Read more about the article Deep Dive: Breaking Down the Utility RELIEF Act Part III
Energy / Environment / Planning and Zoning / Policy Deep Dive
Deep Dive: Breaking Down the Utility RELIEF Act Part III

In Parts I and II of our analysis of HB 1532, the Utility RELIEF Act of 2026, we examined new requirements related to county permitting of residential rooftop solar and study language concerning future state action on siting large-scale energy projects.  For Part III, the focus shifts from what the General Assembly passed to what may still need to be clarified. Over the past two years, lawmakers have enacted several significant energy measures, including the Next…

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May 13, 2026
Read more about the article Florida Puts New Guardrails Around Data Centers
Energy / Environment / Planning and Zoning
Florida Puts New Guardrails Around Data Centers

Following energy challenges nationally, Florida's SB484 places guardrails on data center development. Florida has enacted a new law aimed at making sure data center projects fully absorb the expense of high energy usage, rather than pushing increasing utility costs onto everyday ratepayers. The new law, SB484, requires Florida’s Public Service Commission to develop rules for large electric users, including data centers, so the cost of serving those facilities is not shifted to residential and small…

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May 11, 2026
Read more about the article Deep Dive: Breaking Down the Utility RELIEF Act Part II
Energy / Environment / Planning and Zoning / Policy Deep Dive
Deep Dive: Breaking Down the Utility RELIEF Act Part II

In Part I of our analysis of HB 1532, the Utility RELIEF Act of 2026, we examined new requirements related to county permitting of residential rooftop solar, including more detailed software mandates, caps on permitting fees, and new enforcement authority for the Attorney General.  In Part II, we turn to study language directing the Power Plant Research Program (PPRP), along with other state agencies, to identify certain sites for large-scale energy generation and energy storage. While Part…

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May 6, 2026
Read more about the article Virginia Energy Legislation Could Offer Lessons for Maryland
Energy / Environment / Planning and Zoning / Transportation and Public Works
Virginia Energy Legislation Could Offer Lessons for Maryland

Virginia's SB621 requires utilities to use grid utilization metrics to more effectively manage grid loads, reduce energy losses.  As electricity demand grows from data centers, electrification, economic development, and extreme weather, policymakers are looking for ways to get more out of the electric grid that already exists. One emerging focus is “grid utilization,” or better measuring how much existing transmission capacity is actually being used before assuming new infrastructure is the only answer. Virginia is…

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May 4, 2026
Read more about the article Deep Dive: Breaking Down the Utility RELIEF Act Part I
Energy / Environment / Planning and Zoning / Policy Deep Dive
Deep Dive: Breaking Down the Utility RELIEF Act Part I

With the 2026 legislative session now in the rearview mirror, several major bills deserve a closer look. Lawmakers faced a series of consequential and time-sensitive issues this year, forcing difficult decisions that will carry lasting implications for Maryland residents, counties, and the state’s broader policy landscape.  Energy policy, in particular, took center stage. With affordability serving as the watchword of the session, there was intense focus on what the General Assembly would do to address…

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April 29, 2026
Read more about the article Rent Growth Slows in Major Maryland Metros
Housing and Community Development / Planning and Zoning
Rent Growth Slows in Major Maryland Metros

A new report from Zillow shows that rent growth is slowing nationally, including in Marylands largest metropolitan areas. Rents are still rising nationally, but the pace has slowed to its weakest level in several years. According to a new report from Zillow, the typical U.S. rent reached $1,910 in March, up 1.8% from the prior year. The slowdown appears tied to more rental supply coming onto the market, softer post-pandemic demand, and affordability pressures limiting…

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April 27, 2026
Read more about the article AG Brown, MDE File Suit Against DC Water Over Potomac Spill
Environment / Transportation and Public Works
AG Brown, MDE File Suit Against DC Water Over Potomac Spill

Maryland is suing DC Water over the Potomac River sewage spill earlier this year.  Maryland’s Attorney General and the Maryland Department of the Environment have taken DC Water to court over the January collapse of a major sewer line in Montgomery County, arguing that the failure caused a massive sewage release into the Potomac River and nearby tributaries. According to the state, the rupture involved a 72-inch section of the Potomac Interceptor near the C&O…

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April 22, 2026
Read more about the article Maine Looks Toward Data Center Ban Citing Rising Energy Costs
Energy / Environment / Planning and Zoning
Maine Looks Toward Data Center Ban Citing Rising Energy Costs

Maine set to limit growth of large data centers over 20 megawatts.  The Maine State Legislature is testing one of the country’s most aggressive responses to data center growth. Lawmakers have approved a statewide pause on new data centers with power needs of 20 megawatts or more through November 2027, while the state studies what these facilities could mean for electric demand, customer bills, and host communities. Currently, Governor Janet Mills is undecided on whether…

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April 21, 2026
Read more about the article FERC to Address Data Center Interconnection in June
Energy / Environment / Planning and Zoning
FERC to Address Data Center Interconnection in June

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is set to establish new data center interconnections standards, impacting on Maryland and surrounding states. FERC indicated that it expects to take action in June on a Department of Energy proposal aimed at improving how very large new electric loads, including data centers, connect to the grid. At the center of the discussion is a familiar but increasingly urgent question: how to accommodate major new demand while maintaining clarity…

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April 21, 2026
Read more about the article 2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Environment
Environment / MACo Testimony / Parks and Recreation
2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Environment

The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s work in the area of environment policy in the 2026 General Assembly session. Counties remain on the front lines of environmental policy, tasked with implementing and enforcing ambitious statewide goals while balancing local realities. As such, MACo continues to advocate for practical, flexible solutions that empower counties to meet environmental objectives without imposing unworkable mandates or unfunded burdens. Maryland’s 448th legislative session unfolded under significant fiscal…

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April 15, 2026
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