See all the details of the position here and apply to [email protected] with your resume and cover letter.
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We are looking for a contractor to help with our Groundwater outreach campaign to convert water data into education and action in Montgomery County's rural areas - is this you?
See all the details of the position here and apply to [email protected] with your resume and cover letter. How we use our prime agricultural lands matters. Flat, sunny, well drained soils are at a premium. Despite a compromise allowing solar in the Ag Reserve on non-prime soils as a conditional use in 2021, 2 solar projects are now applying to the state to end run the County's protections for prime soils in the Ag Reserve. All while solar companies inflate land values, putting acreage further out of reach for the new, diverse crop of local farmers. View MCA's Presentation delivered to the MoCo Climate Action Coalition Two Ways to Get Involved: 1. A meeting on one of the proposed projects, to be built in Dickerson, will be held on Wed. June 19 at 6:00pm at the Upper Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Department, 19801 Beallsville Rd in Beallsville. This meeting will be hosed by Chamberton Energy, the solar developer working on both projects. 2. The PSC is required to hold pubic hearings on the two projects. A virtual public hearing for the Dickerson project is scheduled for Wednesday July 10 at 7 pm. Anyone can testify. To do so, send an email to [email protected] by July 9 at 12:00 pm. The session will be live streamed. We’ll send you more information on that in July. Written comments on the proposed project may be submitted electronically through the PSC’s website (here's how). All comments must include reference to Case No. 9726. The PSC page for the Dickerson proposal is here. 2 solar projects have applied directly to the MD Public Service Commission (PSC) for approval of their 4-5 mw facilities in the Reserve - on prime farm soils in contradiction to the County’s zoning provisions. State Legislation has opened this path and concern mounts that conservation goals and laws will be compromised if the PSC allows projects to move forward regardless of how they might affect carefully crafted provisions for renewable projects. Moreover, currently there is a backlog of projects on less than prime soils that have gone through the County's process - the grid operators are unable to take more power. The arguments of those seeking solar on prime farmland remain unchanged from the original MC solar ZTA debate in 2021 including and outrageously that the Reserve represents failure… farming here does not contribute to our food system. Our central argument is unchanged: Panels should not be erected on prime farmland, defined as nearly level, with deep, well-drained soil capable of producing food without irrigation. These are class I and II soils in the USDA’s soil capability classification system. In Montgomery County these lands were set aside for Agriculture. When these lands are open to industrial uses the economics of farming are upended. Solar companies are offering 100 times the rate farmers are paying per acre. The purchase of farmland is already out of reach for aspiring farmers - a fact leading to the creation of our Land Link Montgomery program to connect new and expanding farmers with long term land leases. The land seekers in the program are almost entirely aspiring farmers of color, many of them immigrants, more than half women. AfriThrive, as profiled below is just one of several successful matches increasing local food production in the Ag Reserve - with more farmers seeking land each year. More Background:
Letters to just one local landowner promising between $1500-4000/acre per year to lease farmland for solar. An acre for farming usually goes for just under $200/year.
Call for Vendors
Pop-up Farmers and Artisans Market Sunday, September 15, 2024 11am - 3pm Linden Farm, Dickerson Montgomery Countryside Alliance is hosting the 17th annual Ride for the Reserve Fall bike tour. In addition to the bike ride and picnic, we're incorporating a pop-up Farmers and Artisans Market. Space is free. We're looking for all kinds of vendors selling items such as pumpkins, fruit, veggies, prepared foods, sweets, bakery items, flowers, fiber arts, vintage, arts/crafts or providing services such as massage, face painting, and more! Contact Mindy at [email protected] for more information or to reserve your spot. Public Hearing on the Campground ZTA is July 16th at 1:30 pm. Click Here to sign up to testify (either in person or over zoom) Update 6.24 - Councilmembers Balcombe and Luedtke have been working with MCA and other farm support groups to craft a ZTA that would allow campgrounds as a conditional use on farms. The goal is to balance the potential for overnight stays in the Ag Reserve with protecting farming in the Reserve. The resulting ZTA (24-02) represents a marked improvement over ZTA 23-09 that would have allowed motels on protected farmland under the definition of farming. 24-02 makes campgrounds a conditional and commercial use. The ZTA was just introduced on 6.11.24 and will have a public hearing on July 16 at 1:30pm. Click here to sign up to testify This leaves time to carefully look over the ZTA and dig into the details. We want to hear from you - it is so important to strike the right balance between agriculture and agritourism - so please let us know your thoughts - [email protected]. MCA commits to continue working with our coalition of stakeholders to suggest refinements as needed to get this ZTA right. Prior Updates: Ag Reserve Councilmembers Balcombe and Luedtke hosted a well attended public meeting on 5/29 to help craft a ZTA allowing camping in the Ag Reserve as a conditional use - requiring the review of a hearing examiner to ensure compliance. Pictured here, the outlines of the proposed ZTA. Click here for the full presentation. After the Councilmembers presented their draft proposal, the residents in attendance asked questions and made suggestions. Among the concerns, that the ZTA be written to protect standing trees and forests on the property, that the noise of RV generators be taken into consideration with setback requirements and number of units. MCA and our coalition of farm organizations are working with CMs Balcombe and Luedtke on this proposal. The Councilmembers are eager to hear all thoughts on the ZTA before they introduce it soon and hold a public hearing. Please send your thoughts to the emails below and please copy us - [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Please plan to attend a public hearing on this ZTA on June 16 at 1:30pm Update May - 24: MCA is proud to collaborate with six farm support groups and Ag Reserve Councilmembers Marylin Balcombe and Dawn Luedtke on a ZTA for camping in Ag Reserve as conditional use as outlined in this memo to Councilmembers from the Ag Advisory Committee.
