Dominic Butchko, Author at Conduit Street

State Marks Major Milestone in 5 Mil Trees Campaign

The state marked a major milestone by planting 1.5 million of its 5 million tree-planting goal. Maryland’s 5 Million Trees program has reached more than 1.5 million native trees planted, marking a major milestone and reflecting strong momentum toward reaching the state’s ambitious goal of planting 5 million trees by 2031. More than 555,330 trees were planted in Fiscal Year 2025, according to a new annual report prepared for the Maryland General Assembly. Plantings done…

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January 7, 2026

Gov Unveils 2026 Housing Package, “Compromise Waiting to Happen”

Governor Wes Moore unveiled his 2026 Housing Package. Counties signal optimism of "compromise waiting to happen." Yesterday, Governor Wes Moore unveiled his housing agenda for the 2026 legislative session. The package includes three pieces of legislation that the administration believes will improve housing production, with a focus on transit-oriented development to expedite the revitalization of communities around transit stations, create housing, grow the economy, and increase transit ridership. The administration will have three bills: Maryland…

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January 7, 2026

2026 MACo Issue Previews / County News

2026 Issue Preview: Housing Availability and Affordability

With the 2026 Legislative Session approaching, MACo is profiling major issues, including affordable housing, that stand to gather significant attention. Both the 2024 and 2025 legislative sessions saw an unprecedented amount of pro-growth, pro-housing development legislation. At the forefront of both sessions were several bills from the Governor, addressing topics including density bonuses, regulatory certainty, and other reforms. MACo also played a pivotal role, championing a historic slate of housing initiatives, including efforts to address…

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December 30, 2025

2026 MACo Issue Previews / Environment

2026 Issue Preview: Chesapeake Bay Restoration

With the 2026 Legislative Session rapidly approaching, MACo is profiling some major issues that stand to gather attention in the General Assembly. The single most defining feature of Maryland is the Chesapeake Bay. Its waters shape our geography, flow into our culture, and provide a source of sustenance and cuisine. Unfortunately, Maryland cannot act alone in cleaning and preserving the bay – Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, & West Virginia all lay within the greater…

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December 29, 2025

2026 MACo Issue Previews / Energy

2026 Issue Preview: Energy

With the 2026 Legislative Session approaching, MACo is profiling major issues, including energy, that stand to gather significant attention. The 2025 legislative session will go down in history as the “Session of Energy,” with the General Assembly passing a historic number of energy bills. A major focus for counties was HB1036/SB931, the Renewable Energy Certainty Act, which restored some local authority and provided predictability for the development of solar. For 2026, energy will again be…

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December 26, 2025

Environment

Anne Arundel Receives $1M for Coastal Resilience

Anne Arundel County has been awarded a $1 million grant to support sediment management and marsh restoration. Anne Arundel County and the Resilience Authority of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County announced that they have been awarded a $1,007,500 National Coastal Resilience Fund grant, leveraging $2,916,000 in matching funds, to complete final designs for three restoration sites that will use Regional Sediment Management (RSM) to rebuild and protect coastal marshes. This investment will restore critical habitat,…

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December 22, 2025

Transportation and Public Works / Winter Conference

#MACoCon Recap: HURs as the Lifeline of Local Roads

At the MACo Winter Conference, attendees learned about the history and role of HURs. From enhancing quality of life to driving economic growth, transportation is key to Maryland’s future. With a projected cut to the local share of Highway User Revenue (HUR) funds, state and county leaders face serious questions heading into the upcoming legislative session. This panel kicked off the conversation about the local importance of HUR and the detrimental impact of cutting the…

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December 16, 2025

Agriculture / Economic Development / Energy / Environment / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations / Planning and Zoning / Transportation and Public Works / Winter Conference

#MACoCon Recap: Environmental Finance Center’s Rural Offerings

At the MACo Winter Conference, attendees learned about how UMD's Enviro. The Finance Center can help rural counties secure additional resources. MACo’s Rural County Coalition provides a forum for Maryland’s rural counties to share their unique perspective on critical state and federal policy issues. At this meeting, the University of Maryland’s Environmental Finance Center walked through services and opportunities to help rural leaders access grant funding and other resources to better serve their communities. Additionally, rural…

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December 16, 2025

Economic Development / Winter Conference

#MACoCon Recap: A Modern Toolkit for County Economic Development

At the MACo Winter Conference, attendees heard about different county tools to spur economic development. As economic development challenges grow more complex, counties rely on incentives to attract new investment and sustain local businesses. From tax credits and infrastructure grants to strategic partnerships with state and federal programs, understanding which incentives truly move the needle has never been more important. This session, “Incentives That Work: A Modern Toolkit for County Economic Development”, brought together experts…

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December 15, 2025

Housing and Community Development / Planning and Zoning / Transportation and Public Works / Winter Conference

#MACoCon Recap: The Role of Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances

At the MACo Winter Conference, attendees learned about the history and role of APFOs and identified areas for improvement. Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances (APFOs) help counties manage growth by linking new development to the capacity of schools, roads, water, sewer, and other services so infrastructure and taxpayers aren’t overwhelmed. They’ve also become controversial, with critics arguing that strict standards or long delays can be used to block housing, drive up costs, or push growth to…

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December 15, 2025