Dear Friends,
Today, I attended Governor Wes Moore’s announcement focused on building a more affordable and reliable energy future for Maryland. I appreciate the Governor tackling this issue head-on, especially as we head into the winter months, when higher energy costs can put real strain on family budgets.
Families across the country are already feeling the impact. Nationally, residential electricity prices rose 10.5% between January and August of this year, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association—more than three times the rate of overall inflation. In Maryland, prices rose 8.8% over the same period. For many households, these increases are unsustainable, and addressing affordability must be a priority.
The Governor’s action recognizes that affordability and reliability must move together. Stabilizing utility bills, improving grid performance, and protecting ratepayers require a more coordinated and accountable approach. Montgomery County has long been clear that the transition to cleaner energy must also be fair and affordable, and I look forward to continuing to work with the State to make sure energy policy delivers real relief while keeping our grid strong.
There are also steps residents can take immediately to help reduce energy use and costs at home—simple actions such as sealing drafts, using smart thermostats, upgrading to energy-efficient appliances, and taking advantage of available rebates and incentive programs. Our Climate Smart initiative offers practical tools, tips, and resources to help residents save energy and money while reducing emissions. You can learn more at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/climate/climate-smart/energy.html.
For residents who need energy bill help or utility assistance, you (or someone you’re helping) can apply for support through Maryland’s Office of Home Energy Programs. This includes the Maryland Energy Assistance Program for heating bills and the Electric Universal Service Program for electric bills, with applications available online at the State benefits portal at https://mydhrbenefits.dhr.state.md.us. You can also call 1-800-332-6347 for help or contact the Montgomery County Office of Home Energy Programs at 240-777-4450 for local assistance and application support.
As winter begins, helping people stay warm without incurring impossible energy bills is both an economic and moral responsibility—and it’s one we must keep at the forefront of our work.
Eviction Notification Requirement Increased to 14 Days
This week, I signed into law expedited Bill 31-25, that increases notification requirements for evictions. This bill, sponsored by Councilmember Kristin Mink, will give individuals facing eviction more time to respond while also providing our outreach teams with advance notice to help those at risk of homelessness.
With the end of the pandemic, evictions have skyrocketed. In 2020, there were 254 completed evictions, and last year there were more than 1,300. That is four times as many families facing the loss of their homes.his isn’t just a problem for these families; it’s a problem for our communities, our schools, and our social support system.
This new law will require the landlords and property managers to alert tenants and our Department of Housing and Community Affairs about evictions 14 days before they are executed, instead of the current six-day notice.
This helps families and our homeless prevention partners develop solutions over a longer period. Our shelters are already full, so the most effective way to help people is to assist them in finding new housing while they are still housed and before they are forced out.
According to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments' annual Point in Time Count, between fiscal years (FY) 2023 and 2025, Montgomery County experienced a 33% increase in homelessness, while the statewide increase was 25%. This includes a 26% increase in non-disabled people and 23% increase in adults over 65 experiencing homelessness in our County. These numbers are alarming, and this policy is intended to curb those increasing rates.
Evictions are tough transitions in which families often lose irreplaceable family possessions simply because there’s not enough time to protect them. Having only six days to find a new place to live on little to no money, and considering schools, transportation, and other logistics that someone evicted must take care of, is burdensome.
I believe it is essential to treat every person with dignity and recognize that stable housing is the foundation for all aspects of life, from employment to education to a healthy community. This bill is another step toward helping those facing eviction protect their dignity, prevent the loss of their homes, or, at the very least, give them more time to prepare.
For more information about evictions and understanding your rights, please visit the DHCA website.
Bring Your Own Bag Law Goes into Effect on New Year’s Day
This week, I joined Councilmember Kate Stewart and our Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to remind the public about a new law that takes effect on Jan. 1.
The Bring Your Own Bag Tax Law builds on what we’ve already done as a County to reduce the use of plastic bags. Up to now, we have encouraged the public to bring their own bags or pay to get a plastic bag from the store. That option is now going away. Plastic bags will not be offered at store checkouts, except in municipalities that have not adopted or have their own plastic bag law.
The price of a paper bag will increase from 5 cents to 10 cents. The retailer will retain five cents of the new fee, and the remaining five cents will be allocated toward the Water Quality Protection Charge, which the DEP manages. This fund helps cover the costs of litter cleanup.
Some exemptions to the plastic carryout bag in the Bring Your Own Bag Tax Law include:
- Plastic bags provided by a pharmacist that contain a prescription drug.
- Plastic bags used in packaging bulk items (fruit, vegetables, nuts, grains, candy, ice, or small hardware items).
- Plastic bags that contain hanging garments or dry-cleaned clothes, including suits, jackets, or dresses.
