One day before Montgomery County moves into Phase 3 of its COVID-19 plans, the Maryland county’s council approved a $6 billion budget that includes a number of items aimed at pandemic recovery.
“It’s always difficult to put together a budget of this scale and complexity,” said Council President Tom Hucker. Referencing the pandemic, he added that the typical challenges were exacerbated by impacts of the coronavirus outbreak. “We’ve lived through the worst public health and economic crisis in a century.”
The bulk of the county’s budget went toward education, with $2.7 billion dollars going to Montgomery County Public Schools. Another $312 million was allocated to Montgomery College.
Transit Agencies Are Turning to Microgrids to Power EV Fleets
Transit agencies in Maryland and Massachusetts have turned to renewable energy microgrid projects to better manage the needs of their bus fleets. The move will also help meet aggressive sustainability goals.
May 26, 2021 •
Courtesy Photo: AlphaStruxure Transit agencies are not only making the transition to electric buses and other vehicles, they are also launching renewable energy microgrids to power them and better manage the growing electric needs.
A bus depot built out with electric vehicle charging and a solar farm floating above a parking lot in Montgomery County, Md., will enable the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) to grow its electric bus fleet from the current four buses to 44, as it transitions away from fossil fuels. The microgrid project, known as the Brookville Smart Energy Bus Depot is set to be completed by spring 2022.
For many people, to work remotely has been the norm for more than a year. But, as more people are vaccinated, employers have started to give their employees the…