Our coalition includes: MCA, Sugarloaf Citizens Association, Montgomery Agricultural Producers, The Montgomery County Farm Bureau, the Ag Preservation Advisory Board and the Ag Advisory Committee. To be clear, we are not seeking to amend ZTA 23-09 - as detailed below there is not a way forward for that bill, but our collaboration with stakeholders and our Councilmembers will yield accommodations that balance farms and interest in agritourism. While MCA is working with stakeholders on a new ZTA - Author of ZTA 23-03, Councilmember Natali Fani - Gonzalez has made some proposed amendments. To be clear - our coalition can not support the original ZTA or these amendments. The question is, is it appropriate to amend 23-09 ZTA to include all rural residential zones without their having been involved in the public hearing process in the first instance. Where is the public transparency and participation process? (see use table below) Background on the original ZTA:
We just got an update from the landowner at our very first Re-Leaf site, our pilot acre planted there in Dickerson beside the Little Monocacy river is doing great!
Re-Leaf the Reserve is our partnership with the Department of Parks and Planning to plant native forests along stream buffers in the Ag Reserve. These forests are encumbered with easements to ensure they stand to benefit generations of MoCo residents. Our continued thanks to the Seelys at Gardens by Garth who install the trees with care and ensure they get the best start, Carole Bergmann who chairs the program and our partners at Parks and Planning that make the program possible. As of today we have planted thousands of trees across many local sites. Can you host a forest? We are looking for stream buffers in the Ag Reserve - learn more here. Down County folks can get free and reduced priced trees through Tree Montgomery and Reforest Montgomery. We're pleased to share this photo essay from Stephanie Bradley. Stephanie started her writing/producing career in sports television at TBS and TNT in Atlanta, GA. She later freelanced for ESPN and the International Broadcast Center. Throughout her sports tv career, she covered 5 Olympics and 3 Paralympics. She has also written and produced for Discovery Channel’s “Animal Planet” and “Science Channel.” She now owns Running Herd Productions with the mission to empower, inspire, educate, and entertain through powerful storytelling! Her love for nature and “all creatures great and small” are often the focus of her stories. Got a Ag/Forest/Water Quality story to share - let us know - [email protected] (all photos, except where noted are from the author) Have you ever wanted to grow mushrooms? I’m a gardener wanna be. I attempt fruit and vegetable plants like cucumbers, squash, and lettuce, but I seem to do a better job at growing weeds than these edible delights. I keep trying tho! Recently I decided to add mushrooms to my garden! They have always intrigued me. I signed up for a mushroom workshop with Michael Judd of Ecologia Design, author of “Edible Landscaping with a Permaculture Twist” and “For the Love of PawPaws." Michael's passion for mushrooms runs very deep…deep into the nutrient rich soil fungi help create for the whole ecosystem as they break down fallen trees, dead leaves, and plants. Michael has worked side by side with mycelium to create his own sustainable haven in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains just outside of Frederick, Maryland.
An update in the White's Ferry saga - after 3 years of closure as the result of legal battles between the Ferry and the landowners on the Loudon county side, things may be moving toward a deal to re-open the ferry.
The Kuhn family had bought the ferry from the long term owners in 2021 and is now seeking to donate the business to Montgomery County on the contingency that the County can resolve the issues with the landing on the other side. After 230 years in operation, the ferry is part of the public transportation system. We are hopeful that the counties can work together toward a compromise to get the ferry back in service. Much more information from My MC Media
Update: Great reporting from the Bay Journal on a proposed settlement with MDE to account for Quantum Loophole's fouling of Potomac tributaries.
Photo and caption from Inspector report: "The two fac-outs on the western bank of UT to Monocacy River are discharging into the waterway and are not individually contained. These frac-outs are located at Segment 2. The one frac-out is the same one documented in Figure A. Sediment (bentonite) pollution is occurring in the Waters of the State but is contained at a downstream point.) "
If you are just catching up - Quantum Loophole is constructing data centers in Frederick County and will be boring under the Potomac to connect these new centers to "Data Center Alley" in Northern Virginia across the river. In early April an MDE inspector discovered a second round of "frac-outs" - places where drilling by the company had released sediment and fracking solution into surface streams in the Monocacy Watershed, with dire consequence for aquatic life and water quality. To make matters worse, this round of drilling was done without a permit and the pollution events were not reported by the company. This is the second time environmental damage has resulted from Quantum's activities.
MCA has joined 34 other local and state environmental protection organizations on an open letter to Maryland's leaders in Annapolis and Frederick County along with the leadership at Quantum Loophole to call for more rigorous enforcement of existing environmental laws and more responsible actions from the company.
