement the goals outlined above in Item II (primary candidates are Rock Hall, Millington, and/or Galena). Efforts will be made to engage residents in additional communities, building support for longer term spread of the initiative. Over the term of the grant (Year 2), we expect to achieve the following objectives:

  1. Continue our work with Chestertown, consolidating progress, implementing zoning and ordinance changes, and expanding the impact of the existing program
  2. Identify and engage with at least two new municipalities for participation in this project
  3. Establish web pages for each new participant, linked to other participant web pages, with regular updates and progress report
  4. Fully document the process for each new participant and the overall project
  5. Review the 12 points of the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement with each new municipality & prioritize them for each town
  6. Create a an Environmental Action Agenda for each new participant, clearly identifying actions that town government will take and voluntary action that residents will be encouraged to take
  7. Make a substantial start toward implementation of these Environmental Action Agendas for each new participant, completing selected action points
  8. Engage the communities through newsletters, progress reports, and public meetings
  9. Establish a dialog with additional mayors, laying the groundwork for wider implementation of climate protection plans in future years
  10. Refine and expand the Municipal Environmental Action Toolkit that will be available to other jurisdictions on the web
  11. Continue to inform other towns in Maryland of our progress and the availability of the Toolkit through publicity and presentations to the Maryland Municipal League
  12. Evaluate the efficacy of the project and prepare a summary report on project activities.
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300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, Maryland 21620 | 410-778-2800 | 800-422-1782