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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Friends and Neighbors –<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I am pleased to announce that Riverdale Park is the newest municipality to be accepted into the Sustainable Maryland Certified program administered through the Environmental Finance Center and the University of Maryland. The Riverdale Park Town Council passed a resolution in Fall 2012 towards this effort and we received notification today that RP has cleared the first hurdle towards official certification.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The next step is assembling a ‘Green Team’ which will document RP’s scoring towards certification. The team is currently comprised of Ms. Ashley Wilburn and Ms. Adrienne Allegretti; I am serving as the town’s representative sponsor. I am sure Ashley and Adrienne would welcome the volunteer efforts of others would wished to join and take point on areas of expertise.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>More information can be found here: <a href="http://www.sustainablemaryland.com/">http://www.sustainablemaryland.com/</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:140%;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:140%;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Sustainable Maryland Certification Key Points/Highlights<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:189.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:140%;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:Symbol'>·</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Maryland municipalities apply for certification<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:189.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:140%;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:Symbol'>·</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The program is voluntary<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:189.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:140%;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:Symbol'>·</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>There is no fee for the certification, the use of the program tools or participation in the training workshops<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:189.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:140%;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:Symbol'>·</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The certification is good for three (3) years from the time it is approved and the municipality is notified<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:189.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:140%;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:Symbol'>·</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>At this time there is one level of certification that requires a total of 150 points.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:189.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:140%;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:Symbol'>·</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Municipalities may apply for certification at any time. Applications will be reviewed and approved on rolling basis. </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:189.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:140%;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:Symbol'>·</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Certification does not indicate that a municipality is "sustainable." Rather it indicates that the municipality has taken the first significant step on the journey toward sustainability.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Best Regards,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jonathan<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jonathan Ebbeler<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>CM – Ward 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Chair – Economic Development<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>