The letter reads in part:
At this point the community, at large, requires something more than platitudes and vague assurances. “We promise to do better” is no longer sufficient. We expect rigorous enforcement of all environmental regulations. We hope that strict enforcement will lead to full compliance and prevent future violations. We call on all parties involved, public and private sector, to take action to end this continuing pattern of environmental damage. Regulators should be demanding a higher standard from Quantum Loophole, and its subcontractors. State and county leaders should strictly enforce our already strong environmental laws. Finally, the General Assembly should begin work on robust new regulations to prevent this and other environmental degradation from this new industry. Update (5/2024): Very suddenly the bill 18-23 is back in committee. Neither 18-23 or a budget item to reinstate the OPC passed. Leaving MoCo still without a functional service to help regular residents navigate the complicated land use process. A parallel measure at the MoCo state delegation also failed to pass. County Executive Elrich's memo to OPC supporters in advance of today's hearing Update (4/19): Yesterday the Council held a public hearing on bill 18-23 (see the video here) and the Office of Legislative Oversight released their report on the equity impacts of the bill. It reads in part: "The Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) anticipates that Bill 18-23 could sustain or marginally widen racial and social inequities in land use in the County as its benefits would disproportionately accrue to land developers that are disproportionately White. To advance RESJ in land use and zoning processes, OLO proposes modification and alternatives to current law for Council consideration." A number of powerful speakers at the public hearing also spoke to the equity issues raised when neighborhoods of less means grapple with complicated land use topics without the service of a public watchdog - furthering the conditions highlighted in the OLO report that led to widespread and systemic theft of land from minority groups over generations. The hearing record will be open until April 25th - please take a moment to make your voice heard - now more than ever we need a People's Counsel. There used to be a People’s Counsel in Montgomery County but it was quietly scrubbed 10 years ago. The OPC as it was called served to protect the public interest in land use hearings by promoting full and fair representation of relevant issues to achieve balanced administrative records. The Office also provided technical assistance to residents so that they could effectively participate in the County's land use planning process. Reestablishing the OPC as envisioned will help to restore a balance of trust and integrity to the planning and public engagement process. Losing the OPC has left the door open to scores of (nearly 100!) zoning text amendments crafted by some County Council members. These land use changes (some sweeping) often bump up against current master plans and cause communities, many with little resources to defend, detriment. The full description of the role of the People's Counsel from the County Code is here. The Executive's recommended budget both in FY23 and this go round for FY24 included full funding to reinvigorate the People's Counsel. Councilmember Friedson has just introduced bill 18-23 that will permanently weaken the office - removing the ability for the office to identify master plan conflicts or even participate in public meetings. How can they work for the public interest without participating in public meetings? Please take two minutes to let the Council know - we need the OPC back! The bill will see a public hearing on April 18th (tentatively 1:30)
Here is the action alert from the MC Civic Federation and our note sent last year to ask for the Counsel's return: Fund the Office of the People's Counsel - FY 2023 Operating Budget Dear County Executive Elrich, There are compelling reasons to include this in the FY 2023 budget as cited in a strong letter sent to your office yesterday from MCCF. Chief among the reasons listed: “Furthermore, the County Code requires that prior to introduction, any proposed Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) be reviewed by a ZTA Advisory Group that includes the OPC. One of the reasons often cited by the Planning Department for the complete rewrite of the County's Zoning Ordinance (which was a seven year process) was to discourage the use of Zoning Text Amendments that bypass the master planning and land use public processes. However, since the Zoning Rewrite was adopted, there have been over 100 ZTAs proposed by a small number of Councilmembers. All of the ZTAs were proposed without the benefit of the OPC review.” The call for return of the People’s Counsel is not new. I had, for example, included it in this 2019 piece in Maryland Matters In truth, if looking at this from purely a dollars cost, the reestablishment of the position will save much in governmental time and money spent churning over poorly conceived ZTAs etc. Above all… this is about just and equitable governance. Respectfully, ********** Update: Data Center Emissions Exemption Passes MCA with partners opposed a bill in the General Assembly that would allow diesel generators of any size, and quantity in any location to provide backup power to data centers without oversight of the Public Service Commission. With the addition of a provision to provide 15% of tax revenues from this novel land use to fund environmental protection, the bill passed before the end of the session. Learn More. Related: WaPo: Internet data centers are fueling drive to old power source: Coal Grist: The Surging Demand for Data is Guzzling Virginia's Water Supply Montgomery County Data Center Updates: Currently no regulatory framework exists in the state or county to govern data centers. County Executive Elrich is now working with the county climate change officer to establish one in MoCo. The first step is researching best practices in use nationally and globally for sustainably meeting the outsized needs for water, land and power of this unique use. (Iceland, for example) MCA continues to collaborate with the owners of the Terra Energy facility proposed for the former Pepco plant to advocate for care in siting and operation of these centers along the Potomac. Quantum Loophole continues to run afoul of MDE rules - The Frederick News Post reports a stop work order was issued for a drilling project in Frederick County for the fiberoptic cable loop stretching from Adamstown across to "Data Center Alley" in Virginia. The contractor was drilling without telling the county and may have released drilling materials into underground water aquifers. To link the two updates - Quantum Loophole at full buildout will use power equivalent to 400,000 homes (12 Fredericks or 4 Baltimores). Frederick County Data Center Workgroup Report Released from our partners at Sugarloaf Alliance: "The Frederick County Data Centers Workgroup (DCWG) released its final report on March 1 (read the text here). Generally speaking, the recommendations agree with Sugarloaf Alliance positions, including the recommendation that data centers not be sited in Treasured Landscapes, and the report specifically mentions Sugarloaf Mountain. Read the Frederick News Post report here. The report is in the hands of the County Executive, and her administration is expected to make recommendations for legislation governing data centers in Frederick County. We still don’t have information about legislation or timing." Check out this video from our friends across the Potomac, Piedmont Environmental Council. Virginia has been building data centers for decades and we can learn from their experience.
