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Havre de Grace Receives 2019 Sustainability Award
The city of Havre de Grace has been recognized for being among the most sustainable municipalities in Maryland.
HAVRE DE GRACE, MD — Havre de Grace has been redesignated as one of the leading Maryland municipalities when it comes to sustainability. It is a Sustainable Maryland Certified city for 2019.
The city first received the designation in 2016 from the University of Maryland's Environmental Finance Center, which administers the Sustainable Maryland program.
To qualify, Havre de Grace had to meet certain criteria, such as having a Green Team. Then, every three years, a municipality must reapply to get recertified.
Find out what's happening in Havre de Gracefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Contributing to its recertification was the solar-powered electric vehicle charging station at David Craig Park, which was installed in 2017. It can charge two cars at once for $2 an hour and is part of a marketing push toward environmentally friendly travel, according to the city, which is adding electric municipal vehicles to its fleet and making city buildings solar-powered.
In addition, Havre de Grace expanded its Community Garden program, which started in 2012 with a pilot garden on Market Street and has since grown to four with additional locations on Seneca Avenue, Old Reservoir and Market Street. According to the city, 67 plots are active and rented by gardeners.
Find out what's happening in Havre de Gracefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"The programs required for certification ensure that our city is providing an exceptional quality of life for our citizens and visitors today and well into the future, while being good stewards to our environment and the community at large," Havre de Grace Mayor William T. Martin said.
This is the eighth year of the Sustainable Maryland program, which reports 24 percent of the state's municipalities are Sustainable Maryland Certified.
"This year’s seventeen Sustainable Maryland Certified communities, a record number since the program’s inception in 2011, represent a broad and deep commitment to addressing the environmental challenges of our time," Sustainable Maryland Program Manager Mike Hunninghake said in a statement. "We are pleased to recognize the Green Teams, elected officials, and municipal staff that are working hard every day ensure a sustainable future for their communities, our state, and our planet."
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