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Climate & Energy Action Plan for the Community
In partnership with the public, local stakeholders, the City of Frederick, and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Frederick County has produced the first Community-Wide Climate and Energy Action Plan (CEAP).
What does that mean? It means we recognize that our region is experiencing economic, health, and environmental impacts due to a changing climate, and we want to adapt and prepare. We also want to decrease the things we do that are causing climate change. And we want to work with YOU!
The CEAP supports the recommendations of the Climate Emergency Mobilization Workgroup's outstanding 2021 Climate Response and Resilience Report (CRRR). Our project aims to build upon the strength of that earlier work by adding new data, current research and analysis, and robust community engagement to develop practical, economical, and equitable ways our community can put CRRR concepts into action.
The planning process worked to map out where our community is at risk, document what we are doing that contributes to the problems, and identify next-step actions we can take to tackle these issues.
The CEAP will help us work together and prepare for the impacts a changing climate may have on our people, natural resources, businesses, and infrastructure, as well as suggest actions that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
View the Plan!
- Greenhouse Gas Inventories: This provides an accurate assessment of greenhouse gas emissions produced across the county in specific categories. It helps identify major sources, track trends, and inform strategies for reducing emissions.
- Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment: This will identify climate risks to the region, including flooding, extreme heat and urban heat island effects, poor air and water quality, drought, and others. Vulnerable communities (those that have a higher risk of climate-related health problems and negative economic impacts, with less ability to adapt to and recover from severe weather) will be prioritized in all discussions and strategic planning.
- Public Engagement: The County and City have collaborated to ensure communitywide outreach in all twelve jurisdictions across the County, with a special focus on ensuring that underserved groups are included. (This includes historically marginalized communities, differently abled people, limited English proficiency audiences, and members of the elderly population.)
- Electric Vehicle Strategies: Fredrick County is identifying opportunities to provide more electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and remove barriers to EV purchasing. This effort includes looking at home and apartment charging stations; reviewing County codes, ordinances, and permits; and engaging with the public to assess needs.
- Resilience and Adaptation Strategies: This component is designed to help our community, ecosystems, and economies prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events and shifting temperatures. These strategies focus on strengthening infrastructure, protecting natural resources, and enhancing social systems to reduce vulnerability and ensure long-term sustainability.
- Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Strategy: This part of the plan provides methods to reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions through actions like increasing energy efficiency, transitioning to renewable energy, and reducing activities that contribute to emissions.
- Code & Ordinance Recommendations: Fredrick County is working to update codes and ordinances pertaining to mechanical programs (such as building heating and cooling requirements) to improve energy conservation. The City of Fredrick is working to update its codes to modernize building standards and go beyond the minimum to improve building efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Feedback from local businesses, community organizations, and other key stakeholders is critical to the successful development of our Community-Wide Climate and Energy Action Plan. Partners engaged in this work include:
- Frederick County Health Department
- Frederick County Division of Emergency Management
- Dewberry Design-Builders, Inc.
- Community Living Inc.
- Citizens for Responsible Growth
- Asian American Center of Frederick
- Mobilize Frederick
- Centro Hispano de Frederick
- Frederick County Farm Bureau
- Frederick County Transit
- Frederick County Sustainability Commission
- Frederick County Public Schools
- Asbury United Methodist Church
- The City of Frederick Planning Department
- Is Climate Change the Same Thing As Global Warming?
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No. "Global Warming" refers to a general trend showing that the Earth's average temperature is increasing due to greenhouse gas emissions impacts on the atmosphere. "Climate Change" refers to the broader impacts greenhouse gas emissions have on weather patterns and Earth's ecology. Climate changes include things like rising sea levels, an increased frequency of severe storms, droughts, wind patterns that fuel wildfires, and losses and shifts in species due to habitat changes.
- What Impacts of Climate Change Are We Seeing in Frederick County?
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Frederick County is projected to experience gradual increases in daily average temperature as well as more days with extreme heat each year. The number of extreme heat days—where temperatures hit 95°F or above— is expected to increase from a historically observed 2-3 days per year to a future estimated 19-26 days per year by 2050 and 27-62 days by 2090. Impacts of higher temperatures include greater energy needs and threats to human health.
The total amount of precipitation falling each year is not projected to change greatly, but rain events will become less frequent and more intense. Heavy rainfall events elevate the risk of flooding. Flooding is a major risk for the County, which has experienced nine major storms with disaster declarations for consequent flooding since 1953. Winter storms are becoming more intense, and it is forecast that the County may experience 10 to 11 severe winter events each year, up from 6 to 7 in 2017.
As precipitation falls less frequently, the risk of droughts is projected to increase, which could be especially damaging for the County’s agriculture.
The impacts of climate change are not evenly distributed. Minority, disabled, elderly, youth, and low-income populations are more at risk because they may have a difficult time recovering from property damage and interruptions in school or employment, affording repairs or relocation costs, or accessing necessary health or social services after extreme weather events. Minority and low-income communities are often more exposed to climate risks, such as living in areas with less tree cover, which has been linked to higher average temperatures. The County’s community is less vulnerable to climate impacts than the average county in the United States based on socioeconomic, household composition, minority status, and housing type and transportation. Investments in climate resilience will have the greatest impact in areas in the County that are at higher risk to climate impacts due to socioeconomic characteristics and exposure to climate hazards.
- What is a "Climate Action Plan"?
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Our Climate and Energy Action Plan (CEAP) will be a document that outlines both climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. It will establish greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and identify specific actions to achieve those goals. The plan will be developed through a robust stakeholder and public engagement process.
By providing a guide for achieving greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets at a community-wide scale, the CEAP identifies efficient, effective, and economical opportunities for local governments, businesses, community groups, and individuals to work together to build a more resilient community.
- Mitigation vs Adaptation: What's the Difference?
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Climate change mitigation describes actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. doing so can slow down climate change and lessen the severity of its impacts. Examples of simple mitigation actions include switching from oil heat to energy-efficient heat pumps; insulating and weatherizing buildings to use less energy; switching to an electric vehicle; using solar energy; and composting food waste.
Climate change adaptation is about making changes to infrastructure and services to respond to the impacts of climate change. Examples of adaptation measures include improving stormwater systems to better manage intense storm events; making cooling centers available during heat waves; and upgrading water storage and irrigation systems to handle droughts.
- What is a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory?
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A Greenhouse Gas Inventory is an accounting, analysis, and report of greenhouse gas emissions produced by community activities within various categories, such as transportation, agriculture, waste, buildings, electricity, and other sources. We are looking at emissions produced across Frederick County to help us identify the largest sources of emissions and strategize ways to reduce them.
Ultimately, this project is designed to speed up Frederick County's progress toward goals established by the County Council to:
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 50% by 2030 and 100% by 2050 (from baseline levels measured in 2010)
Safely draw down carbon from the atmosphere.