Data centers alone are expected to double Virginia's energy use by 2040. Who pays for increased energy capacity? Hint- it's not the data center operators. In fact Marylanders could be paying for $500 million of the tab for grid improvements to support VA's data center spree. This new energy and water intensive use needs careful guiderails on our side of the River. Read on for how we are engaging stakeholders to share concerns and recommendations for a proposal in the Ag Reserve.
Update: 1/24: The conditional use application for these data centers proposed by Terra Energy is now at Planning (view the plan here).
We are meeting with Planning staff to share our thoughts which include concern about lack of specific information about project. Applicant indicates they will provide details later after approval. Update: 12/23 Terra (the company proposing the data centers) has shared their conditional use submission documents with both SCA and MCA. We appreciate that. The application (for data centers and battery back up project) is currently being reviewed by staff at the planning department. Our review of the documents submitted raises concerns, primarily as to the material that has not been included. The applicant apparently is looking for preliminary approval before submitting all required application components. This is troubling as one rightly asked how something can be approved without knowing the salient details. Stay tuned for more. Maryland Matters did a great background of why data centers cause so much concern News from FredCo - Aligned, the company behind one of the proposed data center projects in Adamstown was not successful in getting approval to use 168 (!) diesel generators to complete construction of the project and have canceled the project. It is unclear at this time what impact this has on the Terra energy site proposed in Dickerson along the river. Update: We await the submission of the conditional use application by Terra. We are also awaiting reply from County Executive regarding request for committee to establish regulatory framework to guide data center development. Montgomery Countryside Alliance and our partners at Sugarloaf Citizens Association are continuing to carefully monitor the proposal as many as 20 data centers and a large scale grid battery storage facility at the former PEPCO Power Plant in Dickerson. The new property owner Terra Innovations will file for conditional use approval for the project very soon. Here are the concerns and recommendations submitted by both organizations to the applicant. We continue to advocate for both state and county regulations to guide this land use. Currently the data center land-use does not have a regulatory framework. Some maps from the Terra Innovations site showing property boundaries and zoning: Pieces of this property are part of the Ag Reserve as shown above Much More:
Community Meeting with SCA, MCA and Sugarloaf Alliance on Data Center Concerns Northern VA has a Data Center Problem Data Centers in N VA are nearing a tipping point Quantum Loophole to Bore under Potomac is 3 places to lay data center infrastructure Quantum Loophole cited for many MDE violations - stop work order issued On April 10 the Environmental Protection Agency unveiled new regulations to tackle drinking water contamination from the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS. To get these toxic chemicals out of our drinking water, the rule establishes maximum contaminant levels, or MCLs, that set limits on six notorious PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, GenX, PFBS, PFNA and PFHxS. MCA signed a letter with water protection advocates across the county supporting this new rule. MCA was asked to provide comment to the Environmental Working Group's press release. Caroline Taylor, executive director, Montgomery Countryside Alliance: “Three cheers for the Biden administration making safe drinking water a priority. New standards for PFAS exposure coupled with necessary funding for local testing and treatment are a significant step forward in our collective goal to protect human lives.” In early 2023, PFAS contamination caused the closure of two wells in Poolesville. MCA and partners have called for a prohibition on fertilizers that contain high levels of PFAS that are currently used on local farms. Now that PFAS will be regulated - it's time to find out where remediation needs to occur. USA Today's Map shows Poolesville highly elevated PFAS in 17 out of 40 tests completed this year.
Update 4/10: The bill exempting data centers from emissions restrictions and PSC oversight has passed the General Assembly and is on it's way to be signed by the Governor, completing what he has called a top priority. MCA and our partners continue to advocate for balance with this power, farmland and water hungry land use, the economic and environmental impacts of which remain largely unstudied. Thanks so much to all who took action. Updates about Data Centers in Frederick County and the proposed Dickerson centers along the Potomac can be found here. Join our coalition of local groups in opposition to HB 579/ SB 474. Take 2 minutes to write to the Montgomery County delegation here.
