Read more about the article DoE Opens Energy Savings Performance Contracting Applications
Energy / Environment / Intergovernmental Relations / Transportation and Public Works
DoE Opens Energy Savings Performance Contracting Applications

The US Department of Energy opened enrollment for their Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC) Campaign, aimed at helping counties save on building energy upgrades.  The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is opening enrollment for the Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC) Campaign, which will help public building owners pay for today’s building upgrades with tomorrow’s guaranteed energy savings. The ESPC Campaign is a voluntary initiative that engages and supports state and local governments, universities and colleges, school districts,…

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October 27, 2023
Read more about the article Check Out EPAs Energy Use Data and Insights Tool
Energy / Environment / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations / Planning and Zoning
Check Out EPAs Energy Use Data and Insights Tool

The EPA has launched an online tool aimed at helping building owners and local governments make smart decisions around energy use and performance standards.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a web-based tool that enables users to explore aggregate energy use data from more than 150,000 commercial and multi-family buildings in the United States. The new Data Explorer tool will help building managers unlock potential savings based on the data from ENERGY STAR®…

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October 26, 2023
Read more about the article Check Out Texas A&M’s US Climate Vulnerability Index
Agriculture / Energy / Environment / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations / Transportation and Public Works
Check Out Texas A&M’s US Climate Vulnerability Index

Texas A&M University and its partners developed a Climate Vulnerability Index to help drive better decisions in vulnerable communities.  Texas A&M University, the Environmental Defense Fund and Darkhorse Analytics partnered to develop the climate vulnerability index (CVI), a tool designed to help policymakers implement more effective solutions. The index combines data from health, socioeconomic, environment and infrastructure as well as identifying areas with poor healthcare and affordable housing concerns. According to USCVI: ...the CVI gives planners,…

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October 10, 2023
Read more about the article Federal Government Looks to Set “Zero-Emission” Building Standards
Energy / Environment / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations
Federal Government Looks to Set “Zero-Emission” Building Standards

The Biden Administration is looking to set building emission standards in an effort to help developers navigate a patchwork of state and local policies.  Commercial and residential buildings make up nearly one-third of US emissions. As climate change has continued to intensify, policymakers at the state and local levels have pushed to enact building energy performance standards, or BEPS, with the hope of reducing pollution in their communities. The state of Maryland & Howard County…

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October 3, 2023
Read more about the article Sarah Kogel-Smucker is Montgomery County’s New Climate Change Officer
County Government and Structure / County News / Energy / Environment / Leadership / News You Can Use
Sarah Kogel-Smucker is Montgomery County’s New Climate Change Officer

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich has announced that Sarah Kogel-Smucker is the new Climate Change Officer. Ms. Kogel-Smucker joins Montgomery County after leading the creation of the climate change division of the District of Columbia’s (DC) Office of the People’s Counsel. Prior to her work in the District, she served as senior counsel for the New York City Law Department’s Environmental Division. In this role, she advocated for the deployment of affordable clean energy initiatives,…

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September 28, 2023
Read more about the article New Mexico’s Debates Requiring EV Chargers in Construction – Two Questions to Consider
County News / Energy / Environment / Planning and Zoning / Transportation and Public Works
New Mexico’s Debates Requiring EV Chargers in Construction – Two Questions to Consider

The State of New Mexico is considering a new rule that would require EV chargers to be installed in new construction.  Policymakers in New Mexico are considering a change to the state code, which would require EV infrastructure in new construction. The current draft amendment would require developers to set aside between 1 and 20 percent of parking for EV charging. The ratio is dependent on the project type. Similar legislation the state is considering…

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September 26, 2023
Read more about the article HUD Launches Funding Navigator to Connect Counties to Federal Funding
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Energy / Environment / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations
HUD Launches Funding Navigator to Connect Counties to Federal Funding

HUD launched a Funding Navigator to connect program participants to billions in federal funding and tax credits to improve carbon reduction and climate resilience. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced its first-ever Funding Navigator, an interactive tool that allows the user to browse and sort funding opportunities for billions of dollars in funding available under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). As a part of President Biden’s Investing…

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September 22, 2023
Read more about the article Carbon Capture – What is It, and Can it Solve Our Climate Woes?
Energy / Environment / Intergovernmental Relations / Planning and Zoning / Transportation and Public Works
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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September 13, 2023
Read more about the article Anne Arundel Hosts Carbon Negative Vineyard
Energy / Environment
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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September 12, 2023
Read more about the article Road Weight Restrictions Pose Issues for EV Rollout
Energy / Environment / Intergovernmental Relations / Planning and Zoning / Transportation and Public Works
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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September 11, 2023
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