SB 625 requires Maryland's Department of the Environment to adopt regulations by January 1, 2028, for permitting carbon removal technologies and practices certified by an internationally recognized third party. It also mandates that all state agencies use available funding to support carbon removal projects using these certified technologies. The bill directly affects the Department of the Environment (which must create the regulations) and state agencies (which must redirect funding toward qualifying projects). This legislation establishes a framework for integrating carbon removal into state environmental and funding policies.
SB 926 amends Maryland's definition of "exempt material" under extended producer responsibility rules for packaging and paper products. It specifically adds packaging for FDA-regulated products (drugs, dietary supplements, and medical devices) to the list of materials manufacturers don't need to cover under these rules. This change directly affects manufacturers of those FDA-regulated products, removing their packaging from requirements like disposal cost responsibility. The bill updates existing law without creating new obligations, effective June 1, 2026.
HB 940 exempts large commercial and industrial electricity customers (defined as those with at least 25 megawatts monthly demand and over 80% load factor) from needing a certificate of public convenience and necessity when using surplus interconnection capacity at existing grid points. It requires the Public Service Commission to create a new interconnection process with standard and expedited timelines, mandating that these customers provide 25% of their load through energy storage, carbon-free assets, or demand response. Customers meeting 100% of this requirement through specified methods and paying prevailing wages receive priority for load studies, interconnection, and permitting. The bill also establishes a Demand Response Program allowing large customers to contract for specific load management time slots, with fees collected from the interconnection process split between universal service and low-income energy efficiency programs.
HB 1525 would require Maryland to withdraw from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) by January 1, 2027, ending the state's participation in a regional program that sets carbon emission limits for power plants. The bill eliminates a surcharge utilities used to recover costs for energy efficiency programs (EmPOWER), directly affecting how these programs are funded. It also limits the amount of electricity that can be purchased or credited under community solar programs. Maryland could rejoin RGGI if all other PJM Interconnection states become full members or if the state becomes a net electricity exporter.
SB 873 modifies Maryland's lead risk reduction requirements for housing property owners. It requires owners to complete specific lead hazard treatments - such as repairing chipped paint, installing smooth window wells, and HEPA-vacuuming - within 30 days after receiving written notice that a resident has an elevated blood lead level (with thresholds adjusted by date) or a defect is reported with a person at risk present. The bill updates the conditions triggering these actions, applying to residential properties affected by lead hazards under existing law. It becomes effective October 1, 2026.
SB 754 authorizes Maryland local jurisdictions (cities and counties) to adopt local laws preserving natural resources like land, water, forests, wetlands, and floodplains. The bill adds specific preservation tools to local zoning authority, including transfer of development rights, conservation easements, open space programs, cluster subdivisions, and riparian/wetland buffer protections. It updates existing land use law (Section 7-101) to explicitly list these mechanisms as approved methods for protecting natural resources while facilitating development. The bill does not create statewide mandates but gives local governments additional legal options to implement conservation measures.
SB 780 (CHERISH Our Communities Act) requires applicants for certificates of public convenience and necessity for new or modified power plants to submit a "BURDEN report" analyzing environmental and public health burdens in the surrounding area. This applies specifically to projects located in "at-risk census tracts," defined as areas meeting certain thresholds for pollution exposure, health indicators (like asthma ER visits), or proximity to hazardous sites (e.g., power plants, landfills). The bill mandates the Public Service Commission to deny applications if issuing the certificate would worsen environmental or public health stressors in these overburdened communities. The report must include baseline data on disparities and environmental needs, using Maryland’s EJ Score and mapping tool to identify affected areas.
HB 1116 authorizes Howard County to install surveillance systems at repeat illegal dumping sites and mail citations to vehicle owners captured by these systems. The bill requires the County to issue citations that give violators two options: pay a civil penalty or request a court trial. It also prohibits the Motor Vehicle Administration from registering or transferring vehicles linked to confirmed illegal dumping incidents. This pilot program applies specifically to Howard County and modifies existing Maryland law to implement these enforcement mechanisms for litter disposal violations.
This bill clarifies that Maryland vehicle emissions inspections can only result in a failure for three specific reasons: missing required emissions equipment, misfueling, or failing to meet emissions standards. It restricts inspectors from citing other grounds for failure during biennial exhaust emissions tests or emissions equipment/misfueling inspections. The law applies to all vehicles subject to Maryland's emissions testing program, effective October 1, 2026. This change standardizes inspection outcomes by limiting failure determinations to these defined technical issues.
HB 1268 requires new or renewed environmental permits for facilities in Maryland neighborhoods identified as "at-risk" (based on high pollution levels or proximity to pollution sources like power plants or landfills) to include a "burden report" detailing existing environmental health issues. The state Department of the Environment must deny permits if approval would worsen pollution stressors in these areas, using Maryland’s Environmental Justice Tool to define "at-risk" census tracts. It applies specifically to air quality permits for construction and water discharge permits for facilities like power plants, waste sites, or mining operations. The bill mandates public participation in permit reviews for these facilities and requires the Department to document its assessment for judicial review.