Update (3/30): An amendment to this bill would earmark 15% of all tax revenues that the state would collect from data center operators for the state’s Strategic Energy Investment Fund, which the Maryland Energy Administration uses to fund clean energy and climate programs. This amendment has been cited as the reason for some environmental groups to drop their opposition. To our mind, this amendment changes nothing and our coalition is still opposed. Here's Why:
Background: Data centers are an emerging land use heavily established in Northern Virginia but not yet a common sight in Maryland. The state and local jurisdictions do not currently have a regulatory framework to deal with this novel and intensive land use. Data Centers use large amounts of (often farm) land to house row after row of computer servers, servers that must be cooled by large amounts of circulated water. What we think of when we save something "to the cloud" is in fact a very large low slung building with the power needs of a large city. The increase in power needs has Virginia contemplating a large grid update that Maryland rate payers will need to chip in for, to the tune of $500 Million. But what about when the power goes out? For all the cutting edge technology of data centers, the back up power source of choice has been diesel generators - enough to keep that city-sized power need met. The company Aligned looking to construct data centers in Frederick County had to withdraw their plans when their application to the Public Service Commission for 160 3-megawatt diesel generators required to run continuously in the event of a power outage was denied. Governor Moore was frustrated by this. From Maryland Matters, "The PSC decision drew a rebuke from Moore after Aligned Data pulled out of the development — even though Moore has appointed three of the five commissioners. And the company in a recent statement warned that the PSC vote “sent a negative — and perhaps fatal — signal to the hoped-for data center industry in Maryland.” Moore's resulting legislation on this topic, HB 579/ SB474: Critical Infrastructure Streamlining Act seeks to remove the PSCs oversight on backup power generators for data centers. MCA signed on with 17 other state and local groups to oppose this bill. From the opposition letter: "We are concerned by the bill’s sweeping exemptions. As written, all backup diesel generators, of any size, in any quantity, anywhere in Maryland would be exempt from the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) process. The technical expertise and judicial role of the Public Service Commission would have no influence in these potentially massive generator projects." "We also worry about the precedent that could be set by exempting from the CPCN process power plant-sized complexes of diesel generators without opportunity for substantive public involvement. This is a significant concern, as for example, just at the Quantum Loophole site in Adamstown, over 1000 generators are expected to provide a total of 2.4 gigawatts of energy. That is enough energy to power 600,000 new homes, roughly two times the number of housing units in Baltimore." Recommendations: This land use is both entirely novel and has dramatic impacts on land, water, energy and economics. MCA supports the efforts to convert the bill to a study that would:
In addition, MCA supports SB0861-Public Utilities - High-Energy-Use Facilities - Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions put forth by Senator Lewis Young and Senator Watson. The bill would require facilities that have high energy use - notably data centers and cryptocurrency mining operations to move toward 100% reduction in emissions by 2040 (5 years after Governor Moore has pledged the state will be using 100% clean energy) with milestone targets between now and then, with compliance monitored by the Public Service Commission. This provision aligns the staggering energy use of data centers with the critical emissions reduction goals of the state and will push innovation. Press:
Baltimore Sun: Maryland Governor's bill on data centers raises environmental concerns Frederick News Post: Moore 'disappointed' in PSC's Aligned decision, will work with legislature on data center needs Multiple Data Centers Proposed at Dickerson Power Plant - Concerns and Recommendations As Use of A.I. Soars, So Does the Energy and Water It Requires Update: A study on the impacts of Climate Change on Maryland's Water Supply has just been released by the MDE. See key results that indicate that unconfined aquifer such as the Piedmont Sole Source Aquifer will be significantly affected by climate change. It required a public information act and multiple follow up inquiries by our colleagues at PEER on our behalf to gain the release of this report. By design, the Ag Reserve, and the small municipalities within it, are outside of the Washington Suburban Sanitary District's water/sewer envelope, as part of a comprehensive plan aimed at stemming development pressures from development sprawl that would overwhelm farms and consume biodiverse forests and open space. Take note that incorporated towns such as Poolesville have their own planning and zoning powers, meaning that though they are located within the footprint of Montgomery's Agricultural Reserve, they can, and have provided for greater development density. The federally designated Piedmont Sole Source Aquifer (map above) underlies the Ag Reserve and some rural areas that surround it. Development is constrained by this resource - or at least it should be if dry wells and surface water impairment are to be avoided. Read more about the aquifer in part I of the series "The Good Gift" in PLENTY. Land use planning and zoning changes are currently underway that will benefit from reliance on updated science and a strong foundation of stewardship of our water resources. MCA has pressed for attention to this matter and now has an opportunity, thanks to grant funding, to provide assistance. MCA has engaged seasoned Hydrogeologist Pat Hammond who has completed numerous reports over the past decades for MDE. Mr. Hammond is nearing completion of a report that will provide updated information on the well system of the town of Poolesville and the Sole Source Aquifer in general focusing on the effects of climate change, well interference, and the effect of water withdrawal on area streams. His report relies on data going back to the 1970s, examining historical allocation of this limited resource. The Town of Poolesville has requested, and MDE has granted in the past, in response to temporary public health issues, higher water allocation amounts (gallons per day water withdrawals) than the flow data show the can be sustained within a single watershed -hundreds of thousands of gallons per day over what the aquifer can sustain. Hammond cautions that overallocation is being used to support projected growth. He advises that the Town should identify additional groundwater capability in the last remaining watershed first before approving future development. Good, accurate, up-to-date data will best inform the Town's comprehensive plan, helping to stave off future water availability issues and further degradation of area streams that flow into the Potomac River upstream from the WSSC water system intake. We are heartened to hear that the Town is receptive to Hammond's reporting. An extensive summary of Mr. Hammond's study as presented to the Poolesville Commissioners can be found here. The final report can be found here - a fully formatted version is forthcoming. So what now? MCA is pleased to announce that this aquifer study is the first part of a multi-year research and outreach campaign to bring attention and action around safeguarding upcounty water resources. Please stay tuned for ways to get involved coming soon! In the meantime - check out these water conservation tips and septic tips. More to Explore: Understanding Groundwater in the Ag Reserve Climate Change will impact the water supply, time to start preparing ICBRB Releases Future Water Use Report - Spurring search for water to supplement Potomac and provide regional resiliency WTOP: "We need to get started now": If the Potomac is compromised the region has a two day supply of water. The reporting and funding is now in place to build resiliency, but how? This aquifer monitoring and outreach project is powered by a Clean Water Montgomery Award, funded by the Chesapeake Bay Trust and Montgomery County. A very uplifting part of our mission here at MCA is engaging with students. This week we had the privilege of taking Poolesville High School Global Ecology students to Black Hill Regional Park. Students had insightful questions for Ag Reserve architect Royce Hanson, Park staff and our own Caroline Taylor.
