Read more about the article Wicomico County To Gain First State Park
County News / Education / Environment / Parks and Recreation
Wicomico County To Gain First State Park

When Wetipquin Creek State Park opens, Wicomico County will become the final Maryland county to have a state park, marking a statewide milestone in access to public lands. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently celebrated the acquisition of the 445-acre Wetipquin Creek property, which will become Maryland's newest state park. Located along Wetipquin Creek near the Nanticoke River, the property includes marshland, forests, and the historic Long Hill house, a mid-18th century home…

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July 23, 2026
Read more about the article Data Center Growth Raises Energy and Water Concerns
Energy / Environment / Transportation and Public Works
Data Center Growth Raises Energy and Water Concerns

Expanding data center development is increasing electricity and water demand, prompting new state and county concerns. The Kansas Health Institute recently released a report outlining how rapid data center growth is expected to place increasing pressure on energy and water resources. U.S. data centers consumed about 183 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2024, representing more than 4% of national electricity use, and demand could rise by roughly 133% to 426 terawatt-hours by 2030. Their direct water…

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July 22, 2026
Read more about the article Wildfire Smoke Could Affect Chesapeake Bay Health
Environment
Wildfire Smoke Could Affect Chesapeake Bay Health

Wildfire smoke carries airborne pollutants into the Chesapeake Bay watershed, potentially adding nutrients and other contaminants to local waterways. Smoke from Canadian wildfires can affect both air quality and environmental conditions across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Airborne pollutants, including nitrogen, may travel long distances before settling on land or washing into waterways, where excess nutrients can contribute to algae growth and low-oxygen conditions in the Bay. The full effect of individual wildfire events on the…

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July 22, 2026
Read more about the article Amid Energy Crisis, Federal Regulators Examine PJM Operations
Energy / Environment / Summer Conference
Amid Energy Crisis, Federal Regulators Examine PJM Operations

Federal regulators are reviewing PJM operations amid rising electricity demand and reliability concerns. PJM’s latest capacity auction secured nearly 7 gigawatts less generation than its reliability target and attracted only about 500 megawatts of new supply, adding to concerns about the region’s ability to meet growing electricity demand. Federal regulators are examining changes to PJM’s governance and stakeholder process to improve transparency, accelerate decision-making, and support timely investment in new generation and transmission. According to…

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July 21, 2026
Read more about the article Building What’s Next – Strengthening Recycling Infrastructure Without Increasing Your Budget 
Environment / Summer Conference
Building What’s Next – Strengthening Recycling Infrastructure Without Increasing Your Budget 

MACo’s 2026 Summer Conference Solutions Showcase features thought leaders and industry experts presenting resources and best practices to assist local governments. Check out this session hosted by Eastman Chemical!   About Eastman Chemical:  Eastman Chemical helps their partners solve society’s greatest challenges with technologies like molecular recycling, which takes plastic that would otherwise end up in landfills or incinerators and breaks it down to its original building blocks so it can be used over and over again. Their success has always been built…

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July 20, 2026
Read more about the article Baltimore City Expands Community Action Lab to Southeast District
County News / Economic Development / Environment / Housing and Community Development / Public Safety and Corrections
Baltimore City Expands Community Action Lab to Southeast District

Following the successful launch of its Community Action Lab earlier this year, the City of Baltimore is expanding the program to a second police district, giving more residents the opportunity to help lead neighborhood revitalization and public safety efforts. Applications are now open for the second Community Action Lab cohort, which will serve residents, community partners, and small business owners in the Baltimore Police Department's Southeastern District. The 12-week paid leadership program equips participants with…

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July 16, 2026
Read more about the article Short-Term Bay Health Improves with Best Dissolved Oxygen on Record
Environment
Short-Term Bay Health Improves with Best Dissolved Oxygen on Record

Early data shows an improvement in the health of the bay as dissolved oxygen conditions are best on record for early season. Data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University show lower than average volumes of hypoxia—waters with less than 2 mg/l of oxygen—in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem of Maryland and Virginia from May to late June 2026. No hypoxia was observed in May, one of ten years with no…

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July 15, 2026
Read more about the article Upcoming Webinar Explores County Approaches to Data Center Growth
County News / Economic Development / Environment / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations / News You Can Use
Upcoming Webinar Explores County Approaches to Data Center Growth

As Maryland continues to see rapid growth in data center development, county officials are increasingly navigating complex questions around land use, infrastructure, energy demand, and economic development. To help explore these issues, the Maryland League of Conservation Voters (Maryland LCV), in partnership with MACo, will host its next Conservation Conversations webinar on Wednesday, July 29, from noon to 1:00 p.m. Unlike previous Conservation Conversations that examined data centers through a statewide policy lens, this discussion…

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July 14, 2026
Read more about the article National Grid Generated Record Breaking Output During Heatwave
Energy / Environment / Transportation and Public Works
National Grid Generated Record Breaking Output During Heatwave

During the heat wave earlier this month, the national electric grid generated a historic 100,996 gigwatt-hours, reaching 20 percent higher than average demand.   U.S. electric output hit an all-time high earlier this month, surpassing 100,000 gigawatt-hours (GWh) for the first time ever, according to data released today by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI). Output for the week of June 28-July 4, 2026, reached 100,996 GWh, breaking the previous record of 99,445 GWh set nearly…

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July 14, 2026
Read more about the article Heat Wave Drives Sharp Spike in Heat-Related Illnesses
County News / Environment / Health and Human Services
Heat Wave Drives Sharp Spike in Heat-Related Illnesses

Maryland's recent heat wave sent hundreds of residents to emergency rooms and prompted a sharp increase in emergency medical service calls. In an article from Maryland Matters, the Maryland Department of Health's Weather-Related Illness Data Dashboard shows 473 heat-related emergency room and urgent care visits were reported during the week of June 28 through July 4, more than half of the 916 heat-related visits recorded since the heat season began in May. Emergency medical services…

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July 13, 2026
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