Howard County earned national recognition for a wide-ranging collection of sustainability and resiliency initiatives addressing energy, transportation, stormwater, tree canopy, waste reduction, and the changing climate.

The County’s award-winning programs demonstrate that climate work can take many forms. From major infrastructure investments to relatively small changes in the way residents heat their homes, maintain landscapes, or prepare for winter weather.

One of their greatest efforts focused on expanding the tree canopy in Howard County. Through a partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, 46,825 trees were planted on state-owned land within Howard County in March 2025, supporting the County’s goal of reaching 50% tree canopy coverage by 2030.

At the household level, the Climate Forward Homes Program provides funding and technical assistance to install rooftop solar on low-income households’ homes and to replace oil and propane boilers with high-efficiency heat pumps. The initial projects are expected to save participating households a combined $18,900 annually on utility bills and reduce lifetime greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of taking 229 gasoline-powered cars off the road for one year.

Howard County is also working to make solar projects easier to build. Solar Express allows instantaneous issuance of residential rooftop solar permits, while the Solar Project Accelerator brings departments together to streamline permitting, legal review, and approvals for both residential and commercial projects. Those efforts contributed to Howard County earning SolSmart Platinum designation.

Other programs test how existing infrastructure can do more. At the East Columbia Library and 50+ Center, Howard County installed native plants beneath solar carports, creating a pilot to examine how those areas can simultaneously support renewable energy, pollinators, erosion control, and stormwater management.

The County’s Switch Together Heat Pump Co-Op took another approach, using group purchasing and vetted contractors to help residents transition from oil, natural gas, or inefficient electric systems to high-efficiency heat pumps. The Howard County pilot proved successful enough that the model is expanding into the greater Baltimore and Washington region and other communities.

Climate education also earned recognition. Howard County’s “Be Salt Wise” campaign works to reduce over-salting during winter weather through staff training, public education, multilingual materials, a salt-reduction pledge, and even measuring mugs designed to show residents how much salt is actually needed.

From geothermal heating and electric landscaping to EV outreach, composting, watershed partnerships, and climate resilience, Howard County’s award-winning initiatives show how local governments can pursue environmental goals through a mix of infrastructure, policy, partnerships, and everyday behavioral change. To learn more and see the full list of awards visit the awards page on the NACo website.

These honors are part of 165 NACo Achievement Awards earned by Maryland counties this year, recognizing programs and services across nearly every area of local government.