When Caroline was speaking to the importance of regional water protection a juvenile bald eagle soared across the reservoir. Our thanks to PHS students and teachers, Park staff and Royce Hanson for a great field trip! Update March 2024: This Bill passed overwhelming in the MoCo delegation though was far weakened by amendments. MoCo now does not have the comparable assistance with complicated land use issues enjoyed by our MNCPPC siblings in Prince Georges County. Thanks to all that took action.
Update: Amendments to the People's Counsel bill would dramatically weaken the office, making it a shadow of the good governance resource our PG neighbors and other counties have. Amendments (detailed here) to HB 1364 would remove the requirement that the officer in this role be a land use attorney with extensive experience and bar the officer from providing testimony or participating in hearings. Land use decisions have dramatic economic, equity and climate impacts, as detailed in the letter from the Montgomery Climate Coalition urging the delegation to pass the bill without weakening amendments. The perils of weakening the OPC are detailed in a memo from 2017 from then County Executive Ike Leggett to the Council which reads in part "When I was on the Council, I initially proposed a fully functioning Office of People's Counsel. As originally drafted, the office was intended to function as a legal resource, employing an experienced attorney who would represent residents in land use proceedings to promote full and fair presentation of issues and to assure sound land use decisions" OPC as Tool to Block Affordable Housing? The Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG) has sent an action alert alleging that "The People's Counsel was used in the past to obstruct affordable housing production" and thus should not be reinstated. The alert does not give examples, MCA has reached out to CSG to understand these claims, and we have not yet gotten a response. Our message: Can you provide instances where the MC OPC was used to block affordable housing as is asserted? Our perspective is strikingly different. In the absence of an OPC, MCA has been fielding requests, countywide, for assistance by communities. None of these requests have been aimed at blocking affordable housing. Some recent examples: Communities seeking guidance to address airport expansion, significant deforestation, conditional use application for large scale commercial development in sensitive watershed in area of small affordable houses served by groundwater wells, county airport’s continued use of leaded fuels, a historic freeman community dealing with illegal operation of commercial business… An OPC would be far better placed to provide the legal guidance in these instances. And, to be clear, we cannot recall past instances where this resource was engaged to block affordable housing. So we seek your clarification regarding the assertions made in your action alert. Background on the need for an Office of Peoples Counsel:
Land Use is complicated - while the county and developers have a a bevy of land use attorneys, the average resident may not even know what their zoning is. This imbalance becomes stark when residents have questions about planned developments or zoning changes in their neighborhood. Until 2010, re-balancing this equation was the job of the Office of the People's Counsel (OPC)- an agency that is authorized by the County Code to represent the public interest in the County’s land use regulatory process. The OPC was quietly defunded in 2010. It's absence has left the door open to scores (over 100!) of zoning text amendments crafted by some County Council members. These land use changes (some sweeping) often bump up against current master plans and cause the most detriment to communities that don't have the resources or land use acumen to defend themselves. Understanding and engaging in plans for development where you live should not be a privilege. While the MoCo OPC was axed over a decade ago, our Prince George's neighbors- also under the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) - continue to fund an active and functional People's Zoning Counsel that preforms the same functions of ensuring a complete hearing record and a fair process. Enter Bill PG/MC 112-24 at the General Assembly introduced by Senator Ben Kramer that would correct this imbalance between M-NCPPC counties by providing for a fully funded and active OPC in Montgomery County mirroring the PG office. The Economic Development Committee will shortly consider the bill. MCA is so grateful for the expertise and engagement of our board of directors and advisory committee. In taking on all the issues we do, many hands make light work and allow us to be both informed and responsive.
