Public input is welcome at the meeting or by mail, email or online.
SILVER SPRING, MD—Montgomery Parks, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission will present a solar initiative proposal at the March 5th Montgomery County Planning Board meeting. The proposal calls for installing solar arrays at South Germantown Recreational Park and Rock Creek Regional Park. The proposed locations are on undeveloped land that is not suitable for recreational use. The site at South Germantown Recreational Park is adjacent to high voltage power lines and the proposed Rock Creek Regional Park site is currently used to stockpile dredging spoils.
The public is encouraged to attend the meeting to provide input / ask questions.
Public Meeting on Montgomery Parks Solar Initiative Proposal
March 5, 2015; item is scheduled in the morning, estimated time 9:30 a.m.
Montgomery Regional Offices building
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910
www.ParkPlanning.org
Written questions, comments or requests for more information may be sent to:
Dominic Quattrocchi, Project Coordinator
M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks
9500 Brunett Ave.,
Silver Spring, MD 20901
Dominic.Quattrocchi@montgomeryparks.org
301-650-4361
About the Solar Initiative:
Montgomery Parks is researching the feasibility of installing two solar arrays on undeveloped parkland at Rock Creek Regional Park and South Germantown Recreational Park. These sites were selected following a comprehensive study of parkland which reviewed usage and environmental impacts and included information provided by park managers and subject matter experts.
Benefits include:
- Reduced carbon footprint equivalent to annual greenhouse gas emissions from 300 automobiles
- Estimated energy savings up to $290,850 per year per 2 megawatt solar array
- Reduce dependence on non-renewable resources and impact of extraction techniques that harm the environment
- Consistent with M-NCPPC’s Mission Statement
- Consistent with Montgomery County’s Energy Initiatives and Carbon Reduction Goals
Pending approval from the Montgomery County Planning Board, solar farm construction will begin in the late spring /early summer of this year and is expected to be complete by the end of 2015.
The Department of Parks will continue to explore additional solar options in the future to reduce energy costs and the department’s carbon footprint. Due to limited availability of undeveloped parkland, future options for solar initiatives may involve technologies that are embedded in parking lot surfaces, roads and trails and/or constructed over commission parking lots and facilities.
About The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages more than 36,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 420 parks. Montgomery Parks is a department of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. The M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems. www.montgomeryparks.org
# # #