Frederick, MD — Frederick County Government is proud to reflect on a year of environmental achievements, showcasing a commitment to energy conservation, watershed stewardship, ecological health, and equitable community resiliency. From implementing innovative programs to empowering residents to act, 2024 marked a year of progress toward a more sustainable future for all. A significant portion of these projects was supported by the $9,995,950 in recent grant funding obtained by the Division of Energy and Environment.
Highlights of Recent Accomplishments:
- Building Public-Private Partnerships: Access to programs and services was expanded through the formation of 50 “Green Partnerships” with individuals and organizations across the community. These collaborations make sustainability initiatives more affordable, accessible, and engaging for all. To see the list of current partners, please visit: www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/GreenPartners
- Empowering Individual Action: The County’s Green Homes Challengewebsite was relaunched in 2024 with an updated interface. To date, 2,600 households have participated in this program that shares eco-friendly practices and helps track their environmental impact using online tools. Participating households achieve remarkable results! Annually, they conserve 45,838,681 gallons of water, use 175,547 fewer gallons of gasoline, and reduce local carbon emissions by 17,325 tons.
- Supporting Energy Efficiency in Low- and Moderate-Income Households: This year, the County’s grant-funded Energy Star Appliance Rebate initiative began providing low- to moderate-income households with up to 65% of the cost of new appliances to help lower utility bills and reduce our community’s energy consumption.
- Providing No-Cost Energy-Saving Home Improvements: The success of the Power Saver Retrofits Programcontinued with renovations of 60 more low- to moderate-income homes provided entirely through grant funding. These households now save an average of $780 annually in energy costs while helping decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
- Advancing Electric Vehicle Infrastructure: The Department of Climate and Energy released the Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan and secured grants from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Maryland Clean Energy Center that will support the installation of 16 new publicly accessible EV chargers to be located at County facilities.
- Reducing Energy Use in Government Operations: New methods for tracking and reducing the energy consumption of county facilities were combined with grant-funded energy-efficient lighting upgrades to conserve 588,000 kilowatt hours of energy. Additionally, Frederick County’s Fleet Services retired nine vehicles and replaced them with electric models, resulting in 4,372 gallons of gasoline saved.
- Reducing Pollution: The Department of Stormwater provided 667 households with septic pump-out rebates to encourage tank maintenance that reduces pollution. In addition to this, litter control efforts resulted in removing 90.58 tons of trash from the environment.
- Preserving and Protecting the Watershed: This year, over 125 acres were planted with native tree species and preserved in conservation easements through the Creek ReLeaf program. Another 45 restoration or stormwater retrofit projects in design or construction support the long-term ecological health of our waterways.
Stakeholder support was critical to the success of these environmental initiatives in 2024. From the leadership of local businesses and organizations that are Green Partners to individual efforts made by residents, Frederick County is grateful for the community’s commitment to sustainability and encourages everyone to join in the resolution to keep up the great, green work in the new year!
Empowering Frederick County with resilient, equitable solutions to environmental challenges, the Division of Energy and Environment partners with our community to mitigate climate risks, enhance watershed quality, modernize energy systems, and ensure that sustainability is for everyone. To get involved or learn more, visit: www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/DEE. To stay up-to-date on sustainability news, follow the Division of Energy and Environment on Facebook and Instagram @SustainableFCMD or subscribe to their newsletter at: www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/DEEdocs