Carbon Capture – What is It, and Can it Solve Our Climate Woes?

This article is part of MACo’s Deep Dive series, where expert analysts explore and explain the top county issues of the day. A new article is added each week – read all of MACo’s Deep Dives. Long-time readers of Conduit Street will know that climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our generation. From more violent weather patterns to rising sea levels, Maryland is being forced to contend with the consequences of fossil fuels…

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Anne Arundel Hosts Carbon Negative Vineyard

The Dodon Vineyards in Anne Arundel is pioneering agriculture methods that store carbon in the soil, exceeding what little carbon the operation produces.  As climate change intensifies, agriculture practices will need to adjust to meet our new reality. One such operation in Anne Arundel County, Dodon Vineyards, is doing just that. For over a decade, Dondon has been pioneering techniques to reduce carbon output and store more carbon in the soil than it produces. The vineyard…

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Road Weight Restrictions Pose Issues for EV Rollout

As the United States pushes for a faster conversion to EVs, road weight restrictions pose an unexpected barrier.  In the fight against climate change, the United States has placed a hefty bet on converting the nation's cars from gas to electric. As previously covered on Conduit Street, one of the main barriers to this conversion is infrastructure - specifically road weight limits. Electric vehicles (EVs) can weigh one or more tons heavier than their internal…

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EPA Opens Nominations for Local Government Advisory Committee

The EPA will accept nominations for the Local Government Advisory Committee through September 30th.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced a solicitation for elected and appointed officials to serve on its Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC), which advises the EPA on critical environmental issues impacting local governments. In 2024, members of the LGAC will provide advice and recommendations on a broad range of issues, including but not limited to: advancing environmental justice, developing…

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Sept. 13th Check Out EPA’s Food Waste Reduction Webinar

The EPA will host a webinar on climate pollution reduction resources, including how to incorporate food waste into your climate planning.  This one-hour webinar will cover EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants, a new resource called Achieving Zero Food Waste: A State Policy Toolkit, and how you can include food waste reduction in climate action plans. EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, provide support for states and metropolitan areas to reduce…

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Anne Arundel “Flips the Switch” On New Solar Project

Anne Arundel County along with state and private industry officials recently launched a new solar project in the county.  Last week Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works (DPW) and officials from the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) and Standard Solar officially celebrated the completion of a solar project providing clean energy to the Bureau of Utility Operations (BUO) Complex in Millersville. The “Flip the Switch” celebration highlighted…

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New Community Solar Partnership Announces 57 Rooftop Projects in Maryland

Public Storage, the nation’s leading self-storage owner, and Solar Landscape, a leading commercial and industrial rooftop solar developer, announced a new multistate community solar partnership with 57 community solar installations aimed at making affordable renewable energy accessible to low- and moderate-income (LMI) residents across Maryland. The 133 community solar installations in Maryland, New Jersey, and Illinois will cover more than 4.5 million square feet of Public Storage facility rooftops and power over 10,000 homes with…

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Navigating Multiple Priorities: Counties and the Challenge of Limited Resources

This article is part of MACo’s Deep Dive series, where expert analysts explore and explain the top county issues of the day. A new article is added each week – read all of MACo’s Deep Dives. Local autonomy is a core principle of Maryland’s political system. At its most basic level, local autonomy means empowering county leaders to solve county problems. This empowerment lends counties a unique and, at times, misunderstood perspective. Often, advocates and stakeholders…

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County Leaders Delve Deep into Infrastructure at #MACoCon

At MACo's Summer Conference, an expert panel discussed some of the most overlooked facets of development, specifically human infrastructure.  Infrastructure is more than pipes, roads, and physical structures. Advocates, residents, and policymakers often overlook the critical programmatic and social side of what keeps our communities running. Childcare, housing, education, and reimagining neighborhoods are all important functions the counties perform and yet are often not considered infrastructure. Senator Benjamin Brooks led the conversation and moderated an…

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Explore Energy Issues at #MACoCon

At MACo's Summer Conference, an expert panel discussed their visions of tomorrow and answered the most pressing questions about Maryland’s energy needs.  Energy and climate change are inextricably linked. The greatest cause of climate change has been how humanity has powered our society and growth for the last roughly two centuries. Now, policymakers are contending with responding to climate change while also ensuring our society continues to function. Del. Lorig Charkoudian lead a discussion with…

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