OCEAN CITY – Members of Ocean City’s Coastal Resources Legislative Committee are one step closer to submitting an application for a national designation program that addresses solar energy.
In July, Gail Blazer, the town’s environmental engineer, introduced the committee to a designation program that offers free technical advice to towns looking to bolster solar energy efforts.
The SolSmart program, which recognizes communities that take steps to address and grow solar energy practices, is a free service funded by a U.S. Department of Energy initiative.
Towns that partake in the program can earn credentials and visibility and would give the resort points for its Sustainable Maryland initiative.
At that meeting, the committee agreed to explore the application process and to set up a meeting with a SolSmart representative before bringing the application to the committee, which is also known as the Green Team.
Bill Neville, the town’s planning and community development director, recommended the town submit an application for the program’s bronze level.
“There’s a bronze starter category,” he said. “Then you can go to silver and gold. It seems like participating at the bronze level is easy. We should qualify right away and it’s pretty much what we are already doing. Then we can evaluate whether we want to take it to the next level or not.”
Neville said the program would be a good fit for the town, but recommended the town better describe the permit process for solar panels before submitting the application.
“The only thing I marked up was that I think our application would be stronger if we tweak the information on our website,” he said.
Neville added that by submitting the application, the town would be responsible for tracking the number of solar panels installed in Ocean City and the capacity, or energy, the panels generate.
While the town does not keep track of solar capacity, he said the permit application could be changed to include the information.
Neville told the committee he had completed the application, but wanted the building and engineering departments to review and sign off on the document.
Councilman Tony DeLuca, liaison for the Green Team, asked about the application process.
“What is the timeline on the application?” he said.
Neville explained the application would be ready by the next meeting. Once the committee submits the application, Neville said the town should hear SolSmart’s decision within three weeks.