We are excited to announce a new addition, Katherine Nelson recently retired from Montgomery County's Planning department. Katherine has over 30 years of experience in land use planning with a focus on forest conservation, stream water quality protection, water supply/wastewater planning, and GIS database development and management. Katherine was among the first Arborists to be certified by the International Society of Arboriculture in 1988, and she is a Certified Natural Resource Expert with the American Forestry Association. Katherine helped develop the 1993 Patuxent River Functional Master Plan and served for many years as the Montgomery representative on the multi-jurisdictional Patuxent Reservoir Technical Advisory Committee and Patuxent River Commission. In 1995 the Commission provided County grants which Katherine used to develop and manage the Patuxent Demonstration Project - one of the first GIS data-based studies in the County to evaluate the relationship among watershed imperviousness, watershed forest cover, and stream water quality. Katherine developed the Planning Department’s forest planting program using developer mitigation funds to reforest stream valleys on Parkland. This has resulted in over 30 acres of newly planted forest in previously denuded sensitive areas. She also developed and managed an associated volunteer program that facilitated individuals and conservation groups to care for these newly planted forests that can be vulnerable to deer predation and invasive species. For this effort she received the Izaak Walton League of America National Honor Roll Award in 2009. From 2006 to 2010 Katherine led the effort to convert the Planning Department’s paper forest conservation records and hand-drawn maps to a digital system of geodatabases. These included forest conservation plans, forest cover, conservation easements, forest mitigation banks and forest planting. This greatly enhanced the Department’s on-going data analysis capabilities and made it possible for the Department to develop Geographic Information System (GIS) web applications that made this data easily accessible to the public. For this effort the team received the ESRI Special Achievement Award in 2011. Katherine oversaw the management of these databases until 2018. Katherine served on the County Forest Conservation Advisory Committee from 2010 to 2020. She was also part of MWCOG’s Community Forestry Network and was on the team that developed the Regional Urban Forest Canopy Analysis. In 2009 Katherine was instrumental in developing the County’s first Tree Canopy Analysis with the University of Vermont. Katherine provided the environmental analysis and recommendations and the water and sewer service recommendations for many master plans, including the original Rustic Roads Functional Plan (NCAC Merit Award 1996), Friendship Heights (NCAC Merit Award 1999), Sandy Spring/Ashton, Ten Mile Creek, Potomac Subregion (NCPC Merit Award for the Environmental Analysis 1999), Damascus and Vicinity, Burtonsville Crossroads, Sandy Spring Village, Westbard (nominated for the Bethesda Green Award 2019), and Fairland and Briggs Chaney. In 2018 we were so thrilled to match Niyi Balogun and Tope Fajingbesi with their first acre of land and a solid landowner partner through our Land Link program. From the start it was clear that they were determined to find success growing Certified Naturally Grown produce on their acre in Brookeville. First they sold at one market, then two, they started growing for Manna Food Center. The press came calling to tell their story about Niyi's move from Nigeria and his instance to continue farming here in Montgomery County, along with Tope's accounting background creating a thriving farm business. They mentored other farmers and engaged in strengthening the Ag sector in the County. ( See the farmer summit at Dodo Farms) Dodo Farms quickly grew out of one acre and started looking for more space. They leased 4 more acres at their same original property but were still looking for a way to live where they farm and own the land to make long term infrastructure investments worthwhile. They have just bought 10 acres in Howard County and we could not be happier to have them achieve what they have wanted for so long. But - all the same, it is troubling they were not able to access land here in Montgomery County.
While Land Link is matching land seekers with land to lease, overcoming the high price of land to buy is still very difficult. We worry our county will loose seasoned farmers and Ag community collaborators like Niyi and Tope to reasonably priced land elsewhere after they have built a life and customer base in Montgomery County. All this shines a light on a new ZTA proposal at the County Council that seeks to redefine farming to allow commercial lodging on protected farmland. When non-farmers can buy up land in the Ag Reserve for non farm uses - farmers like Niyi and Tope simply can't compete - in the only part of the county set aside for farming. If you have not already, please write the Council on ZTA 23-09. We will of course still be offering support to our partners at Dodo Farms and you can still find them at the Silver Spring and Dupont Circle Farmers Markets. You can keep up with Dodo Farms' move here. It is not overacting to call it a a saga - the three years invested by Frederick County farm and smart growth advocates to shepherd through the Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Plan have been tumultuous, with moving boundaries, backroom deals with multi national companies and more. Hanging in the balance, farmland and forests that could either gain critical protection or remain unprotected with new land-hungry uses at the door. After passing the plan in 2022, the non binding goals of protecting the area around Sugarloaf, the overlay that forms the teeth of the zoning change was remanded to the Planning Board last year. It was once again approved by the Planning Board with few changes and a strong recommendation to pass it. The Council took it up on December 19th and the overlay failed 5-2. The Frederick News Post covered the meeting. Councilmembers Brad Young, M.C. Keegan-Ayer, Kavonté Duckett, Mason Carter and Renee Knapp voted against the overlay. Councilmembers Jerry Donald and Steve McKay voted to approve it. To the advocates in the room, the reasons given for not backing up the plan recognizing the regions unique qualities with measures to keep them protected were underwhelming to say the least. A broad coalition of regional supporters were dismissed as NIMBYs, zoning that would protect farms and forests, used by the county elsewhere to protect similar resources was called "exclusionary" and Councilmember Young even said that the area may need to be a "revenue stream" in the future. One part of the meeting that was particularly chilling was the lack of support for an amendment barring Data Centers from being sited in the Sugarloaf Zone. A proposed floating zone that would allow Data centers is proposed for parts of the area considered by this plan. Related: Maryland Matters on Data Centers: "In other words, if the data centers come to Frederick County, there could be tremendous consequences for the climate and the environment — and for millions of utility customers throughout the region." We understand that the next part of Frederick County's Zoning re-write is the 270 corridor, an