Cummings Joins Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Senior Obama Administration Officials to Announce Solar Energy and Job Training Initiative in Baltimore

U.S. Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) today joined Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and senior Obama Administration officials to announce a new solar energy and job creation initiative in Baltimore. The initiative will provide Baltimore residents with access to affordable solar energy and job training to begin careers in solar energy.

"We are committed to harnessing the sun's energy and the energy of the people of Baltimore to create better jobs and lower energy costs for the entire region," Congressman Cummings said. "I thank the Obama Administration for its commitment to scaling up access to solar energy in Baltimore and I look forward to doing all I can to support this initiative."

The initiative includes a public-private partnership called Realizing an Inclusive Solar Economy (RISE) between SunEdison, non-profit solar installer GRID Alternatives, Baltimore area non-profit Civic Works, and the Baltimore Office of Sustainability to equip homes with solar power and cool roofs.

A February 2015 Solar Foundation study found that 1-in-78 new jobs created in the United States in 2014 was a solar job--nearly 20 times faster than the national employment growth rate. RISE will train 4,000 applicants from Baltimore's most underserved communities to begin solar careers, including hands-on solar installation training, one-year paid fellowships, webinars, recruitment events and other opportunities for applicants.

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