Snow Equity Focus Areas Get Expanded Resources

The Montgomery County Council approved legislation today calling for increased county resources for newly defined Snow Equity Focus Areas.

Snow Equity Focus Areas are parts of Montgomery County that are characterized by lower snowfall totals, high concentrations of asphalt covered ground, and flat terrain. The areas are located south of the ICC highway, with the highest concentration inside beltway.

The county's Snow Equity Focus Areas Analysis used a methodology tailored to Montgomery County and examined three specific variables – access to steep treeless hills, grassy areas for snow to stick, and the number of Mocosnow followers – to identify areas of the county that may experience the highest winter time inequities in access to dashed dreams of school closings, snowball fights and other wintertime staples.

"Our goal is to apply a holistic equity lens to meteorologic practices. It is our responsibility to develop forecasts and snowfall projection maps that offer false hope to children and parental confusion to all community members and reduce or eliminate snow anticipation inequity," said county executive Marc Elrich, who signed the legislation.

Identifying communities that may not have equitable access to sledding hills or fields with snowman making opportunities helps direct planning efforts and "supports finding effective ways to engage the community," said advocate Curt Walker, who has lobbied for the funding for years. The council approved $35 million dollars toward the effort.