- Plastic bags that contain or wrap perishable items, including meat, fish, unwrapped prepared foods, or bakery goods.
- Distributing over 25,000 reusable bags at benefits offices, food pantries, libraries, and public events.
- Meeting with more than 2,000 businesses in person to discuss the new bag law.
- Providing signage in seven languages for public display to businesses with the new law update.
- Running ads in four languages throughout the County, alerting the community to this change.
By stopping the use of single-use plastic bags at most stores, we’re reducing waste and protecting our environment. I encourage everyone to carry reusable bags in their car or backpack so they can be easily used when shopping. For more information, please visit montgomerycountymd.gov/bag.
Hannukah Celebration Concerns in Wake of Antisemitic Attack in Australia
This past weekend, the Montgomery County Department of Police had extra patrols out at Hanukkah ceremonies in response to the horrific violence and terrorist attack we saw in Australia.
Even a country with some of the most restrictive gun laws in the world is not immune to terrorist attacks. This one targeted Jewish people on the first night of a holy and joyous celebration. It’s hard to imagine how this wouldn’t upset, horrify, and disturb every community.
Our thoughts and condolences are with all those impacted. Acts of antisemitism, especially those meant to intimidate families and communities during moments of gathering and celebration, must be called out clearly and condemned without hesitation.
I have heard directly from members of Montgomery County's Jewish community who are shaken by the violence and concerned that the violence could be repeated elsewhere. I want them to know that their safety is a priority, and our vigilance will continue, especially for their sacred moments with family and loved ones.
Montgomery County stands firmly against antisemitism, hate, and political violence in all forms. We will continue to work closely with faith leaders, community organizations, and law enforcement to ensure people can gather, worship, and celebrate without fear.
County Incinerator Receives MDE Violation
A Notice of Violation was issued by the Maryland Department of the Environment to Reworld, the operator of the County’s waste-to-energy facility in Dickerson. Testing conducted in September and shared by regulators in November revealed that one of the boilers exceeded state permit limits for dioxins and furans—highly toxic pollutants that pose significant health risks.
These results were obtained from routine stack testing conducted in September and showed emissions exceeding the limits allowed under Maryland law. We do not know how long it went on before the problem was identified. Reworld has since identified a tear in the baghouse system, which is designed to capture pollutants before they are released into the air. Repairs have been made, and additional testing is underway.
We are requesting detailed information from Reworld and the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority. Federal regulators are also bringing in third-party experts to assess health risks.
We are committed to being transparent with the community about this issue and will continue to share information with the public as it becomes available.
But the larger issue here isn’t a single tear or a single boiler. This is an aging facility that relies on outdated technology, which can pose a threat to public health and the environment.
For decades, this incinerator has been a troubling source of pollution. Continuing to operate it as is contradicts our Climate Action Plan and hinders efforts in waste reduction, reuse, composting, and recycling. The unequal impact of air pollution raises concerns about environmental justice. We are currently reviewing solicitation responses for temporary waste hauling services as we modernize the Dickerson facility and implement improved waste management methods.
This Notice of Violation is a reminder that continuing to rely on this facility is not a long-term solution. We need to be honest about the risks, the costs, and the direction we want to go as a County. Protecting public health and meeting our climate commitments means planning a responsible transition away from incineration and toward cleaner, safer alternatives.
Click the following link if you’d like to read the complete statement from DEP about this issue.
New MCEDC President and CEO Focused on Creating Jobs
This week, the new President and CEO of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), Jared Smith, joined me for the weekly media briefing.
Jared is taking over the MCEDC after serving as the director of Economic Development and Tourism for the City of Henderson, NV, part of the greater Las Vegas area, which serves more than two million residents. Previously, as the chief operating officer at the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, he was a part of a team that generated $17.2 billion in economic impact over six years, the highest results in the organization’s history.
Over the past decade, he helped facilitate Nevada's shift from a tourism-based economy. His handling of Las Vegas' tourism decline during the pandemic reflects our current challenges with the loss of federal workers.
He has an impressive background and track record. We are fortunate to have his experience and talents working for our economy at this critical time.
Jared and his team at MCEDC are focused on bolstering our life sciences, technology, cybersecurity, and hospitality industries. While retaining and attracting large businesses is crucial, it is also important that we help grow the companies of tomorrow.
Just this week, MCEDC announced awards totaling $7.5 million to local businesses that applied for the Technology Innovation and Founders Funds grants. There are 55 early-stage companies that will utilize this money to support their business growth through activities that help them advance their technologies toward the marketplace.
These grants reflect the kind of economy we are building in Montgomery County. We want small companies from diverse industries with strong ideas to have a genuine opportunity to grow here, and that means investing early, supporting commercialization, and removing barriers that often hold people back.
