Carroll County environmental council reviews 2024 work, proposes 2025 outreach and to study transmission-line impacts

The Carroll County Environmental Advisory Council on Wednesday reviewed its 2024 annual report with the Board of County Commissioners and presented a 2025 work plan that emphasizes homeowner outreach on water conservation, food-waste reduction and a new program called "Climate Resilience in Your Own Backyard." Commissioner members also asked the council to analyze potential environmental impacts and mitigation options for a proposed transmission line that could cross county land.

Craig Paskowski, chair of the Carroll County Environmental Advisory Council, summarized the panel's 2024 work and said the group’s outreach materials were aimed at residents. "One of the first things that we did was this public outreach piece on water conservation," Paskowski said, describing materials distributed after the county experienced drought warnings last year.

The nut graf: the EAC told commissioners that most 2024 efforts were educational — printed guides, public-event tables and targeted handouts — while the board pressed the council to apply its expertise to county-scale risks, including a transmission-line review and potential cost-saving changes to park…