Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and County Council President Natali Fani-González today announced significant progress in the County’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), releasing the Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report and marking milestones that advance sustainability and resilience. The report describes progress in implementing the  CAP, a roadmap of 84 actions to meet the County’s climate change goals, build resilience to a changing climate, and address past environmental injustices. The County has initiated 80 of the 84 actions outlined in the CAP, and of those, 63 actions have been completed, are well underway, or have been integrated into government operations. Officials also highlighted the installation of its third Mesonet weather station in partnership with the University of Maryland Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science. 

“The progress outlined in our Climate Action Plan Annual Report showcases the dedication and hard work of the entire community,” said County Executive Elrich. “From energy-efficient projects and clean energy investments to electric vehicle adoption and enhanced flood response, we've made significant strides in reducing our climate impact and increasing our resilience. These achievements are a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together towards a sustainable future. As we move forward, we will continue to build on this momentum, ensuring that we leave a positive legacy for future generations." 

"Over the last few years, the Council has acted boldly to protect our environment," said Council President Fani-González. "We adopted Building Energy Performance Standards to make our largest buildings more efficient, launched Community Choice Energy to give residents access to cleaner, affordable electricity, and restored funding for the Green Bank while making Ride On buses fare-free to cut emissions and expand sustainable transit. At the same time, we’re investing in resilience tools like the Flood Risk Explorer and our new Mesonet weather network to help communities prepare for the impacts we know are coming.” 

County leadership emphasized the impact and momentum of the Climate Action Plan. 

“The Climate Action Plan has proven its success in paving the way for the impressive work Montgomery County has both completed and continues to implement,” said Sarah Kogel-Smucker, the County’s Climate Change Officer. “I am honored to release this FY25 Annual Report showcasing our collective efforts to combat climate change. We are transforming our buildings, transit systems, green spaces, and creating green jobs. We are building a legacy of justice, progress, and possibility for generations to come."  

Key highlights of the report include: 

Zero-Fare Transit 

• Montgomery County implemented a zero-fare policy for all Ride On services, reducing barriers to public transportation and avoiding the high cost of replacing the fare collection system. 

Electric Vehicle Expansion

The County and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) expanded their fleets with: 

• One hybrid pickup truck 
• Seven electric cargo vans 
• Four plug-in hybrid vehicles 
• 36 electric buses 
• 75 new electric cars 
• 44 used electric cars 
• One battery-electric loader 

Mesonet stations are solar-powered and measure air and soil temperatures, humidity, soil moisture, wind speed, atmospheric pressure, precipitation, and other environmental factors. The stations provide emergency management officials with real-time local weather information, increasing the lead time of extreme weather warnings. In the case of emergencies like tornadoes and flash floods, an increase in warning lead time of just a few minutes can potentially save lives and property. Soil temperature gauges can help predict when snow and ice are likely to accumulate. Data will be available to the public, first responders, and the National Weather Service once the stations are installed at https://mesonet.umd.edu/. 

“As our datasets continue to grow, we will be able to provide an increasingly detailed and granular picture of climatological conditions, the changing climate footprint, and seasonal extremes across Montgomery County,” said University of Maryland Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Science and Director of the Maryland Mesonet Dr. Sumant Nigam. “Our department also operates the Office of the Maryland State Climatologist, bringing deep expertise to this work. More immediately, these stations will provide emergency management and homeland security personnel with critical, real-time information on extreme weather events, including flooding and windstorms, to support disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.” 

About the Report 

County departments, in partnership with numerous County agencies, collectively planned, reported, and implemented actions based on seven topics to address both the environmental consequences and risks of climate change. The topics are: Clean Energy, Buildings, Transportation, Carbon Sequestration, Climate Adaptation, Governance, and Public Engagement, Partnerships, and Education, with Racial Equity and Social Justice principles woven throughout the Climate Action Plan and the FY25 Annual Report. The report covers the period from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.  

Read the full annual report on the County's Climate Portal. 

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