A standing room only group of municipal and county planners met at MML headquarters last week to listen to a presentation by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) on the newly adopted storm water management regulations. Following the presentation, attendees peppered the presenter with questions regarding challenges in redeveloping within populated urban areas while still meeting the requirements of the new regulations.

Following the planners meeting, two municipal officials and MML staff members met with MDE Secretary Shari Wilson to discuss the issues cited by the planners and ask that MDE consider alternatives to the regulations to better allow redevelopment projects in urban municipal areas. Following the hour-long meeting, Secretary Wilson indicated she would take our issues back and work on possible alternatives to the very stringent storm water regulations. MML encourages planners and storm water engineers to submit questions, issues and concerns to CandaceD@mdmunicipal.org as soon as possible so that all issues may be shared with MDE in a timely manner.

The Maryland Municipal League and the Maryland Critical Area Commission (CAC) held a jointly sponsored workshop last week on the Eastern Shore to better acquaint municipal planners and storm water engineers with newly adopted critical area regulations. A group of approximately 35 municipal planners gathered to hear firsthand from CAC staff members how the new regulations are to be implemented. Attendees were also provided with information related to three projects in Kent County, Vienna and Snow Hill that went through the more rigorous CAC regulation process in order to complete major projects in the critical area. MML greatly appreciates the partnership with the Critical Area Commission and looks forward to future endeavors together.

Please join MML, the Maryland Association of Counties and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for a jointly sponsored HB 1141 Summit on Friday, December 4 at 10:00 a.m. at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation headquarters in Annapolis, MD.

Workshop speakers will address the proposed Chesapeake Bay pollution loading limits, challenges and opportunities related to adopting a Water Resources Element and tips for better implementing HB 1141 more effectively. To view the agenda and register, please go to www.cbf.org/hb1141. Upon registration, a confirmation and driving directions will be sent via e-mail. There is no charge for the event, it includes lunch and an application is pending for AICP Certification Maintenance credit.

MML's 2010 Convention Planning Committee met on November 7 and took the following action:

• Selected Mark Levin as keynote speaker
• Chose menus for the convention food events
• Adopted a logo depicting the 2010 convention theme Volunteering is Priceless
• Developed new procedures for the municipal flag parade and dinner seating reservation process

The Convention Planning Committee's next meeting is scheduled for January 9.

The 2009-2010 MML Communications Committee is tackling multiple projects this year that include planning a special celebration for the 10th annual "If I Were Mayor, I Would…" Essay Contest. The committee is also working on designing a coloring/activity book for younger elementary school children to increase their knowledge about municipal government; assembling a volunteer resource guide that would list various online sites where information about volunteer programs and guidelines could be found, and promoting the use of MML online resources including MML's various streaming videos.

The League is continuing its quest to create a library at its headquarters in Annapolis that would house the most comprehensive collection of histories/stories written ABOUT OUR CITIES AND TOWNS.

• For this project we seek to collect books (hard or soft bound) that can be submitted to MML with approval from your city or town.
• We are working to help preserve and to be able to share with others your municipal histories. Maryland's municipalities are rich with history but many books and publications about our cities and towns often have limited distribution (local museums or historical societies).

Please send your books to the attention of Linda Burrell at MML. We currently have submissions from the following cities and towns: Barton, Bel Air, Berwyn Heights, Bladensburg, Bowie, Brentwood, Charlestown, College Park, Crisfield, Delmar, Easton, Frostburg, Gaithersburg, Greenbelt, Hancock, Havre de Grace, Hyattsville, Landover Hills, La Plata, Leonardtown, Middletown, Millington, Mount Rainier, Mountain Lake Park, New Carrollton, North Brentwood, Ocean City, Poolesville, Riverdale Park, Rock Hall, Snow Hill, Somerset, Sykesville, Takoma Park, Trappe, and Westminster.

The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) has approximately $3.2 million in EmPOWERing Clean Energy Communities grant funds available to non-profit organizations, community groups, and local governments that serve Maryland's low-to-moderate income households. The EmPOWERing Clean Energy Communities grants will be competitively awarded to energy efficiency projects that generate significant energy savings, with the financial benefits of the energy savings being passed on to Maryland's low-to-moderate income residents.

MEA has posted the grant application as well as information on allocations by county and dates for informational meetings on the MEA website at www.energy.state.md.us/incentives/state-local/empowercleanenergycommunities.asp.

Applications will be due back to MEA by Monday, January 11, 2010.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting grant applications for a total of $3.4 million in funding for environmental education projects and programs. EPA expects to award approximately 100 grants ranging from $5,000 to $200,000 and will accept applications until December 15, 2009.

The purpose of the Environmental Education Grant Program is to promote environmental stewardship and help develop knowledgeable and responsible students, teachers and citizens. The grants provide financial support for innovative projects that design, demonstrate, or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques. Projects should involve environmental education activities that go beyond disseminating information.

