County representatives call session win for open-space funding, loss for local solar control

Bruce Beriano and Steve Wise, two county representatives to the Maryland General Assembly, briefed the Caroline County Commissioners on May 6 about outcomes from the 2025 legislative session that will affect county planning and budgets.

They told the board that a change to the Program Open Space law — passed by the legislature and expected to be signed by the governor — lets counties use Program Open Space capital funds for operating expenses, upgrades and improvements rather than only for land acquisition. "That should set the county up well," Steve Wise said, adding the change came after ongoing discussions with the Department of Natural Resources.

The pair described the session's outcome on a high‑profile solar siting bill as a setback for local control. "Rural Maryland does not have the numbers when it comes to issues like that," Bruce Beriano said, characterizing the vote as rural legislators versus the rest of the legislature. He and Wise said the enacted bill limits counties' ability to…