For immediate release
Thursday, August 15, 2024

 Press Contact: dgs.communication@Baltimorecity.gov

 Baltimore Celebrates Wins on Two-Year Anniversary of Inflation Reduction Act

Baltimore City to receive $389,049.90 in Inflation Reduction Act Elective Pay Rebates for Fiscal Year 2024

BALTIMORE, MD (Thursday, August 15, 2024) – Clean energy and decarbonization initiatives are underway throughout the City of Baltimore under the leadership of Mayor Brandon M. Scott. Tomorrow, August 16, 2024, marks the two-year anniversary of the historic 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the largest clean energy and climate law and investment in U.S. history.

The cornerstone of the IRA is the Elective Pay benefits, which allow governments and non-profits access to tax credits as direct payments for clean energy and electric vehicle projects. Through Elective Pay, the City is poised to receive its $389,049.90 with filing their tax return for fiscal year 2024.

The Baltimore City Department of Finance, Department of General Services and Department of Planning Office of Sustainability led the City’s strategy to access these incentives and to educate City Agencies.

“The elective pay benefits and federal incentives are game changing in our decarbonization efforts, and I’m excited for the teamwork and relentless pursuit of climate-critical funding. It’s these cross-agency partnerships that will see Baltimore achieve citywide climate goals in the 2024 Climate Action Plan, our roadmap to carbon neutrality,” says Berke Attila, Director of the Department of General Services

The Elective Pay rebates are an essential tool to accelerate the transition of the City’s vehicle fleet to electric vehicles and pivotal to the Mayor’s climate goals. In 2022, Mayor Scott announced a goal of 100% carbon neutrality by 2045. To help achieve that goal, Mayor Scott signed into law City Council Bill 21-0159in December 2023 setting a timeline for transition to zero emissions vehicles for the City’s administrative fleet. Following that law, the Department of General Services Fleet Division has purchased 24 electric vehicles, with more coming and more Elective Pay benefits planned.

After just two years, the benefits of the IRA are leading to progress, and cross-agency teams continue to pursue funding and technical support for additional projects such as renewable solar energy around the City. The Department of General Services (DGS) recently won a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy through the Energy Future Grants (EFG) Program, also part of the IRA. The grant will be used to study and promote the decarbonization of commercial buildings in Baltimore City and County. Led by DGS’ Energy Division, the grant is in partnership with Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability. The grant program includes expanding Elective Pay efforts to support the Compliance Division of the Department of Finance to raise awareness to nonprofits of federal incentives.

More information and updates on Baltimore City’s climate mitigation and adaptation work can be found in the City’s 2023 Annual Sustainability report.