Organizing for Clean Air at Northwest Park

Written By Katie Wenger

AIM filled the room at the Public Service Commission on Tuesday, Sept 30 to support clean, green geothermal energy for residents in apartments who are living with unhealthy air quality. Over 40 AIM tenant leaders, climate team members, and partners from Interfaith Power & Light, PATH, and Physicians for Social Responsibility showed up to support a network geothermal pilot project at Northwest Park Apartments in Silver Spring. 

This action was about the fact that all our families deserve to breathe clean air. The project would replace gas stoves and furnaces with clean, electric appliances, helping families breathe healthier air, lower energy bills, and live with dignity. 

Building the Campaign:

This hearing reflects years of organizing by AIM and our partners. AIM tenant leaders and Beyond Gas coalition members have:

  • Conducted over 700 indoor air quality measurements, including testing more than 200 apartments at Northwest Park.

  • Knocked on doors and engaged neighbors in multilingual conversations about indoor air pollution and clean energy solutions.

  • Hosted community events, cooking demonstrations, and school- and congregation-based outreach to educate families about geothermal networks.

  • Collaborated with Washington Gas, landlords, and the Maryland Energy Administration to design the pilot project and ensure tenant participation.

  • Filed as official intervenors in the project.

AIM organizer Elizabeth Bernal-Amick explained the vision driving this work:

“The center of every conversation about this project must be Maryland families. This pilot’s success will be measured in whether children can breathe clean air at home and whether tenants feel safe and dignified in their housing.”

What We’re Fighting For:

AIM and our partners are advocating for more than just a pilot project. We are fighting for:

  • Healthy homes for tenants in older apartments who, because they are not owners, cannot make upgrades themselves.

  • Equitable access to modern energy technologies, like induction stoves and ground source heat pumps.

  • Community-centered decision-making, where residents’ voices shape the project.

  • Climate justice, ensuring that no community is left behind in the transition away from gas.

Panel and Public Testimonies:

AIM made history at this hearing by bringing renters directly affected by aging energy infrastructure to testify in their own voices. Several tenant leaders gave testimony in Spanish and French, ensuring that the commission could hear firsthand from those living with the daily impacts of gas appliances.

Ana Argueta, an AIM tenant leader, shared her vision and highlighted the urgency for her neighbors:

“I am here to share our vision: the opportunity to have homes with clean air, with modern technology that allows us to have a better quality of life.

In over 200 apartments, nitrogen dioxide levels exceeded the EPA’s safe threshold. In my own kitchen, the reading was 400 parts per billion. Approving this project means our families can finally live with dignity and safety.

We want induction stoves because they’re more energy efficient, reduce monthly utility bills, and are safer.”

Nancy Andrade, another AIM tenant leader, shared that approving this project could mean financial relief:

“We know that geothermal networks help reduce energy bills in the long term. In communities like ours, where every dollar counts, this can make a huge difference for families.”

Rosemary Mrina, an AIM tenant leader, shared the potential impact the project would have on rental communities throughout Maryland:

“That’s why I support this project in Northwest Park Apartments and the idea of expanding clean energy solutions — like networked geothermal. If it’s possible there, it’s possible here — and in every community we call home.”

Doneby Smith, an AIM leader and healthcare professional, reminded the PSC that projects like this will also reduce the health impacts of climate change for people across the state:

“Components of natural gas are greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, which poses direct and indirect health risks. Moving to clean energy like geothermal for Maryland households will benefit us all.”

What’s Next:

If approved, this pilot project will set a precedent for clean energy in multifamily housing across Maryland. AIM and partners will continue to:

  • Monitor implementation to ensure it meets community needs.

  • Advocate for inclusion of induction stoves and other efficient appliances.

  • Share lessons learned so other communities can replicate this success.

Through this campaign, AIM has shown that strong, community-led organizing can turn technical proposals into real improvements for families, proving that clean energy, health, and justice can go hand in hand.

Read this Baltimore Banner article about our work: The future of gas in Maryland could be rewritten in Silver Spring

Katie Wenger
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