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Maryland Department of the Environment

Maryland Environment Secretary Grumbles to Attend Global and National Summits on Climate and Water

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Jay Apperson

(410) 537-3003
jay.apperson@maryland.gov

 

Maryland Environment Secretary Grumbles to Attend Global and National Summits on Climate and Water

 

BALTIMORE, MD (September 11, 2018) – On behalf of the Hogan administration, Maryland Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles will be attending, speaking at, and/or moderating more than a dozen panels and breakout sessions at two major international and national meetings in San Francisco this week — the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS) and the National Governors Association’s Water Policy Institute (WPI).

The GCAS is a global gathering of governmental, nongovernmental and corporate leaders to spur action on climate change. The US Climate Alliance, which includes Governor Hogan and 16 other governors, is hosting numerous panels and discussions on cutting-edge aspects of greenhouse mitigation, climate resiliency, and collaboration.

“On behalf of the Hogan administration, I’ll be emphasizing Maryland’s bipartisan environmental progress, our leadership in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), our Healthy Soils Initiative, and our first in the nation state-supported Climate Leadership Academy,” said Grumbles, who also chairs the Maryland Climate Change Commission and the nine-state RGGI Program. “I’ll also be announcing some important news with other states in the US Climate Alliance regarding our initiative to phase out fast-acting climate pollutants called Hydrofluorocarbons, (or HFCs).”

The NGA’s WPI meeting, September 11-12, will include representatives of 31 states, Governor Jerry Brown, who co-chairs the WPI with Governor Hogan, and experts in many aspects of integrated water management. Special sessions will focus on innovative financing, agriculture water technologies, stormwater, flood and drought management, the energy-water nexus, water reuse, and cyber security.

“I’ll share with other states and participants the innovative work Governor Hogan is doing in Maryland to restore the Chesapeake Bay, achieve water progress in the agriculture and transportation sectors, and connect the dots, drops, and watts on energy and water infrastructure,” Grumbles said. “Nothing could be more timely or relevant for us in Maryland than strategies and support from others in dealing with extreme weather, floods, and high tides—such as those currently expected from Hurricane Florence. I’ll also invite colleagues to the Maryland-Israel Water Reuse and Water Security Conference being held at the University of Maryland-College Park, on October 10.”

 

Summary of Secretary Grumbles schedule:

 

National Governors Association Center for Best Practices Water Policy Institute, Co-Chaired by Governor’s Hogan (MD) and Brown (CA)

(Policy and Technology Innovations to meet Water Quality, Supply and Management Challenges)

  • Transforming the Water Sector through Technology and Innovation
  • Building Resiliency into Agricultural Water with Advanced Technology and Policy Innovation
  • Small  System Regionalization:  Policies, Tools and Technology to Meet Rural Water Needs
  • Finance Innovation:  Using Environmental Impact Bonds to Attract Private Capital and Shift Performance Risk, Moderated by Secretary Grumbles
  • Capturing Stormwater for Beneficial Reuse and Pollution Reduction
  • Adapting to the New Weather Extremes of Droughts and Floods
  • Governors Panel

 

Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS)

  • Role of Carbon Pricing in Driving Low Carbon Investments
  • Water Leading the Way to California’s GHG Reduction Goal – A Water-Energy Nexus Registry Reception
  • Regional Transportation Policy Collaboration – sponsored by UC Davis University of California
  • US-China Panel at GCAS, including Secretary Grumbles
  • Governor-CEO Panel on Energy, Transportation & Innovation
  • California Cool: Championing HFC-Free Cooling from Ports to Supermarkets
  • Fast-Tracking Global Vehicle Deployment
  • EV Reception and Zero Emission Vehicle Showcase
  • Breakfast – Conservation International (McDonalds Corporation)
  • Water Pavilion – Water-Climate Connections
  • Climate Information to Action
  • Governance for Water-Climate Resilience
  • Corporate Commitments to Tackle Water
  • Delegate Reception

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