area where carveouts to this plan were floated to allow a developer to site data centers in partnership with Amazon within the plan area. This plan, bound by NDAs and backroom deals, only came to light thanks to the legal efforts of Sugarloaf Alliance. Data center development on the industrial Eastalcoa site is ongoing - in the words of Councilmember McKay who was seeking to prohibit Data Centers in the Sugarloaf Zone: "The County is moving forward with a major data center project at the old Eastalco site. We’re a decade or more from maximizing that project. We don’t need more land now. That Eastalco site has the high power electric infrastructure - Sugarloaf doesn’t. The Eastalco site has nearby water and sewer - Sugarloaf doesn’t. Leaving open the prospect for this kind of development in the Sugarloaf area actually opens it up to even more intensive development. As far as the Council members opposing the overlay tonight, I didn’t hear them shying away from that possibility. In my opinion, that vote against the overlay was a vote in favor of future development there." No question this is a setback, but the work continues. We stand committed to our partners across the county line. Please follow Sugarloaf Alliance for more in-depth updates. More Background
Maryland Public Service Commission Proposes Overriding County Rules in Commercial Solar Siting12/6/2023
Update: The impact report is out on the results of ZTA 20-01 that balanced farmland protection with solar generation in the Ag Reserve. A summary: Hurdles to Solar in the AR: "The Montgomery County Planning Department is hearing from potential solar project applicants that utility approval is one of the largest hurdles to effectively implementing community solar in the county. Cooperation with the power distribution companies and the ability to connect to the grid are the two primary drivers for not receiving timely approvals and construction of approved projects. Planning staff have been told there are issues with responsiveness, communication, and overall desire to implement additional solar from utility companies in general." "Grid interconnection is the other major obstacle impacting utility approvals in the county. The local power circuits need to have the available capacity to absorb new electric generation and, in many areas, that capacity does not exist" "Montgomery Planning believes these hurdles that delay or deny utility approvals represent the largest obstacle to implementing our collective solar goals, and zoning and land use regulation may likely have little if any ability to remedy these issues." Conclusion: "Montgomery County takes its responsibility to contribute to the state’s solar goals seriously and will continue to aggressively strive to assist the state in meeting our collective renewable energy goals by promoting solar projects on up to 1,800 acres, which equates to approximately 2% of all land in the county’s precious Agricultural Reserve. The standards and process for solar facilities in the AR Zone Impact Report of Montgomery County Solar Collection Systems in the AR Zone 12 and other zones reflect that commitment, while preserving agriculture as the primary use in the Agricultural Reserve. As stated previously, Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve is a prized and valuable resource. It is a significant economic driver in terms of commodity farming, food systems, and agritourism, and provides opportunities for diverse communities to access and remain in farming." Back in 2020 MCA co-led an effort to bring 60+ civic organizations together to engage stakeholders and craft a policy that balanced large scale solar siting and the farms and forests of the Ag Reserve, allowing large systems to co-exist with farming where they were not permitted before. Since that time, a number of solar installations in the Reserve have been approved through the county's conditional use process, many others that would meet county approval standards are waitlisted as large scale utilities work through capacity issues - a roadblock outside the county's purview. The situation is the same in other counties. Because local governments are charged with the protection of local resources many counties have put similar regulations into place to balance twin goals - renewable energy and farmland, forest and water protection. However, this Fall the Public Service Commission -Maryland's regulatory body for utilities including energy and transportation - is considering preempting carefully crafted County policies and processes to approve large scale solar arrays where the state deems necessary. So far the PSC has held a comment period as they consider how to move forward. The new Montgomery planning director, Jason Sartori, submitted comments that succinctly explain the approval process in MoCo and the detriment to the County's 40 year commitment to the Ag Reserve that would come from bypassing the current reasonable process. Read the full text of the Montgomery Planning Commission's comments to the PSC here. Stay tuned for more on this evolving issue. You Might Like:
MCA and PEER seek release of MDE report detailing coming Climate Impacts on State and Local Water Supply The drought that began this summer is still ongoing as winter sets in. Unfortunately, this drought is not a fluke event but a new trend. The scientific modeling is clear - we are in for more frequent and severe drought events. The ICPRB that monitors the Potomac said we can expect stream flows to be reduced by 35% by 2040.
As for groundwater - the picture is also dire - but gathering data about wells is more difficult than surface water monitoring. This lack of data hinders land use planning - like the updates to the master plan in the Town of Poolesville where several large developments have been proposed for the area entirely served by town wells and septic. These wells rely on the federally designated Sole Source Aquifer - water deep underground underlying much of the Western county that is also impacted by droughts. We understand the Maryland Department of Environment has completed a report that details with more certainty what climate impacts will be on local water resources. This report would offer crucial insight to Poolesville and other areas considering how to plan future land use to steward dwindling water supplies responsibly. So far communications to MDE asking for this report have not yielded results. Our partners at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) have filed a Public Information Request to access this report and make it available to guide efforts toward resilient water systems. Stay Tuned. |
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MCA is proud to announce that we have been recognized for a third time as one of the best small charities in the D.C. region by Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington. A panel of 110 expert reviewers from area foundations, corporate giving programs, and peer non-profit organizations evaluated 270 applications.
MCA is known as an effective and innovative non-profit whose efforts to preserve and promote Montgomery County’s nationally recognized 93,000 acre Ag Reserve have brought increased public and governmental support of local food production and farmland and open space preservation. Most importantly, MCA’s efforts are putting more farmers on the ground and keeping them there. |