Southeast

Maryland

Maryland’s greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by 31% from 2006-2021, primarily due to a significant decrease in electricity emissions. The transportation sector accounts for the majority of the state’s emissions and have risen by 18% during the same time period. The state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets are some of the most ambitious targets in the nation set by the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022.
GHG Reduction Targets
All targets relative to 2005 levels
2031 :

60%

2045 :

Net-zero

Governor
Wes Moore (Democrat)
House Party
Democratic Majority
Senate Party
Democratic Majority
Legislative session
1/10/24 - 4/8/24
US Climate Alliance Status
Member

41

Policies Enacted or In Progress
across 7 policy areas

21

Policy Opportunities
across 7 policy areas

Southeast

14 states
This map shows the occurrence of climate policies passed at the state-level. Higher numbers represent more climate policies enacted.

Progress by Policy Area

  • Enacted
  • In-progress
  • Partially Enacted
  • Not Enacted
Glossary of Terms
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions Projections in Maryland

Created in partnership with
Filters
Status Policy Policy Area Policy Category YR Enacted
Enacted
Empty column

60% by 2031 | Net-zero by 2045

Relative to 2006 levels

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2022
Enacted
Empty column

Maryland’s Climate Pollution Reduction Plan

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2023
Enacted
Empty column

The 2006-2020 Greenhouse Gas Inventory was published in September 2022.

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2022
Enacted
Empty column

Climate Change Subcabinet

Chief Sustainability Officer

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2024
Enacted
Empty column

Maryland Commission on Climate Change

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2015
Enacted
Empty column

"Overburdened communities" are the 25% highest scoring census tracts in 3 or more of 21 environmental health indicators, related to pollution exposure, proximity to environmental hazards, and health outcomes.

"Underserved communities" are census tracts where at least 25% of residents are low-income, 50% are nonwhite, or 15% have limited English proficiency

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity 2022
Enacted
Empty column

MD EJSCREEN

MD Climate and Health Equity Mapper

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity 2021
Not Enacted
Empty column

Environmental justice (EJ) community investment requirements help ensure communities most impacted by environmental burdens are benefitting equitably from public programs by requiring a certain percentage of funds and/or benefits from other policies are allocated to EJ communities.

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity
Enacted
Empty column

MDE – EJ Coordinator

The Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022 also requires the Maryland Department of Environment to provide staff for the Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity 2022
Enacted
Empty column

Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity
Not Enacted
Empty column

Cumulative impact assessments determine the health and environmental impacts of renewing or granting a permit for certain pollution-generating facilities in environmental justice communities. Increased pollution burdens in communities may result in the permit application being denied.

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity
Not Enacted
Empty column

Just transition plans are documents that outline policies and recommendations aimed at supporting communities, workers, and industries affected by the transition away from fossil fuels. The plans often focus on workforce development and retraining, job creation, and economic diversification.

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition
Not Enacted
Empty column

Just transition offices and staff assist workers and communities transitioning away from fossil fuel extraction and use, typically through retraining programs and support with relocation and economic diversification. Offices and staff also coordinate with other state agencies to effectively design policy to achieve a just transition.

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition
Enacted
Empty column

Just Transition Employment and Retraining Working Group

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition 2022
Not Enacted
Empty column

Just transition funds support initiatives and investments aimed at facilitating the equitable transition of workers and communities affected by shifts in industries or policies that transition from fossil fuels.

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition
Enacted
Empty column

Maryland Clean Energy Center, which administers the Climate Catalytic Capital Fund

Cross-Sector
Climate Finance 2008
Enacted
Empty column

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) covers the electricity sector.

Cross-Sector
Carbon Valuation 2007
Not Enacted
Empty column

The social cost of carbon is a monetary estimate of the damage of each ton of greenhouse gases emitted. The social cost of carbon is used to quantify and monetize climate damages, representing the net economic cost of climate pollution to society.

Cross-Sector
Carbon Valuation
Enacted
Empty column

30.5% renewable energy by 2020 | 50% by 2030

Establishing Policies
Electricity
Energy Plans and Targets 2019
Not Enacted
Empty column

Electricity greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets are set by a state to limit GHG emissions in the electricity sector. These targets aim to reduce emissions by different amounts over time, often expressed as percentage relative to a baseline year.

Electricity
Energy Plans and Targets
Not Enacted
Empty column

Clean energy plans are documents that outline the policies and strategies states can implement to meet clean energy targets. Draft plans are often published first, and after a period of public comments and revisions, a final plan is released.

Electricity
Energy Plans and Targets
Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
5/5
Electricity
Clean Energy Generation
Partially Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
9/11
Electricity
Clean Energy Generation
Partially Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
not-enacted
enacted
5/6
Electricity
Clean Energy Generation
Enacted
Empty column

Maryland has an active community choice aggregation program.

Establishing Policies
Electricity
Clean Energy Generation 2021
Enacted
Empty column

750 megawatts (MW) of storage capacity by 2027, 1,500 MW by 2030, and 3,000 MW by 2033

Establishing Policies
Electricity
Transmission, Distribution, and Energy Storage 2023
Enacted
Empty column

Maryland received a C grade from Freeing the Grid.

Electricity
Transmission, Distribution, and Energy Storage 2023
Not Enacted
Empty column

Coal phaseouts establish a target year by which states must end coal-fired power generation.

Electricity
Coal Retirement
Not Enacted
Empty column

Coal securitization is a financing tool that allows utility companies to refinance debt they issued to build coal plants and close the facilities early without taking a financial hit or passing costs on to ratepayers.

