The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s work in the area of environment policy in the 2024 General Assembly session.
MACo seeks sensible solutions to environmental issues that provide flexibility and do not place unreasonable burdens on county governments, who are often charged with enforcement in many environmental areas, guided under statewide policy.
Maryland’s 446th legislative session convened amidst a substantial concern over the State’s fiscal situation, with weakened revenues and cost increases for many services at every level of government. Despite the fiscal limitations, a wide range of policy issues received a full debate, with many resolutions arising from the 90-day annual process. MACo’s legislative committee guided the association’s positions on hundreds of bills, yielding many productive compromises and gains spanning counties’ uniquely wide portfolio.
Follow these links for more coverage on our Conduit Street blog and Legislative Database.
Climate
MACo supported HB 233/SB 306- Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program – Climate, Equity, and Administrative Provisions with amendments. This bill modernizes several aspects of the Critical Area Commission (CAC), bringing it in line with current understandings of best practices, science, climate change, and sea level rise. MACo proposed amendments to add clarity and preserve local flexibility. This bill passed the 2024 session.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
Forests
MACo supported HB 1511- Forest Conservation Act – Modifications as it extends certain implementation deadlines from the 2023 Forest Conservation Act update. This bill is necessary because certain early implementation elements from a legislative compromise during the 2023 session have not yet been completed, making other deadlines untenable. This bill passed the 2024 session.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
Inspections and County Government Authority
MACo supported HB 929/SB 854- Agriculture – Nuisance Insects. This bill requires the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) to conduct certain nuisance insect mitigation if a county or municipality agrees to pay 50% of costs associated with the project. This bill passed the 2024 session.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
MACo supported HB 991/SB 1074- Agriculture – Food Processing Residuals Utilization Permit – Establishment with amendments. This bill establishes the food processing utilization permit, prohibiting anyone from utilizing food processing residuals unless they obtain a permit. This bill passed the 2024 session.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
MACo supported HB 1404/SB 1149- Environment – Storage of Dissolved Air Flotation By-Products – Local Authority as it would have enabled local governments to enact a law or ordinance regarding the storage of air flotation by-products that is equal to or more stringent than the permit requirements for a sewage sludge utilization permit. This bill was withdrawn by the sponsor and did not pass the 2024 session.
MACo took no position on HB 24/SB 96- Department of the Environment – Environmental Justice Evaluation of Environmental Permit Applications, but submitted a Letter of Information providing local input. This bill would have required the Department of the Environment to conduct a climate and equity evaluation before issuing certain environmental permits. This bill did not pass the 2024 session.
Water Infrastructure
MACo initially supported HB 449/SB 148- Comprehensive Flood Management Grant Program -Funding for Underserved and Overburdened Communities, but after the bill was amended, counties changed their position to support with amendments. This bill allocates 40 percent of the Comprehensive Flood Management Grant Program to projects in or directly benefiting underserved or overburdened communities. The bill also states the governor may fund the program up to $20 million, but there is no requirement to allocate additional money. This bill passed the 2024 session.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
MACo opposed HB 1101/SB 653- Standing – Environmental and Natural Resources Protection Proceedings (Clean Water Justice Act of 2024) as it enshrines in state law a dramatic new right for residents to sue certain parties for certain water violations. MACo was able to successfully advocate for amendments that dramatically reduced the scope of the initial legislation, but counties can still expect to see an increase in litigation due to the new rights under the bill. This bill passed the 2024 session.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
More information on environment-related legislation tracked by MACo during the 2024 legislative session.
