Read more about the article Feds Greenlight PJM’s Fast-Track for Large Projects
Energy / Planning and Zoning / Transportation and Public Works
Feds Greenlight PJM’s Fast-Track for Large Projects

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the PJM's fast-track process, paving the way for faster approvals for certain projects.  Last week, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved PJM Interconnection’s request to create a new Expedited Interconnection Track (EIT). The temporary process is meant to help move large energy projects through the interconnection queue more quickly. Under the new track, PJM may consider up to 10 projects per year. To qualify, projects must provide at…

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June 15, 2026
Read more about the article Conduit Street Podcast: Different States, Similar County Challenges
County Budgets / County Government and Structure / County News / Economic Development / Education / Energy / Housing and Community Development / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations / News You Can Use / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Conduit Street Podcast: Different States, Similar County Challenges

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Dominic Butchko and Kevin Kinnally record from the Conference of Southern County Associations (CSCA) in Williamsburg, Virginia, joined by county leaders and policy experts from across the South for a discussion on the issues shaping local government today. Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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June 12, 2026
Read more about the article The Briefing Room Ep 5: The Annapolis Energy Agenda
County News / Economic Development / Energy / Environment / Feature / Intergovernmental Relations
The Briefing Room Ep 5: The Annapolis Energy Agenda

In the final episode of The Briefing Room energy series, host Dom Butchko turns the conversation to Annapolis and the broader policy choices shaping Maryland’s energy future.   Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!  

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June 9, 2026
Read more about the article Defunct Maryland Coal Plant to Receive Major Federal Investment
Energy / Environment / Planning and Zoning / Transportation and Public Works
Defunct Maryland Coal Plant to Receive Major Federal Investment

As part of a broader push by federal leaders to encourage coal use, a defunct western Maryland plant is slated for major federal investment.  As energy continues to be a central issue for policymakers at all levels of government, strategies for addressing affordability, reliability, and generation needs are diverging significantly between the state and federal levels. Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced a $700 million investment in coal infrastructure nationwide. The largest share, approximately…

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June 9, 2026
Read more about the article Data Center Growth Gets New Guardrails in Pennsylvania
Energy / Environment / Planning and Zoning / Transportation and Public Works
Data Center Growth Gets New Guardrails in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s new data center standards may offer Maryland a useful model for balancing multiple goals. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is adding new guardrails around data center development as states confront the fast-growing demand for AI infrastructure. The state's new standards aim to balance economic development with concerns over energy costs, grid reliability, water use, environmental impacts, workforce needs, and local community input. Developers seeking state support would be expected to show how their projects address…

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June 2, 2026
Read more about the article The Briefing Room Ep 4: The Data Center Dilemma
County News / Economic Development / Energy / Environment / Feature / General Assembly News / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations
The Briefing Room Ep 4: The Data Center Dilemma

In Episode 4 of The Briefing Room, we continue our five-part energy series with a closer look at one of the fastest-growing and most controversial issues facing state and local governments: data centers.   Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!  

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June 2, 2026
Read more about the article May in Maryland: What’s News, What’s Noise?
County Budgets / County Government and Structure / County News / Elections / Energy / Environment / General Assembly News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues
May in Maryland: What’s News, What’s Noise?

We're back with another special edition of the Conduit Street Podcast, with the MACo team taking up several issues from this month's headlines, and trying to sort out which are the real stories (news) and which are more smoke than fire (noise). Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!  

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May 29, 2026
Read more about the article The Briefing Room Ep 3: Where Our Power Comes From
County News / Economic Development / Energy / Environment / Feature / Planning and Zoning / Risk Management / Transportation and Public Works
The Briefing Room Ep 3: Where Our Power Comes From

In Episode 3 of The Briefing Room, Maryland’s energy picture comes into sharper focus. Host Dom Butchko is joined by Public Service Commission Chair Kumar Barve to unpack one of the biggest questions facing the state: where does our power actually come from?   Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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May 26, 2026
Read more about the article Data Centers Will Continue to Drive High Energy Demand
Energy / Environment / Transportation and Public Works
Data Centers Will Continue to Drive High Energy Demand

A new federal report projects data centers are likely to drive high energy demand well into the 2050s.  A new federal energy outlook underscores that data centers are becoming a major force in electricity planning. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), server-related energy use could account for as much as one-third of all commercial building electricity consumption by 2050 under a high-demand scenario. That grow is being driven in large part by artificial…

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May 26, 2026
Read more about the article Emergency Order Highlights Grid Pressure From Data Center Growth
Energy / Environment / Transportation and Public Works
Emergency Order Highlights Grid Pressure From Data Center Growth

DoE emergency order allowing PJM to curtail power use at data centers underscores concerns over grid reliability in Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic. The PJM received emergency approval from the U.S. Department of Energy to temporarily reduce power use at data centers and other large energy users with backup generation during a stretch of hot weather across the Mid-Atlantic. The request came as the grid operator faced higher demand, planned spring maintenance outages, and tighter-than-usual reserve…

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May 20, 2026
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