 APRIL 2025
IN THIS ISSUE:
A letter from Montgomery County's Climate Change Officer, Sarah Kogel-Smucker
Be Climate Smart: Download the Ride On Trip Planner App
This April, our "Climate Smart" action is simple and free: Download the Ride On Trip Planner App. Whether you're a regular rider or haven’t taken the bus in years, this easy-to-use app helps you get around without the guesswork. Just enter your location and destination, and it will show you the best route and exactly when the next bus will arrive. You can find it on both Apple and Google Play.
I recently gave it a try myself, and it’s great to have. With real-time bus info right at your fingertips it’s easier to make a more sustainable trip. Once the app’s on your phone, you’ll be ready to hop on the bus even when you might’ve driven instead. And every trip counts: transportation made up about 34% of the County’s climate pollution in 2020, so choosing public transit is one of the most effective ways we can all help.
Celebrate Earth Month
Montgomery County goes BIG with Earth Month events, activities, and hands-on ways to take action. Check out the calendars below for family-friendly, sustainable fun happening throughout the County—and don’t miss GreenFest on April 26 in Wheaton, our largest annual environmental festival. I hope to see you there!
Support Climate Funding
Did you know? County Executive Elrich has proposed free Ride On fares in the fiscal year 2026 budget, making public transit more accessible. The County Council is considering the budget now and will finalize it by June 1. Your voice makes a difference! Contact your Councilmembers (info here) and ask them to support full funding for climate programs.
Warmly,
Download the Ride On Trip Planner App on Apple or Google Play for fast, eco-friendly, and cost-effective travel options. Get real time updates on all bus stops, bus routes, bus locations, and estimated bus time.
Celebrating 10 Years: GreenFest 2025 is back on Saturday, April 26, 2025 from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm at Marian Fryer Town Plaza, 2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, MD. Since its inception, GreenFest events have taken place in various locations throughout the County and hosted thousands of County community members. To celebrate GreenFest’s 10th anniversary, the first 500 people to register will receive a goodie bag to assist them on their journey to greener living. Don’t miss out! Register here.
Spring Stream Cleanup on April 18 at 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm in Rockville. Join for a community cleanup of Cabin John Creek in Rockville to make an impact. Please join us for a fun couple of hours making a positive impact at a community Stream Cleanup event! We’ll be gathering at Dogwood Park, 800 Monroe St, Rockville Maryland to clean up the area around Cabin John Creek. Info here.
More sustainable events are at My Green Montgomery. Earth Month events are at libraries across the County, check out the event calendar.
Local climate news and updates from Montgomery County, the State of Maryland, and around the DMV.
Curbside recycling in Montgomery Co. now includes electronics, batteries
Montgomery County residents will soon have a more convenient way to recycle old electronics and household batteries.
County officials announced the expansion of the single-family residential curbside recycling program to include on-call collection of these items, eliminating the need for special trips to recycling centers. The initiative, which has been in a phased rollout since 2022, will be available county-wide by the end of 2025.
The expansion aims to increase recycling rates and prevent hazardous materials from entering the waste stream. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich emphasized the benefits of this program, noting that between 2022 and 2024, the county recycled over 3,700 tons of electronics and batteries.
Read or watch more at WUSA9.
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Takoma Park Senior Housing Complex Will Go All Electric
Victory Tower, a senior citizen residence in Takoma Park, will convert to an all-electric facility thanks to a $1.8 million grant.
Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) official announced the complex on Carroll Avenue now will replace fossil fuel-fired appliances and HVAC systems and upgrade them to electric. The grant for the low- and moderate-income (LMI) housing complex is for four years.
“This is a good example of how we can move toward our climate goals in a way that also supports people who are too often left out of the conversation,” said County Executive Marc Elrich.
Read more on My MCM.
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MCPS Empowers Future Climate Leaders at Annual Summit
More than 200 students gathered at Julius West Middle School for Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) annual Youth Climate Summit, a daylong event focused on education, advocacy and student-led climate action.
Middle and high school students from across the county collaborated on local climate solutions, designed action projects, and networked with peers and environmental groups. The event included opening remarks from Julius West Middle School Principal Craig Staton and a keynote address by Montgomery County Climate Change Officer Sarah Kogel-Smucker.
