Howard County should consider creating an independent Environment Department ? or opt for an office or perhaps a coordinator to tackle environmental issues.
These options are aimed at organizing Howard?s green effort, according to a report from the governance committee of the county?s Commission on the Environment and Sustainability.
The governance committee that handles providing a structure to address environmental issues is one of six groups that presented suggestions for how Howard can become more environmentally friendly by focusing on education and outreach, air and water quality, energy, green building and development, and open space and land preservation.
“They took stabs at solutions,” Commission Executive Director Joshua Feldmark said.
Now residents can offer their thoughts on any environmental issues and feedback on the reports during several public hearings.
The commission is “taking a combination of the draft proposals and what we hear in the dialogue sessions and turning them into full-fledged recommendations,” Feldmark said.
A final report is due to County Executive Ken Ulman by Aug. 31.
Ulman didn?t wait to unveil environmental initiatives, announcing plans to introduce legislation this week intended to encourage green building.
Ulman also touted several projects included in his fiscal 2008 budget, including creating a greenhouse gas inventory and harnessing methane gas from the landfill to power a nearby public safety facility.
Public hearings
Howard?s Commission on the Environment and Sustainability will host five public discussion sessions:
» 7 p.m. Thursday at Glenwood Library, 2350 Route 97
» 10 a.m. Saturday at Elkridge Library, 6540 Washington Blvd.
» 7 p.m. Monday at East Columbia Library, 6600 Cradlerock Way
» 7 p.m. June 28 at Miller Library, 9421 Frederick Road
» 7 p.m. July 2 at Central Library, 10375 Little Patuxent Parkway
For more information on the commission and to see the reports, visit howardcountymd.gov/CES/CES_HomePage.htm
