DEP’s 2023 Year in Review

Montgomery County’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has released its “2023 Year in Review” video showcasing a year of dedication, progress and environmental stewardship.

The video is available on the DEP website and social media channels. It offers an overview of the department’s initiatives, achievements, and community engagement from the past year.

“Our County is fortunate to have so many dedicated people working hard every day to enhance the quality of life in our community by protecting and improving our air, water, and land,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Through important environmental programs such as the Commercial Food Scraps Recycling Program, our water quality projects with our nonprofits, and our partnerships with local businesses through the Electrified Dealer Program, DEP ’s work with community members and businesses demonstrates that we can all work together to shape a better future.”

Highlights featured in DEP’s “2023 Year in Review” video include:

Renewable Energy Milestones:

• More than 20 dealers are offering new EV incentives through the Electrified Dealer Program.
• DEP hosted the 10th Annual Energy Summit.
• DEP helped residents recycle more than 3,000 bulbs through lightbulb exchanges.

Protecting and Preserving the Watershed:

• DEP completed the installation of 35 flood sensors in flood-prone areas to enhance our County’s emergency response efforts.
• DEP maintained or inspected 16,000 stormwater facilities, keeping pollution out of our streams.
• DEP funded our 100th grant to our local nonprofits for water quality improvement projects.
• Our RainScapes program grew more than 1,800 native plants with MCPS high schoolers.
• The Tree Montgomery program surpassed 11,000 trees planted since the program started in 2015.

Waste Reduction and Recycling Successes:

• DEP expanded the materials accepted for reuse and recycling including durable medical equipment, mattresses and box springs, audio/video tapes and handheld electronics.
• Our Commercial Food Scraps Recycling program collected more than 810,000 pounds of food scraps.
• Nearly 1,500 homes in parts of Silver Spring, Potomac and Bethesda are participating in a single-family residential food scraps recycling pilot and have recycled nearly 900,000 pounds of food scraps.

“I want to thank our community and our staff for their individual and collective contributions that have made our 2023 accomplishments possible,” said DEP Director Jon Monger. “As we celebrate our 2023 work highlighted in the ‘Year in Review’ video, I invite all community members and businesses to continue to take action to improve our environment and public health. Together, we are building a more sustainable and resilient Montgomery County.”

The efforts are working toward helping the County reach the goals in its Climate Action Plan.

“Congratulations to the team at DEP for their many successes in 2023 in partnership with businesses and local communities,” said County Climate Change Officer Sarah Kogel Smucker. “The video demonstrates the significant effect of DEP’s work on just climate change and environmental solutions. I look forward to the drive and leadership DEP will bring to significantly advancing the County’s ambitious climate change goals in 2024.”