Protecting the treasure of Anne Arundel County's Environment
A healthy, sustainable environment is essential to the quality of life in Anne Arundel County, which has long been on the vanguard of environmental protection. Preserving our unique natural resources requires a clear focus and leadership coordinated with federal and state partners who have a stake in Chesapeake Bay health. Clean air and water are among the core reasons people choose to live in Anne Arundel County's bay and riverfront communities.
The county's environmental work is driven by federal and state clean-water mandates, such as the Chesapeake Bay "pollution diet" and MS4 stormwater permits. These require reductions in pollution to local streams and the Bay. Environmental programs are financed through a combination of local and external sources. Anne Arundel's dedicated Watershed Protection & Restoration Fee, eligible property-owner credits, county capital and operating funds, and State and federal programs, such as Maryland's Bay Restoration Fund, are among these sources.
The county also partners with the Resilience Authority of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, the first multi-jurisdictional resiliency authority in the United States, which seeks to provide mechanisms for organizing, funding, and completing infrastructure projects to mitigate the effects of climate change. As no single authority holds all the tools for funding and coordination, aligning objectives and fostering intergovernmental partnerships is critical to environmental policy success.
Our challenge
Anne Arundel County's historic development and infrastructure patterns are no longer compatible with today's climate realities. The county faces pressure from rising coastal flooding, degraded waterways, and transportation- and energy-production driven greenhouse gas emissions that worsen climate change and air quality.
Anne Arundel is bordered by more than 530 miles of shoreline, making it increasingly vulnerable to flooding because of rising sea levels. The Anne Arundel County Bureau of Watershed Protection & Restoration identifies untreated stormwater runoff as the largest source of water pollution, primarily originating on private property. Pollutants and aging infrastructure contribute to the problem. Anne Arundel is also within the ozone transport region, a 13-state area in the US that experiences long-distance ozone transport, resulting in poor air quality. With BWI airport and major highways running through the county, along with relatively fast growth, local choices and county-wide climate initiatives are imperative to maintaining clean air, especially since transportation is the largest GHG emitter in the state. These issues, combined, present a self-reinforcing problem that only grows over time and places the heaviest burden on the next generation.
Pete Smith’s commitment to the Environment
Pete Smith believes that a clean environment is a right for residents and an obligation for public servants. Science and data should drive decisions, while transparency and measurable outcomes should guide budgetary recommendations. Pete believes that real progress happens through partnerships, including residents, schools, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and private-sector institutions, ensuring that solutions are built not only for our communities but alongside them.
Pete Smith’s Environmental Plan
Pete Smith's plan for the Environment is built around four pillars: Clean and healthy waterways, climate resilience, sustainable county operations and transportation, and Environmental justice and equity.
Pillar 1: Clean and Healthy Waterways
Strategy: Creating a broad green infrastructure network
When it rains, water rushes off roofs, driveways, and roads, picking up oil, fertilizer, and trash and dumping it into creeks and the Bay. In all areas of the county, in public, commercial, and residential areas alike, we must add rain gardens, street trees, permeable pavers, and green roofs so rain sinks into the ground instead of racing into drains. Where fast runoff has carved out streambanks, Anne Arundel must continue rebuilding streams to slow and spread water during storms and filter pollution. It is important to reduce polluted runoff before it reaches our creeks and the Bay.
The Pete Smith administration will:
Create a dedicated funding source for block-by-block rain gardens and street trees.
Establish a grant and rebate program for homes, homeowner associations, and small businesses to build and improve their green infrastructure.
Prioritize and study requirements for permeable surface parking areas and alleyways at public properties, including schools.
Fast-track permitting for environmental sustainability projects.
Strategy: Keep wastewater treatment plants at top performance
Even well-run wastewater plants can leak too much nitrogen and phosphorus if equipment is old, overloaded, or poorly maintained. The Anne Arundel County administration must complete needed upgrades to its wastewater system, fund preventive maintenance, train and retain skilled operators, and publish transparent monthly results so issues are caught early and water stays clean.
