Sustainable Maryland Certified

Sustainable Maryland Certified (SMC) is a new free and voluntary initiative of the Maryland Municipal League (MML) and the Environmental Finance Center at the University of Maryland (EFC) designed to support Maryland's 157 municipalities as they look for cost-effective strategies to protect their natural assets and revitalize their communities. Using best practices in resource areas like water, energy, planning, health, food and economy, a municipality can earn points toward sustainability certification.

The program allows communities to choose activities specific to their needs and plan community priorities to achieve multiple community benefits.  To achieve certification, municipalities need to register and complete actions worth a total of 150 points (including two mandatory actions and two of six priority actions) and submit the appropriate online documentation as evidence that the program requirements have been satisfied. 

Municipalities may select from SMC’s menu of more than 60 certification actions, totaling more than 700 points in eight action categories: 

1. Community action
2. Community based food systems
3. Energy
4. Greenhouse gas
5. Health and wellness
6. Local economies
7. Natural resources
8. Planning and land use

SMC encourages involvement by various stakeholders in the community, including various City departments, commissions, community organizations, businesses and residents. The Environment Commission endorsed Rockville’s participation in SMC and is serving as the SMC “Green Team” to work with partners throughout the community to coordinate the City’s certification efforts.  The Green Team has developed a community survey, and will compile survey results and develop a Green Team Action Plan to guide the City to certification.

Participation in the Sustainable Maryland Certified program will provide several benefits: 

• Build on the 2007 Sustainability Strategy to green City operations.
• Broaden the scope of sustainability to include several new elements, including health and wellness, local economies, community actions and community based food systems.
• Expand community sustainability programs to help residents and business.
• Earn recognition by MML as a leader in sustainability.
• Give Rockville a competitive boost in competition for future state and federal grants.
• Support a Statewide integrated sustainable future for all Maryland residents.