The Environmental Education Grant Program provides funding to local education agencies, state education or environmental agencies, colleges or universities, not-for-profit organizations, or noncommercial educational broadcasting entities. While Maryland municipal governments cannot be direct grant recipients, this program may provide an opportunity for your city or town to partner with local schools or non-profit agencies to fund a project in your community.

Since the program began, EPA has provided more than $45 million in funding to more than 3,000 agencies and organizations.

For more information on eligibility and application materials, go to www.epa.gov/enviroed/grants.html or contact Enesta Jones at jones.enesta@epa.gov or by telephone at 202/564-7873.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and Grant Writing USA will present a two-day grant writing workshop in Landover, December 17-18, 2009. Beginning and experienced grant writers from city, county and state agencies are encouraged to attend.

Purchase orders, checks and credit cards are welcome. Multi-enrollment discounts are available. Tuition payment is not required at the time of enrollment. Tuition is $425 and includes class workbook and accompanying resource CD that's packed full of tools and more than 200 sample grant proposals. Seating is limited, online reservations are necessary. For more information please visit: grantwritingusa.com/events/write/lamd1209.html

The preliminary schedule for the 2009-2010 Chapter legislative dinners is listed below. MML Chapters will meet with their General Assembly delegations to discuss League and local legislative priorities:

• Washington County Chapter
  Monday, November 23
  Clear Spring
• Carroll County Chapter
  Thursday, December 3
  Sykesville
• Southern Maryland Chapter
  Wednesday, December 9
  Indian Head
• Montgomery Chapter
  Thursday, December 10
  Gaithersburg
• Frederick County Chapter
  Friday, December 11
  Thurmont
• Cecil-Harford Chapter
  Thursday, January 7
  Rising Sun
• Eastern Shore Association of Municipalities
  Tuesday, January 19
  Kent Island

For actual locations, please contact your Chapter directly. As the League receives more information regarding times and locations, it will be added to the schedule, which will be on the MML website.

The Maryland Commission for Women is sponsoring a free symposium "Empowering Women in this Economy," on December 5 from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at Prince George's Community College. The symposium includes workshops on foreclosure, financial health, developing a financial plan, domestic violence, and where to go for help. Exhibits will highlight resources available to help women stay afloat in this troubled economy. For more information or to register, contact the Commission office at 410/767-3049 or by e-mail mcw@dhr.state.md.us.

Maryland Assistant Attorney General Bonnie Kirkland this month issued a letter of advice clarifying a previous interpretation on how monies generated through radar speed camera enforcement efforts are accrued for purposes of meeting the requirements of law. The law requires that a local government must, after subtracting out administrative costs of operating the radar speed camera program, remit to the state any program revenues generated from violation citations in excess of 10% of the local government's annual budget. A previous interpretation had suggested that citation revenues counted in reaching the 10% threshold would include prior-year unexpended violation citation revenues retained by the participating local government. The new interpretation is that prior-year unexpended citation revenues would not be included in determining whether the 10% threshold had been exceeded. A copy of the opinion is available by contacting MML Research Manager Tom Reynolds at TomR@mdmunicipal.org.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be holding public hearings in Maryland on its Chesapeake Bay clean-up plan, also known as the Bay Total Daily Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). EPA has issued a letter of expectation to all the States in the watershed, who must now determine how they will reduce pollutants flowing into the Chesapeake Bay. Many of the responsibilities for reducing nitrogen and phosphorous loads may be passed on to local governments in each state.

Each state will be required to prepare Watershed Implementation Plans, which need to be developed in consultation with local governments. Those units of local government with responsibility for stormwater management and land use controls will be impacted by the requirements of this TMDL process. Local government elected, appointed, and staff officials are strongly encouraged to attend these sessions.

The following is the Maryland EPA Public Meeting Schedule:

DATE:         Tuesday, December 8, 2009, Baltimore
TIME:          2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
LOCATION:  Maryland Department of the Environment
                  1800 Washington Blvd., Suite 530
                  Baltimore, MD 21230

DATE:         Friday, December 11, 2009, Eastern Shore
TIME:          1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
LOCATION:  Chesapeake College
                  Todd Performing Arts Center (TPAC)
                  1000 College Circle
                  Wye Mills, MD 21679

For more information, click on this web site: http://www.epa.gov/chesapeakebaytmdl

If you think your small town is cool, then nominate it in Budget Travel magazine's Coolest Small Towns contest. This competition is limited to towns with populations under 10,000. According to the magazine's editors, winning towns must "be on the upswing, a place that's beginning to draw attention - and new residents - because of the quality of life, arts and restaurant scene, or proximity to nature." When making a nomination, you should answer the following questions:

1. Is there a restaurant that's so amazing it could survive in New York?
2. Where do locals shop for unique clothing, furniture, art, or gifts?
3. Is there a local mascot?
4. What's the weirdest piece of folklore?
5. Anything else that qualifies as "cool" (i.e. organic coffee shops, wine bars, a hotel in a renovated barn or warehouse)?

To nominate your town, visit this website: www.budgettravel.com/bt-srv/coolestsmalltowns/nominate_2010.html?wpisrc+newsletter.