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Renewable energy

Maryland General Assembly Concludes 2025 Legislative Session with Notable Environmental and Energy Legislation

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Maryland General Assembly completed its spring 2025 legislative session on April 7, 2025, passing several significant environmental and energy bills. The session was dominated by budgetary concerns, which saw many key environmental and energy bills delayed or stalled. However, several crucial bills were passed, including the Extended Producer Responsibility Program for Packaging, the Next Generation Energy Act, and the Renewable Energy Certainty Act.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Maryland General Assembly passed the Extended Producer Responsibility Program for Packaging (SB0901), which requires producers of covered materials to submit a producer responsibility plan to MDE by July 1, 2028, to sell, distribute, or import covered materials in the State. Producers must also pay fees and reimbursement rates set by the state-selected producer responsibility organization to cover collection, transportation, and processing costs associated with recycling.
  • The Next Generation Energy Act (SB0937/HB1035) creates a fast track for 10 "dispatchable" energy generation projects in the State, while natural gas-fired generation is eligible for this fast track, the bill also requires that zero emissions projects must be awarded such fast-track status at a ratio of 4-to-1.
  • The Renewable Energy Certainty Act (SB0931/HB1036) aims to streamline and standardize the requirements for renewable energy development, particularly solar, in the State. The act requires State agencies to develop standardized land use requirements for siting solar energy generating stations over 1MW and for energy storage devices.
  • The Bay Legacy Act (HB0506) aims to improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay by establishing a Water Quality Monitoring Program, creating a certification program to incentivize farmers to adopt Bay-friendly practices, and authorizing certain oyster restoration projects to generate water quality trading credits.
  • The Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation and Fees (SB0425) implements changes to the State's approach to coal combustion residuals (CCR or coal ash), requiring MDE to issue regulations adopting the federal legacy coal combustion residuals final rule and increasing the fee structure for CCR, using the volume of CCR stored as the new benchmark.
  • The study of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (HB0128/SB0149) authorizes a study of the effects and costs of greenhouse gas emissions on the State, including an economic analysis to determine whether a fee levied on large emitters would create costs that are passed on to taxpayers.
  • The Building Energy Performance Standards Alterations (HB0049) clarifies the definition of manufacturing, adds hospitals to the set of excluded buildings, creates a crediting system for onsite generation of renewable energy, expands the exclusion for backup generators, and creates various waivers.

Statistics:

  • The Extended Producer Responsibility Program for Packaging requires producers to submit a producer responsibility plan to MDE by July 1, 2028.
  • The Next Generation Energy Act creates a fast track for 10 "dispatchable" energy generation projects in the State, with a 4-to-1 ratio of zero emissions projects.
  • The Renewable Energy Certainty Act requires State agencies to develop standardized land use requirements for siting solar energy generating stations over 1MW and for energy storage devices.
  • The Bay Legacy Act aims to improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay, with a Water Quality Monitoring Program and certification program.
  • The Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation and Fees increases the fee structure for CCR, using the volume of CCR stored as the new benchmark.

Sources:

  • [HB 0049: Building Energy Performance Standards (2025)
  • [SB 0901: Extended Producer Responsibility Program for Packaging (2025)](https://legiscan.com/md/bill/SB0901/2025)
  • [SB 0931: Renewable Energy Certainty Act (2025)](https://legiscan.com/md/bill/SB0931/2025)
  • [SB 0937: Next Generation Energy Act (2025)](https://legiscan.com/md/bill/SB0937/2025)
  • [HB 0506: Bay Legacy Act (2025)](https://legiscan.com/md/bill/HB0506/2025)
  • [SB 0425: Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation and Fees (2025)](https://legiscan.com/md/bill/SB0425/2025)

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