Environment

SB 225 designates specific watersheds - including Gwynns Falls, Jones Falls, Herring Run (covering Baltimore City and Baltimore County), and the Patapsco River (spanning Baltimore, Howard, Carroll, Anne Arundel, and Frederick counties) - as "interjurisdictional flood hazard watersheds" requiring coordinated flood management planning across municipal and county boundaries. It mandates that local subdivisions develop unified flood management plans for these areas, which must be reviewed and approved by Maryland’s Department of the Environment to ensure consistency with flood control standards. The bill specifies that management techniques (like dams, levees, zoning, and stormwater systems) must be included in these plans, with disapproval limited to flood management concerns only. This policy change aims to streamline flood planning for watersheds crossing jurisdictional lines, taking effect October 1, 2026.

SB 108 authorizes Maryland's Department of the Environment to impose administrative penalties for violations of water appropriation, dam safety, and wetlands development rules. It directly affects businesses, developers, and local governments that fail to comply with environmental regulations. Key provisions allow the department to levy fines up to $5,000 per violation (capped at $100,000 total), considering factors like environmental harm and willfulness, with penalties paid into the Maryland Clean Water Fund (or Private Dam Repair Fund for dam-related issues). The bill replaces some court-based enforcement with direct administrative penalties, streamlining enforcement while requiring department consultation before suing local governments.