I appreciate the dedicated work of County staff in partnership with the County Council and MCEDC in launching this program to help dozens of companies, not only in biotech and medtech, but also in other sectors we are growing in the County, including space communications, AI, and clean energy. Investing in our business community is beneficial for entrepreneurs, advantageous for our workforce, and crucial for the long-term strength of our local economy.
To learn more about MCEDC’s efforts and outreach, visit thinkmoco.com.
DPS Launches Drone Program to Improve Permitting Processes
Policing and public safety have seen the benefits of using drones in Montgomery County over the past two years. Now, our Department of Permitting Services (DPS) is integrating drone technology into its operations.
DPS drones are used for compliance documentation, monitoring construction progress, and enhancing staff training. They enable inspectors to quickly and safely survey challenging areas, such as steep slopes and stormwater systems. This reduces site inspection time from three to four days to two to three hours, thereby improving customer service and expediting the permitting process.
Our DPS staff can also utilize data and footage obtained by the drones to aid their work. The drones will be operated by FAA-certified pilots who are aware that they are not permitted to fly over private properties.
I’m looking forward to seeing how the drones improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our permitting processes. I thank and appreciate DPS's willingness to embrace new technologies and methods to improve performance.
The latest episode of the DPS podcast focuses on the launch of the drone program. Click the following link to watch the Department of Permitting Services Podcast.
Montgomery County Ranked #2 in the Nation for the Top 100 Places to Live for Older Adults
AARP ranked us among the best places for seniors to live in the nation. Our County is in the ‘very large communities’ category and did well against the nation’s biggest cities. We ranked second on the list, only behind San Francisco but ahead of Fairfax County and Washington, DC, which placed fifth and 14th, respectively.
AARP ranked jurisdictions on several categories, including safe and walkable areas that lead to shops, groceries, and restaurants. The survey also examined the quality of health care, opportunities for physical activity, and environmental health.
Accolades like this help confirm what we already know about Montgomery County--we are a great place to live, work, and play. We strive to provide everyone here with the same opportunities, and that’s the idea behind the Age-Friendly Montgomery program, which is now in its tenth year.
Many of our departments, like Libraries, Recreation, the Department of Health and Human Services, and Transportation, ensure that we are meeting the needs of older adults. That’s important as we see more residents living longer. We take pride in making Montgomery County a community for older adults to age in place and thrive.
‘Montgomery Gives Local’ Campaign Spotlight
Our "Montgomery Gives Local" campaign continues. We started this initiative last month to address the growing demands and needs of our local nonprofits.
As a County government, we have consistently invested in helping our community in times of need, including $200 million for local nonprofits, $62 million for services to end and prevent homelessness, and more than $23 million in food assistance.
However, nonprofits also rely heavily on support from local residents, which is why it’s essential to ask everyone to help and consider giving to local organizations.
Last week, our office hosted our annual holiday luncheon, during which County Executive office staff made donations to a local non-profit organization. This year, we supported the 4 Season Giving Tree.
At the luncheon, I had the pleasure of learning from Lauren Laimon, the founder and CEO, about the origins of this charity. It started when a parent noticed that a teacher was meeting a student's needs at her own expense. As a former teacher, I am aware of the profound impact such assistance can have on a child's life. Providing essential support to families in need significantly enhances children's opportunities for success in school and in life.
We extend our gratitude to 4 Season Giving Tree and all the partners who contribute to supporting this grassroots organization. This model of helping families in need has the potential to be replicated in schools throughout Montgomery County. I believe Lauren's story exemplifies the compassion that our County residents and nonprofit organizations have for our neighbors who are most in need. For more information about giving or volunteering for her organization, please visit 4seasongivingtree.org.
For more information about how you can get involved in supporting organizations with your time or money, visit the Montgomery County Volunteer Center website.
Holiday Greetings and Closings
Finally, I’d like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday season. It has been one of the toughest years this County has been through. I am proud of how my team has faced the moment and how we push on undaunted in our commitment to serving our community the best way possible.
Over the next two weeks, I’ll be reviewing some of the stories and events that stood out over the past year. Some of those impacts have been positive, while others have created challenges for our residents, departments, and community partners. I look forward to sharing my thoughts on these milestones.
Most of our County offices will be closed on Christmas Day, which is on Thursday. Ride On will operate on a limited bus schedule. Libraries, recreation centers, and senior centers, as well as aquatic centers, will close early on Christmas Eve and remain closed on Christmas. You can expect the same kind of reduced hours the following week around New Year’s Day. A complete list of holiday impacts is posted elsewhere in this newsletter.
As always, my appreciation for all of you,
Marc Elrich
County Executive
