Environment

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 9, 2026

SB 667: Natural Resources - Edible Forests and Foraging Program - Establishment

SB 667 establishes Maryland’s Edible Forests and Foraging Program within the Department of Natural Resources. It requires individuals to obtain a permit for foraging (harvesting noncommercial plants/mushrooms) in designated state-owned areas, with fee waivers available for those demonstrating financial need. The program mandates the department to create and maintain edible forests on state land (subject to funding), where foraging is permit-free. A dedicated fund, financed by permit fees and interest earnings, will support program costs like establishing foraging areas and edible forests.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentCreates dedicated edible forests on state land for conservation, requires permit system with fee waivers, funds program via fees - actively promotes sustainable resource management.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Lands

Track

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 13, 2026

HB 1607: Community Solar Energy Generating Systems - Prohibited Locations - Adjacent Parcels

HB 1607 removes a restriction preventing community solar projects from being placed on adjacent parcels if their combined capacity exceeded 5 megawatts. It allows such projects on adjacent land if the total capacity stays under 10 megawatts, provided at least 75% of the energy serves low- or moderate-income subscribers, or the site uses agrivoltaics (combining solar with agriculture). This directly affects community solar developers and property owners seeking to expand solar installations on connected properties. The bill maintains existing exceptions (like rooftop or industrial sites) while adding new conditions to support equitable access for underserved communities.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyRemoves capacity restrictions for community solar, expands access for low-income subscribers and agrivoltaics, directly advancing renewable energy development.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRemoves barrier to community solar expansion, enabling clean energy projects with environmental benefits (agrivoltaics, low-income access) under 10MW cap90% confidence

Sub-Topics Solar

Track

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 599: On-Farm Organics Diversion and Recycling Grant Program - Established

SB 599 establishes two grant programs to reduce wasted food and promote organics recycling. The On-Farm Organics Diversion Grant Program (starting July 2028) provides funding for farmers, urban agricultural producers, nonprofits, and businesses to develop composting, food rescue, and wasted food prevention projects on farms. The Wasted Food Reduction Grant Program (under the Environment Department) funds infrastructure, education, and community projects statewide to redirect edible food, recover waste for animal feed, and create compost. Eligible projects must reduce food waste, support community needs, prioritize underserved areas, and create jobs with fair wages. The bill specifically prioritizes projects that minimize contamination in compost and meet U.S. composting standards.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes state-funded grant programs (2028 start) for food waste reduction, directly allocating government funds for environmental programs under fiscal management.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentEstablishes grant programs to reduce food waste and promote organics recycling, directly advancing environmental protection through waste diversion and composting initiatives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Recycling

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 14, 2026

HB 1071: Environment - Stormwater Management for Agritourism

HB 1071 requires Maryland's Department of the Environment to create regulations and a model ordinance for local stormwater management programs to enforce rules on agricultural land. It mandates that local programs must work with soil conservation districts to implement these rules and specifies that farm-related uses (like on-farm processing) must be clearly distinguished from commercial development in stormwater regulations. The bill also adds flexibility for enforcing stormwater management on agricultural land, rather than applying standard commercial development rules. This directly affects farmers, local governments, and soil conservation districts by changing how agricultural land is regulated under stormwater management.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRequires stormwater regulations on agricultural land to reduce pollution, mandates coordination with soil conservation districts, and distinguishes farm uses from commercial development to protect water quality.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Water Quality Tags Agriculture

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 405: Condominiums and Homeowners Associations - Governing Documents - Electric Vehicle Recharging Equipment

HB 405 prevents condo and HOA governing bodies from unreasonably blocking electric vehicle (EV) charger installations in common or limited common use parking areas. It requires boards to follow regular budget processes and confirm sufficient parking availability before installing chargers. The law also allows boards to grant 3-year renewable licenses for necessary common elements (like electrical supply) for EV equipment. This applies retroactively to existing restrictions and takes effect October 1, 2026, directly affecting condo/HOA communities and their residents.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyRemoves barriers to EV charger installations, enabling renewable energy infrastructure adoption and supporting EV transition.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill enables EV charger installations in HOAs/condos, promoting clean transportation infrastructure and reducing emissions by removing barriers to EV adoption.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Electric Vehicles

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 25, 2026

SB 225: Environment - Interjurisdictional Watersheds - Flood Management

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.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates unified flood management plans for designated watersheds, promoting coordinated environmental protection across jurisdictions to prevent fragmentation and protect water resources.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection Water Quality

Track

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 14, 2026

HB 247: Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program - Variances - Alterations

HB 247 modifies Maryland's Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program by tightening standards for land-use variances in protected areas. It requires local jurisdictions to presume that new development requests in critical areas conflict with program goals unless applicants prove hardship beyond convenience or financial gain. The bill adds that existing accessory structures on a parcel create a presumption of reasonable land use, and applicants must compare their request to similar conforming properties within the critical area. These changes apply to landowners seeking variances for development in designated coastal critical areas, effective October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentTightens development standards in critical areas, requiring hardship proof to override environmental protections, strengthening conservation of Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays95% confidence

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 19, 2026

SB 381: Education - School Building Energy Usage - Monthly Report

SB 381 requires Maryland county school boards to collect monthly energy usage data for all school buildings and report it to the state Interagency Commission on School Construction. The commission must then create rules for what data to collect and how often to report it, analyze the collected data, and provide specific recommendations to improve school energy efficiency. This bill directly affects county school boards and the state commission, aiming to make school energy use more efficient through data-driven insights. The law will take effect on July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates energy data collection for school buildings to improve efficiency, aligning with 'improves school infrastructure' indicator for education support.95% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyRequires school energy data collection to analyze and improve efficiency, directly aligning with efficiency promotion indicators.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill mandates school energy data collection and efficiency improvements, reducing consumption and aligning with environmental protection goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Energy Efficiency

Track

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 14, 2026

SB 197: Land Use - Comprehensive and General Plans - Alteration of Elements

Maryland's SB 197 updates land use planning requirements for charter counties and local jurisdictions by adding eight mandatory elements to comprehensive and general plans, including new Resilience, Equity, Place, and Ecology elements. The bill requires counties to address specific subelements within each plan section, such as economic development strategies, community facilities, and historic resource protection, while mandating state agencies like the Department of Planning to provide data and guidelines. It replaces outdated sections with streamlined language, clarifies how counties can structure their plans (e.g., as individual chapters or grouped sections), and removes obsolete requirements like "mineral resources" and "water resources" elements. This bill directly affects local governments developing land use plans, ensuring they incorporate updated environmental, social, and economic priorities.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates Ecology element in land use plans, requiring environmental considerations in planning and resilience strategies per bill summary.95% confidence

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 17, 2026

HB 614: Education - School Building Energy Usage - Monthly Report

HB 614 requires every county board of education in Maryland to collect monthly data on energy usage in school buildings and submit it to the Interagency Commission on School Construction. The Commission must then create rules specifying exactly what data to collect and how often to report it. After gathering this data, the Commission must analyze it and provide specific recommendations to county boards for improving school energy efficiency. This bill directly affects county school districts and the state Commission, aiming to standardize energy reporting and drive efficiency improvements in public schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates energy efficiency data collection for school infrastructure, aligning with improving educational facility maintenance per topic description.75% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyMandates data collection and analysis to improve school energy efficiency, directly advancing energy efficiency measures without promoting fossil fuels or restricting renewables.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates energy usage data collection and efficiency recommendations for school buildings, reducing consumption and emissions85% confidence

Sub-Topics Energy Efficiency

Track