At the June 23 meeting of the Frederick County Board of Commissioners, the Commissioners began consideration of an ambitious plan, prepared by county government employees,  to meet the goal of reducing  the government’s overall nonrenewable energy consumption by 50 percent  in the next 15 years.  As reported in the Frederick News-Post, the county’s new waste-to energy trash incineration plant will provide double the amount of electricity the county will need within that time frame.  The plans calls for nonrenewable electricity to be reduced 100 percent and relies on a large number of energy conservation projects, conversion-to-renewable energy sources and the county’s own generation of renewable energy — like the waste-to-energy plant or solar panels on county buildings.  Federal and state energy grants have made some of the plan possible.

Commissioner President Jan Gardner told officials that she was happy with the final product, which was set in motion by the commissioners adopting the 50 percent goal in 2007. “Most of it I think is possible for us to accomplish and it does achieve our strategic plan goal.”

The commissioners have asked that the plan be presented to the county’s Sustainability Commission and then returned to the board. They are expected to act on it next month.