County Executive Ball is dedicated to ensuring Howard County is leading in the fight for energy independence by promoting green infrastructure and decreasing emissions. He continues to promote agricultural conservation and innovation, continue park improvements and expand renewable energy use.
- Signed the “We Are Still In” declaration, a commitment to the climate action of the Paris Agreement
- Became the first county in the nation to formally accept the United States Climate Alliance’s Natural and Working Lands Challenge
- Named a “Maryland Smart Energy Community” by the Maryland Energy Administration
- Announced a plan to convert nearly 8,000 streetlights to energy-efficient, long-lasting LED lights
- Announced a plan to implement a routine, systematic, and detailed investigation of energy use at all County buildings to identify and address energy inefficiencies
- Announced plans to increase the target efficiency of the new circuit courthouse from LEED Silver to Gold status
- Pursuing installation of at least 25 new electric vehicle charging stations at libraries, parks, community centers, senior centers, and County offices over the next five years
- Expanded the curbside food scraps collections area to add almost 10,000 additional homes to the program
- Committed to making our communities more resilient to climate change through our land use planning and disaster risk management efforts
- Received $1.8 million state grant for the Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant Advanced Process Instrumentation and Control System (APICS) project, to protect the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
- Proposed legislation to strengthen development regulations and safeguard watersheds
- Joined the Bee City USA Coalition to protect pollinators and our food sources
- Filed legislation to decrease harmful pesticide use on County lands
- Created 55 acres of pollinator-friendly meadow habitat on Howard County parkland
- Established Monarch Way-Stations at two County parks, which provide milkweeds, nectar plants, and shelter for monarch butterflies throughout their annual cycle of reproduction and migration
- Engaged professional researchers from the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center to conduct Bee Surveys at Centennial Park
- Announced major updates to the Howard County Forest Conservation Act, which had not been updated since the 1990s, to bring it into compliance with state law and strengthen environmental regulation
- Gave away 2,000 free trees to Howard County residents to promote new planting in the community
Click here to view our infographic for how we addressed concerns from our listening sessions in the first year in office.
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