The summit featured workshops on school sustainability efforts, actionable steps for tackling climate challenges, and strategies for effective student advocacy.
Read more on My MCM.
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National and international climate change news that affects life in the U.S. and beyond.
Trump seeks to end climate research at premier U.S. climate agency
President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to end nearly all of the climate research conducted by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA), one of the country’s premier climate science agencies, according to an internal budget document seen by Science. The document indicates the White House is ready to ask Congress to eliminate NOAA’s climate research centers and cut hundreds of federal and academic climate scientists who track and study human-driven global warming.
The administration is also preparing to ask for deep cuts to NASA’s science programs, according to media reports today.
The proposed NOAA cuts—which could be altered before the administration sends its 2026 budget request to Congress in the coming weeks—would cut funding for the agency’s research arm, the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), to just over $171 million, a drop of $485 million.
If approved by Congress, the plan would represent a huge blow to efforts to understand climate change, says Craig McLean, OAR’s longtime director who retired in 2022. “It wouldn’t just gut it. It would shut it down.”
Read more at Science. Image credit Noah Berger/AP via Science.org displaying a helicopter drops water on the River Fire in Salinas, California, in 2021.
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We are excited to share the below news and opportunities below. These important grants are offered by both local and federal funding opportunities, and are made available to local governments, universities, community organizations, businesses and individuals.
Maryland Solar Access Program Grants for Residential Solar Systems: Grants are on a first-come, first-served basis; the application window Is now open and closes June 13, 2025. These grants will provide up to $7,500 (at $750/kW) for new household solar PV systems. Eligibility is limited to households with a total income that does not exceed 150% of the statewide area median income. The application requires two phases, including an initial application to reserve funds. Please read the FAQs (updated December 2024).
Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant Program: Applications due March 5, 2025. Schools, school districts, and nonprofit organizations serving children in K-12 may apply for support to turn outdoor spaces into powerful hands-on learning gardens on school grounds. The maximum grant is $3,500. There is a webinar on February 20.
The Green & Healthy Homes Initiative Thriving Communities Grant-making Program: Geared toward tribal, rural, and communities disproportionately affected by environmental, climate, and human health harms and risks. Eligible projects include but are not limited to, those focused on air and water quality, stormwater treatment, food access, local cleanup projects, combatting illegal dumping activities, healthy housing, toxin remediation, and more. The application deadline for 1-year Tier I and Tier II grants is April 30, 2025, or until all grants have been awarded. More information here.
Maryland Urban and Community Forestry Committee (MUCFC) Grants Program: Applications reviewed on or around February 15 and July 15 annually. Forestry Boards are welcome to apply for assistance with tree planting on public lands or for educational projects about trees in urban environments. The maximum grant is $1,000.
Administrator III - Maryland Department of Environment (Baltimore, MD): The Administrator III will provide technical support to a new Building Decarbonization Division in the Climate Change Program. The Climate Change Program is responsible for developing and implementing nation leading policies to reduce and sequester greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate the impacts of climate change. The incumbent in this position will engage in research and plan projects to assist in the development, interpretation, and implementation of the Department’s building decarbonization plans and policies. Info here.
U.S. Federal Policy Manager - Clean Air Task Force (Washington, DC) - Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a nonprofit organization working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by catalyzing the rapid global development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. The Federal Policy Manager supports the Federal Policy Director in the design, strategic planning, and execution of advocacy for clean energy, innovation, and climate policy in interactions with the federal government. Apply here.
Cecil Corbin-Mark Fellowship for Environmental Justice Leadership - WE ACT for Environmental Justice (Washington, DC): During this year-long fellowship, participants can expect to work on WE ACT campaigns alongside seasoned environmental justice leaders. Fellows will gain experience in environmental justice areas including environmental health, environmental justice policy, and community organizing. Fellows can also expect leadership development and learning opportunities throughout the program that will strengthen their professional skills, and deepen their understanding of the operations of a community-based advocacy organization. Info here.
Exciting opportunities available for job seekers. Check out DEP’s Green Job Portal for additional climate and sustainability jobs, including these highlighted positions:
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