Following is the Sierra Club’s letter of endorsement to District 1 County Council Member Roger Berliner.
May 25, 2010
Roger Berliner, Councilmember
100 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850
Dear Mr. Berliner:
I am pleased to inform you that the Sierra Club’s Montgomery County Group has endorsed your candidacy for the District 1 County Council election seat. Our Group assesses each candidate based upon their past record and present commitment to help us achieve our main goals to: conserve energy and address climate change, reduce sprawl and promote public transportation, and preserve high quality land and water resources and conserve biodiversity.
We are extending our endorsement of your candidacy because the positions you have taken support our goals. Your leadership on climate change reduction and energy efficiency legislation over the last 4 years has been critical for our County and establishes us as a model for other jurisdictions. Most recently, we supported the bill you introduced that passed and levies a carbon tax on large carbon emitters in the county. We are also proud supporters of legislation that you authored that requires new homes to be significantly more energy efficient, requires the Planning Department to estimate the impact on greenhouse gas emissions of master plan revisions and sets up a revolving loan fund to be used for energy efficient retrofits of existing buildings.
We would also like to note your support of public transportation related initiatives such as the Purple Line, the proposed bus rapid transit system and the major redesign of Rockville Pike into a boulevard that promotes walking, biking and surface public transit. We will work with you to expand these and other critical investments in our community.
As you know, the Sierra Club endorsement means a lot to our members in the county and to the general voting public. Our endorsement sends a message to voters that you strongly support improving the environment and it highlights your proven track record in advancing environmental protection.
Please be informed that our endorsement can be used by your campaign in many ways:
a) You may use the Sierra Club name in your campaign materials.
b) Mailing labels of the Sierra Club members in your district/area can be made available for use in your campaign (within Club guidelines).
c) Press events announcing the Sierra Club endorsement can be conducted in close coordination with our Chapter Political Chair and staff/Chapter Compliance Officer.
d) Requests for volunteers to help in campaign activities can be coordinated through our Chapter/Group Political Committee.
The Sierra Club encourages your efforts to raise environmental issues during your campaign and we are confident that you will continue working on protecting and improving our environment.
Sincerely,
Political Chair
Sierra Club Montgomery County Group