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Carroll County Environmental Advisory Council presents 2025 report and proposed 2026 work plan to commissioners
Summary
The EAC reviewed its 2025 annual report and outlined a 2026 work plan emphasizing public outreach, a community-solar subscriber guide, an analysis of capital projects for cost-savings and environmental co-benefits, and continued study of the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project.
The Carroll County Environmental Advisory Council on Wednesday presented its 2025 annual report to the county commissioners and outlined a proposed work plan for 2026, emphasizing public education, updates to outreach materials and targeted project studies.
The EACchair, Kurt Barrett, reviewed a busy 2025 that included an updated Environmental Stewardship booklet, a "Climate Resilience in Your Own Backyard" guide and a detailed impact summary prepared at the commissioners' request for the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, a proposed high-voltage transmission line. Barrett said the transmission-line report identified mitigation gaps and summarized potential impacts for Carroll County; he said it was presented to commissioners in September 2025.
A commissioner who requested the transmission-line report praised the document as "absolutely phenomenal" and said it would be instrumental to the county's position. The EAC said the annual report is produced under county code and that commissioners usually are asked to "concur" with the proposed work plan rather than hold a formal vote.
The draft 2026 work plan will prioritize preparing for the 2027 Environmental Action Awards, updating the stewardship booklet on a two-year cycle, and continuing public education events such as Earth Day and EnviroFest. The EAC also reported it will study capital-project opportunities that could deliver both cost savings and environmental benefits; that study was deferred into the 2026 work-plan timetable to allow county departments time to submit related budget and project information. Barrett said the EAC aims to complete that study by April 2026 if departmental inputs arrive on schedule.
Barrett listed membership changes from 2025: two new members (Aaron Salter and Caitlin Fleming), one resignation (Kathleen Marasco), two expired terms (Tom Scanlon and past chair Craig Paskowski) and a current vacancy in Paskowski's seat. He said no members were reappointed in 2025.
The meeting closed with commissioners and EAC members agreeing to keep communication open so staff can obtain further data (for example, school-system energy project performance) and fold commissioners' concerns into the 2026 plan. The session adjourned following a motion and a voice vote.
The EAC provided commissioners with copies of the annual report and the proposed 2026 work plan in the meeting packet; the council said its outreach materials are available on the county website.