The Pete Smith administration will:
Create and publicize preventative maintenance schedules and deploy real-time performance dashboards for transparency.
Incentivize improved operator training and best-in-industry certification.
Deploy performance-based contracts for all vendors with clear nutrient targets.
Pillar 2: Climate Resilience
Strategy: Community gardens and farmers' markets
Locally grown food makes Anne Arundel less vulnerable to supply shocks from storms, droughts, or heat waves elsewhere. Community gardens help neighbors learn practical skills for growing in our changing climate and provide fresh produce close to home. Farmers' markets strengthen ties between residents and local growers and keep food dollars in the county. To improve equity, accept SNAP/WIC at markets and match benefits to improve access in underserved neighborhoods.
The Pete Smith administration will:
Double the number of community food sources by adding distribution locations at libraries and schools
Provide dedicated grants for community-supported agriculture and small agricultural businesses, focusing on water access and soil testing
Strategy: Public parks and healthy trees
Leafy trees cool people and places. Shade lowers temperatures on sidewalks, playgrounds, parking lots, buildings, and cars, which reduces heat stress and energy use. Trees, grass, and gardens also soak up rain, slow runoff, and hold stormwater so streets and creeks flood less. Well-designed parks give neighbors a safe place to gather, exercise, and build social ties that matter during emergencies. With basic upgrades such as backup power, water, and cooling, park buildings can operate as resilience hubs that provide shelter, charging, and information during severe weather.
The Pete Smith administration will:
Plant 20,000 shade trees in its first four-year term
Examine cool roof projects on public buildings
Pillar 3: Sustainable County Operations and Transportation
Strategy: Electrify the county fleet and buses
Electric vehicles cut fuel and maintenance costs, clean up the air on bus and refuse routes, and make county services quieter and more reliable. Charging at county yards uses predictable electricity prices, which saves money over time.
The Pete Smith administration will:
Replace retiring fleet vehicles with EVs first.
Install charging stations at depots and other key facilities.
Strategy: Clean energy homes and tax credits
Simple, predictable credits help families and small businesses afford rooftop solar and optional batteries. More local solar lowers bills, keeps more energy dollars in the county, and improves resilience when the grid is stressed.
The Pete Smith administration will:
Implement a local tax credit program for solar installation, with an add-on for upgraded battery configuration.
Provide a progressive credit program for low- and moderate-income households.
Facilitate clean energy, solar installation, and tax credits with a simplified online application and speedy permitting.
Strategy: Public and alternative transit
Better buses, safe bike lanes, and shared options like scooters and carpools give people real choices to leave the car at home. Fewer solo car trips mean less traffic, lower emissions, and safer streets near schools, jobs, and shops.
A Pete Smith administration will:
Increase bus service levels on key corridors and routes serving major employers and align routes and lanes with major employers, schools, and park-and-ride lots.
Double the number of protected bike lanes in four years.
Implement a Complete Streets initiative that includes safer road crossings and secure bicycle parking.
Improve support for vanpools, employer shuttles, and shared bikes and scooters where demand is high.
Pillar 4: Environmental Justice and Equity
Strategy: Community engagement and ongoing collaborations
Projects succeed when they are built with communities, not for them. Listening early and partnering with trusted local groups improves designs and equity. It also improves the speed and timing of implementation while maintaining long-term upkeep. In a county with waterfront towns and urban, suburban, and rural neighborhoods, ongoing collaboration ensures that solutions match local needs.
A Pete Smith administration will:
Create district advisory groups with quarterly listening sessions to advance environmental equity projects. Participants will include HOAs, PTAs, faith groups, parks and recreation councils, MDE, MDOT, and watershed groups
Strategy: Targeted resource allocation
Directing dollars first to neighborhoods with the highest flood, heat, and pollution burdens delivers faster health and safety gains and builds trust. Transparency in resource allocation also helps residents see that investments are fair and tied to measurable outcomes.