Maryland
Proposed Electric School Bus Pilot Program Aimed to Help Maryland Achieve Climate Goals and Help Public Schools Meet Transportation Needs
Read Potomac Edison’s proposal in full on the Public Service Commission’s website.
WILLIAMSPORT, Md., Jan. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) subsidiary Potomac Edison has submitted a five-year Electric School Bus Pilot Program proposal to the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) intended to help the state reach its climate goals. The pilot supports Maryland’s Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022, which requires any new school buses contracted or purchased by public school systems in the state to be zero emissions.
Don McGettigan, acting President of FirstEnergy’s Maryland Operations: “We believe the data collected during the pilot will allow us to better understand how we can help meet our school districts’ evolving transportation and electrification needs and ultimately help the districts save money in the long run. Our pilot program is also intended to help the state meet climate goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which will create cleaner air and improve overall health in local communities we serve.”
To aid in the electric school bus (ESB) transition across Potomac Edison’s Maryland service territory, the company will provide:
- Financial incentives for school districts to acquire and deploy ESBs.
- Reimbursements for EV charging infrastructure and IT-related costs associated with the transition to ESBs.
- Assessments of grid capacity and other technical and administrative support.
- Connection to the Potomac Edison electric grid including coverage of all related costs.
The public school districts that opt to participate in the pilot program, will receive funding that reduces the cost difference between an electric school bus and an equivalent diesel-fueled bus. The electric buses will also be equipped with lap and shoulder belts for students to comply with a new state safety law.
“Approval of the initiative by the PSC also will enable us to explore opportunities to use the stored energy in electric school bus batteries to address electricity needs during grid emergencies, potentially yielding positive outcomes for all our customers in the future,” said McGettigan.
The pilot follows the PSC’s consent to extend Potomac Edison’s electric vehicle program EV Driven, originally approved in 2019, to help make EV ownership and charging easier and more accessible throughout Maryland. Learn more about Potomac Edison’s EV Driven program at evdrivenpe.com
Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers in all or parts of Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Montgomery, and Washington counties. Follow Potomac Edison at potomacedison.com, on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PotomacEdison, and on Facebook at facebook.com/PotomacEdison.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company’s transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.
SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.
CHARLES COUNTY, Md. (7News) — A Maryland man has been arrested in connection with a string of thefts targeting heating and air conditioning units that impacted more than 10 businesses across the region, authorities said.
On Dec. 31, 2025, detectives with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, working alongside investigators from the Prince George’s County Police Department, took Thomas Guinyard, 30, of Hyattsville, into custody.
Charles County deputies said Guinyard has several active arrest warrants tied to the theft of heat pumps and air conditioning units valued at more than $40,000.
Authorities said the thefts caused widespread disruption to local businesses, with investigators confirming that more than 10 were affected.
SEE ALSO | Man accused of stealing circuit breakers from nearly 50 Maryland homes
When deputies tried to approach him, Guinyard allegedly ran away but was apprehended without further incident, according to the sheriff’s office. During the arrest, deputies said they learned the vehicle Guinyard was driving had been reported stolen.
Guinyard faces a charge of theft and destruction of property. He is being held without bond at the Charles County Detention Center.
Investigators continue to review the case to figure out whether more charges or related thefts may be connected to Guinyard, the sheriff’s office said.
Maryland
Md. Gov. Moore touts public safety funding increase, even with crime continuing to drop – WTOP News
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore noted the continuing decrease in crime across the state and shared a proposal to spend $124.1 million on public safety in the next fiscal year budget.
Executive Aisha Braveboy and Police Chief George Nader(WTOP/John Domen)
Maryland lawmakers return to Annapolis next week, and plugging a roughly $1 billion budget hole will be one of many items on their agenda as the 2026 session gets underway.
This week, Gov. Wes Moore has been touting parts of the budget he’ll be unveiling, to go with legislation he intends to champion in Annapolis.
On Thursday, he stood in front of a huge gathering of police, federal law enforcement and prosecutors at the Maryland State Police Barracks in College Park to talk about the continuing decrease in crime and share a proposal to spend $124.1 million on public safety in the next budget.
“That is the highest level of funding in our state’s history, and a $2.3 million increase over last year’s budget,” Moore said. “These are real resources for local police departments all throughout the state of Maryland.”
He said the funding will support overtime patrolling and new equipment that “officers need to make sure they are doing their job safely and that they can get home to their families.”
Moore also took issue with the premise, often posed to Democrats, that you have to choose between siding with law enforcement or siding with “the community,” arguing that he does both “unapologetically.” He also promised that his plan for public safety is both urgent and strategic.
“This is backed by data and built on three core pillars,” Moore said. “Provide the resources and the support that law enforcement needs; build stronger, more vibrant communities that leave no one behind; and coordinate all aspects of government and community to make sure that our streets are safer.”
As he enters the final year of his term, Moore highlighted a 25% reduction in homicides around the state, to a number he said is the lowest in 40 years. He also touted a 50% violent crime reduction and a sharp drop in non-fatal shootings.
“This is not trends or vibes. It happens because we made smart investments, and it happened because we chose to do something really unique — work together,” Moore said. “We are standing here coordinated, bipartisan, nonpartisan, knowing that community safety does not have a partisan bend and protecting our neighbors does not have a political affiliation.”
At the same time, Moore said he wasn’t taking a victory lap about the heartening trends in crime just yet.
“We are making progress, yes, but we will not rest until everybody and all of our communities feel safe,” he said. “Too often, false choices will dominate the public safety debate. Do we want to hold criminals accountable, or do we want to focus on rehabilitation? We’re told to pick a side without understanding that’s not how people live.”
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