Southern Maryland Sierra Club

10/31/2026

Owl Prowl at Summerseat Farm, Saint Mary's County

Date and Time: Sat, Nov 7, 2026; 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Location: Summerseat Farm, 26655 Three Notch Rd, Mechanicsville, MD 20659

Join the Southern Maryland Sierra Club at Summerseat Farm for a nighttime hike to hear owls and other nocturnal residents! Bob Boxwell, former Executive Director of the Cove Point Natural Heritage Trust, will lead the hike. We will be taking a short hike to the woods, stopping to call for owls and listen for their responses. There will be some standing as we listen for the owls. Please wear sturdy shoes and bring a flashlight. Children and grown-ups are welcome!

Click here for more information and to register for the event: https://act.sierraclub.org/events/details?formcampaignid=701Po00002AadYjIAJ&mapLinkHref=https://maps.google.com/maps&daddr=Owl%20Prowl%20at%20Summerseat%20Farm,%20Saint%20Mary%27s%[email protected],-76.663375

10/26/2026

Since 2008, farmers have relied on the Rural Energy for American Program (REAP) to develop solar and wind power on their land. These homegrown renewable energy projects give farmers a critical, drought-proof source of revenue.

Rural Americans are already being squeezed by tariffs and high operating costs, and the Trump administration’s proposal will make it even harder to install affordable, clean energy and make efficiency upgrades on their land.

Studies show that wind and solar power on farms can increase crop yields, help livestock, and provide substantial income through land lease payments. Farmers and ranchers should have the option to bring renewable energy onto their land.

A public comment period on the REAP rule runs through November 2nd. Make your voice heard at: sc.org/FarmPower

10/24/2026

10/19/2026

Data Center Updates

CALVERT COUNTY
On Wednesday, October 21, the Calvert County Planning Commission will discuss Proposed Text Amendment #26-31 to the Calvert County Zoning Ordinance to ban data centers in Calvert County. The Commission will also discuss rezoning Industrial-2 Districts to their previous zoning designations. The Industrial-2 Districts that were added in Lusby, MD, were the areas where the hyperscale data centers were being proposed. The previous zoning designation for these areas would change them back to Rural Residential. A Public Hearing will begin at 7:00 p.m. regarding the Water & Sewerage Comprehensive Plan, followed by the regular meeting where the commissioners will discuss the data center ban and the zoning changes, so it may be a late night. The meeting will be held in the County Administration Building, Chesapeake Room/Ground Floor, 150 Main Street, Prince Frederick, MD 20678.

The Planning Commissioners will accommodate public comment in person, by
telephone or virtually. Individuals should call in advance if participating by
telephone. Call 1-872-216-2953; Phone Conf ID: 808 543 065 #. Speakers, whether
in person or participating by telephone or virtually, will be limited to two (2)
minutes as individuals, or five (5) minutes if the designated representative of a
group or organization.

PEOPLE OVER DATA CENTERS MARYLAND ACTION SUMMIT
"People Over Data Centers" — a one-day conference in Baltimore where you'll meet people just like you from every corner of the state in search of inspiration, organizing tools, legal information, and networking opportunities in our fight to reform data center development. The event is sponsored by Chesapeake Climate Action Network and co-sponsored by the Maryland Sierra Club. It will take place Saturday, November 7, at the Baltimore Convention Center. For more information and to purchase a ticket, go to: https://chesapeakeclimate.org/peopleoverdatacenters/.

10/18/2026

The Southern Maryland Sierra Club had a great time touring Mark Smith’s farm in Nanjemoy, MD, on October 17. Smith, the CEO and Co-Founder of Carbon Country, is combining agrivoltaics (solar panels over rotationally grazed pasture), carbon removal, and cryptocurrency mining to improve the income generation for small farms. Sheep graze in the fields with the solar panels, kept safe by resident watchdog Stone. The farm also has chickens, and Smith is planning to produce biochar, a carbon-rich material derived from natural waste, to capture and store carbon and possibly use as a water filtration system. There are also plans to use some of the energy generated by the solar panels to grow mushrooms. There’s a lot going on at this farm, with the goal to keep the land agricultural and help preserve the rural culture of Charles County!

10/11/2026

Learn about Agrivoltaics with Carbon Country

Date and Time: Sat, Oct 17, 2026; 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Location: 1900 Sandy Point Rd, Nanjemoy, MD 20662.

Join Mark Smith, CEO and Co-Founder of Carbon Country, for a tour of his farm in Nanjemoy, MD.

Carbon Country works with small and underutilized farms by combining agrivoltaics (solar panels over rotationally grazed pasture) and carbon removal to turn working land into resilient, income-generating ecosystems. We will tour Mr. Smith’s farm to see how he combines solar panels, livestock grazing, and carbon capture techniques to create multiple levels of income for farmland. Register for the event here. [email protected]" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://act.sierraclub.org/events/details?formcampaignid=701Po00002AbH7xIAF&mapLinkHref=https://maps.google.com/maps&daddr=Learn%20about%20Agrivoltaics%20with%20Carbon%[email protected],-77.24781