Cambridge International was chosen as a host for the White House Roundtable discussion that brought together business and community leaders with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Jonathan Adelstein, Administrator of Rural Utilities Service.
“It was an honor to host the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Utilities Administrator at our headquarters in Cambridge, MD,” said Dion Banks , Director of Governmental Affairs for Cambridge International . “The roundtable here at our facility was 1 out of 100 held through the entire country to address the country’s economic state and how we can create jobs. This was an historic moment for Cambridge International, Dorchester County, the City of Cambridge and the State of Maryland.”
Focused specifically on the green economy and the renewable energy sector, Cambridge hosted approximately 50 business and community leaders from the Eastern Shore region, to share in the conversation regarding the challenges and opportunities for the region’s clean technology initiative.
“[President Obama’s Administration] wants us to lead the world in clean energy…and to fund cutting-edge research for the next generation of clean technology,” Adelstein told participants. “Our top priority is to create an economy that’s built to last.”
Members of the roundtable included Victoria Jackson-Stanley, Mayor of Cambridge, as well as representatives from NRG Energy, the Chesapeake Bay Commission, Maryland Energy Administration, Maryland Clean Energy Center, Choptank Electric, Maryland Offshore Wind Coalition, Wilson Engineering Services, BITHENERGY, Standard Solar, and several others involved in manufacturing and implementation of clean energy solutions in the Eastern Shore region.
As host of the discussion, the results of which will be used to directly affect Administration policy, Adelstein asked “How can [the USDA and the Administration] help businesses succeed and how do we get out of the way when we’re in the way?”
Some of the major opportunities and challenges proposed by the group included how to fund investments into renewable energy technology for end-users, how to simplify the process for obtaining grants and funding, how to create an inter-agency discussion, and how to implement training programs to create a knowledgeable workforce.
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Offshore WIND staff, May 8, 2012; Image: Cambridge International