Protect the Environment

Roger understands that the quality of life in our county flows from our stewardship of the environment. If we do our job well locally, we help fight global warming and make the air healthier for our children. Roger has taken seriously the phrase “Think globally/Act Locally.”  On Earth Day 2008, the Council passed 7 different energy/environmental bills sponsored by Councilmember Berliner, a package that the Washington Post praised as the most comprehensive approach taken anywhere in the region.  One of the measures gives homeowners a property tax credit for solar that immediately helped create green jobs and earned Councilmember Berliner “The Solar Champion” award. 

On Earth Day 2009, the Council passed another ground-breaking measure sponsored by Councilmember Berliner, the Home Energy Loan Program (HELP).  This program, due to start up this spring, will provide homeowners with a low interest loan to retrofit your homes with energy savings devices that will reduce your utility bills, reduce your greenhouse gas emissions, and help put unemployed home construction people back to work. The beauty of the program is that the loan is recovered over 15 years on your property taxes, which, if you decide to sell your house, becomes the responsibility of the new home buyer.  The real estate community was totally supportive of this measure because now they can sell energy efficient homes.  This program is a potential “game changer” and is helping to promote new policies at the state and federal level. 

Bill Becker, a national environmental player from District 1 says this about Roger’s efforts:

“I have dedicated my entire professional life to environmental issues nationally and I was honored to serve on the County’s Sustainability Task Force with Roger Berliner.  I can say without equivocation how lucky we are in Montgomery County to have someone with Councilmember Berliner’s expertise and commitment.  He has made a huge difference and made our County greener.  He is truly, as one newspaper said, our “green guru” and we are so much better for it.”