ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today joined Columbia Association (CA) President and CEO Shawn MacInnes to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance collaboration between the County and CA and strengthen local action on climate and energy independence. Photos from the event can be found on the County’s Flickr webpage.
From signing the ‘We Are Still In’ declaration to becoming the first county to be certified as 'LEED Platinum for Cities and Communities’ and launching our ambitious ‘Climate Forward: Climate Action and Resiliency Plan,’ we continue to initiate impactful programs that allow us as a community, to work together to preserve our environment and fight climate change. Through this MOU, we are leveraging the strengths of our local partners to elevate the vision of our Climate Forward Plan from a “whole-of-government” effort to one that is a “whole-of-community” approach. This partnership will allow us to hasten our progress toward our respective environmental goals, advance our energy independence, expand new business opportunities, strengthen the resiliency of our community, and improve the quality of life for our people.
The MOU provides a framework for the County and CA to harness their respective capabilities in promoting synergies and stronger action across multiple aspects of climate and sustainability, to collaborate on initiatives in clean energy and energy independence, transportation, waste, nature-based solutions, ecosystem services, emergency management and infrastructure and heat resiliency, water, community engagement and public education, and data sharing.
Since its founding, CA has been committed to respecting the land and natural resources of this community. We do not take that responsibility lightly, and that is reinforced by our latest strategic plan. Environmental sustainability is pivotal to a thriving, healthy community, and CA is grateful to have allies in these important efforts. By formalizing our mutual pledge to these ideals, CA looks forward to a continued partnership with Howard County in maintaining and enhancing the natural resources of our shared community.
Shortly taking office after the devastating 2018 Ellicott City flood, the third devastating flood there in seven years, Ball quickly stepped up Howard County’s climate leadership by signing the “We Are Still In” declaration in support of the Paris Agreement and joining the U.S. Climate Alliance in early 2019. In 2020, the County executed Maryland’s largest solar power purchase agreement that will save the County about $30 million in energy costs over 25 years. In 2022, the County became the first county to be certified as ‘LEED Platinum for Cities and Communities’ by the U.S. Green Building Council. A year later, Ball launched the County’s ambitious “Climate Forward: Climate Action and Resiliency Plan.” Through its efforts, Howard County has thus far reduced its climate polluting emissions by 23 percent and is more than a third of the way toward achieving its 60 percent reduction goal by 2030.
Additionally, to further his environmental stewardship, through 2024 Ball’s administration had planted more than 86,000 trees on County land since taking office to further expand the county’s tree canopy. Following his October 2024 signing of an MOU with Maryland Secretary of Natural Resources (DNR) Joshua Kurtz, DNR planted of 46,800 trees across 107 acres in the county last Spring, exceeding DNR’s original 2025 spring planting goals for Howard County. DNR’s planting together with other County plantings of more than 9,500 trees brought the County’s total since 2019 to over 142,300, a significant increase of about 65 percent.
In September 2019, Ball announced a bold commitment to our environment and pollinator conservation by joining the “Bee City USA” coalition. By becoming one of the first counties in the nation to become a “Bee City,” the County committed to reducing its pesticide use and creating sustainable habitats for pollinators, which are vital to feeding the planet. To date, Howard County has implemented various steps to protect pollinators, including:
- Creating 55 acres of pollinator-friendly meadow habitat on Howard County parkland;
- Establishing Monarch Way-Stations at two County parks, which provide milkweeds, nectar plants, and shelter for monarch butterflies throughout their annual cycle of reproduction and migration;
- Engaging professional researchers from the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center to conduct Bee Surveys at Centennial Park; and
- Working with the following partners to preserve pollinator habitat and support pollinator education and outreach activities.
In December 2023, Ball announced his support of workplace electric vehicle (EV) charging as the first public official in Maryland to sign the “Charge@Work” pledge. Part of a U.S. Department of Energy-funded initiative to help employers and public officials establish and expand workplace charging programs, Howard County became the first jurisdiction in the state and only the 15th nationwide to endorse the workplace charging pledge. The County’s “Climate Forward: Climate Action & Resiliency Plan” also prioritizes increasing EV charging on County property and in the community by setting a goal of 400 publicly available charging stations County-wide by 2030. There are currently 113 EV charging stations on Howard County-owned property alone, with more than 60 of those available to the public.
Finally, in March 2025, Ball announced the latest expansion to the County’s Department of Public Works’ Bureau of Environmental Services’ innovate “Feed the Green Bin” curbside food scrap collection program. With more than 58,000 households eligible to participate “Feed the Green Bin” program, the County has significantly reduced its landfill waste and lowered its emissions. In 2024 alone, county residents diverted 8,800 tons of organic material from the landfill through the program, with an additional 22,000-plus tons of material dropped off directly at Alpha Ridge Landfill for composting.
“As a Columbia resident and CA member, I am delighted to see this closer collaboration between the County and CA,” said Tim Lattimer, Administrator, Office of Community Sustainability. “This is a major milestone on the path toward building the broad-based ‘whole-of-community’ effort that is critical to achieving our ambitious countywide ‘Climate Forward’ goals for 2030 and 2045.”
Recognized for its outstanding energy management efforts by both the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, CA has long been a leader on climate action and environmental sustainability having:
• Reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 50 percent since 2012;
• Signed the “We Are Still In” declaration supporting the Paris Agreement in October 2017;
• Formed a Climate Change and Sustainability Advisory Committee in 2018;
• Adopted a 2019 resolution recognizing a climate emergency; and
• Completed a Climate Vulnerability Assessment in 2021.
“CA is proud to be regional and national leader in sustainable practices and advancements in energy efficiency,” said Jeremy Scharfenberg, Vice President for Operations, CA. “In the past few years alone, we have been recognized as a leading partner in the U.S. Department of Energy initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, published a forward-thinking Climate Vulnerability Assessment to guide resilience investments and enhanced our tree planting, invasive removal and sustainable landscaping practices. We aren't just here to enhance life for the Columbia of today, but also to ensure the natural resources of this unique community are here for many years to come. That happens at the highest levels when we collaborate with partners - like our colleagues Howard County - to work in conjunction and achieve collective impact for our residents.”
“The time is now to join together as a community to ensure our resilience to the impacts from climate change, like heatwaves and floods” said Kim Pezza, Chair of the Howard County Environmental Sustainability Board (ESB) and Chair of CA’s Climate Change and Sustainability Advisory Committee (CCSAC). “Right now, more than ever, local action is necessary and prudent to keep our friends and families safe. As chair of both the County’s ESB and CA’s CCSAC, I applaud Howard County and the Columbia Association on this important collaboration.”
“This partnership between Howard County Government and the Columbia Association is a powerful reminder that protecting our environment starts with each of us. Whether you're a parent, a student, or a business owner, your actions matter,” said Brooke Barrick, Past Chair, Howard County ESB. “Together, we can build a community that’s not only thriving, but also sustainable—for our families, our neighborhoods, and the generations to come.”