Frederick County Speeding Up Efforts To Be More Sustainable

County Executive says the county vehicle fleet will be all electric by 2036.County Executive Jessica FitzwaterFrederick, Md (KIM) Frederick County is speeding up its efforts to become more climate resilient. During Mobilize Frederick’s annual Climate Summit on Friday at Hood College, County Executive Jessica Fitzwater announced that Frederick County will have an all electric vehicle fleet by 2036. She also introduced the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Fleet  Transition Plan for County Government, and the Community-wide Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan.”With these plans, we are turning sustainability ideals into meaningful actions,” County Executive Fitzwater said in a statement. “As our transportation infrastructure evolves, we also support innovation and economic growth. Our goal is to ensure a resilient future for Frederick County’s businesses and residents.”In 2020, the County resolved to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent in 2030, and 100 percent by 2050.The County has developed an Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan which examines ways to expand the number of charging stations.  It also considers equity by understanding the barriers to EV ownership, charging needs, and the costs as well as the benefits of owning electric vehicles. There’s also a discussion of policy such as changing building codes, local ordinances and permitting processes to accommodate EV’s.   And identifying funding opportunities ranging from grants to rebates.”Working collaboratively across county agencies and in partnership with community stakeholders, we are creating a business and community-friendly way to reduce our carbon footprint and position Frederick County as a leader in the regional response to climate change,” says  Shannon Moore, Director of the Division of Sustainability and Environment, in a statement.Currently, the county has five hybrid electric vehicles, an electric van and nine electric buses.According to the county, transportation accounts for 38 percent of Frederick County’s greenhouse gas emissions.Governor Wes Moore announced that the state will require all manufacturers to increase their sales of EV passenger cars and light trucks by 100 percent by 2035.By Kevin McManus