Electricity
Coal Retirement
Enacted
Empty column

The statewide energy code for residential construction is 2021 IECC with amendments.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Codes 2023
Enacted
Empty column

The statewide energy code for commercial building construction is 2021 IECC with amendments and ASHRAE 90.1-2019.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Codes 2023
Not Enacted
Empty column

Stretch building energy codes are an optional, more stringent building code established by the state that local jurisdictions can adopt to require that newly constructed buildings are more efficient than the baseline state codes.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Codes
Enacted
Empty column

The Energy and Water Efficiency Standards apply to 11 products.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Standards 2022
In-Progress
Empty column

The Building Energy Performance Standard requires buildings larger than 35,000 square feet to reduce direct emissions from buildings by 20% by 2030, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Standards 2022
In-Progress
Empty column

The Maryland Department of the Environment is required to propose a clean heat standard regulation.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Standards 2024
Enacted
Empty column

Electric utilities are required to achieve a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction equivalent of annual electricity savings of 2% in 2024, 2.24% in 2025 and 2026, and 2.5% for each year after that. Utilities must achieve annual energy savings for low-income residential units for the 2024-2026 EmPOWER cycle, starting at 0.53% in 2024 and increasing to 1.0% in 2026.

Gas utilities are not subject to an EERS.

Establishing Policies
Buildings and Efficiency
Building Efficiency 2024
Enacted
Empty column

Maryland has enacted commercial PACE-enabling legislation and has active programs.

Establishing Policies
Buildings and Efficiency
Building Efficiency 2014
Partially Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
enacted
enacted
not-enacted
enacted
3/4
Buildings and Efficiency
Building Efficiency
In-Progress
Empty column

The Maryland Department of the Environment is required to propose a zero-emission heating equipment standard that will phase-in zero-emissions standards for heating equipment.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Electrification 2024
Enacted
Empty column

Maryland Clean Cars Program

Transportation
Light-Duty Vehicles 2023
Enacted
Empty column

Model Year (MY) 2027: 43% of new passenger vehicle sales are ZEVs | MY 2030: 68% of new sales are ZEVs | MY 2035: 100% of new sales are ZEVs, with up to 20% being hybrid or hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Transportation
Light-Duty Vehicles 2023
Not Enacted
Empty column

Electric vehicle rebates offer rebates to make light-duty electric vehicles more affordable to increase their adoption in a state.

Transportation
Light-Duty Vehicles
Not Enacted
Empty column

Low NOx Omnibus Rules establish stringent tailpipe emission standards for heavy duty vehicles, updated testing procedures, and technology-neutral compliance mechanisms to reduce nitrous oxide (NOx) pollution. The regulation must be adopted first by California, and other states may adopt the regulation under the federal Clean Air Act.

Transportation
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Enacted
Empty column

By 2035: 55% of Class 2b-3 truck sales are zero-emissions | 75% of Class 4-8 straight truck sales are zero-emissions | 40% of Class 7-8 tractor sales are zero-emissions.

Transportation
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles 2023
Enacted
Empty column

The Medium-Duty and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Grant Program provides grants to cover up to 75% of the incremental cost of new medium- and heavy-duty battery and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Transportation
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles 2022
Enacted
Empty column

100% of the state's passenger vehicle fleet are ZEVs by 2031, and 100% of the state's light-duty vehicle fleet are ZEVs by 2036

Transportation
Lead by Example 2022
Enacted
Empty column

25% of annual bus procurements by the Maryland Transit Administration are zero-emission by FY25

Establishing Policies
Transportation
Lead by Example 2024
Enacted
Empty column

Requires that new construction of detached single-family homes, duplexes, and townhouses with a separate garage or driveway have one parking space that is EV-ready or has EV supply equipment (EVSE) installed.

Establishing Policies
Transportation
EV Charging Infrastructure 2023
Enacted
Empty column

The Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Rebate Program offers rebates for the purchase and installation of Level 2 and direct current (DC) fast chargers, up to $700 for residential chargers and up to $5,000 for commercial chargers.

Transportation
EV Charging Infrastructure
Not Enacted
Empty column

Electric vehicle (EV) and EV charging infrastructure plans are documents that provide a framework to guide the development, coordination, and adoption of EVs and EV charging infrastructure.

Transportation
Transportation Plans and Targets
In-Progress
Empty column

The Maryland Department of Transportation is required to establish specific annual greenhouse gas and vehicle miles traveled reduction targets for the transportation sector.

Transportation
Transportation Plans and Targets 2024
Not Enacted
Empty column

A low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) is a market-based mechanism to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels and account for the fuel's life cycle greenhouse gas emissions.

Transportation
Transportation Plans and Targets
Enacted
Empty column

Maryland is ranked 14th out of 50 in the 2022 Bicycle Friendly State rankings by the League of American Bicyclists.

Policy Components
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
5/5
Transportation
Public and Active Transportation
Not Enacted
Empty column

Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Industrial Decarbonization
Enacted
Empty column

The state prohibits certain HFCs in specific stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning end-uses.

Establishing Policies
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
F-gas Regulations 2020
Not Enacted
Empty column

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) regulations include phasedown commitments, reporting requirements, bans, or other measures that reduce SF6 usage and emissions.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
F-gas Regulations
Enacted
Empty column

Operators must reduce vented and fugitive emissions of methane from both new and existing natural gas transmission and storage facilities.

Establishing Policies
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Oil and Gas Regulations 2020
Enacted
Empty column

Hydraulic fracking for the exploration and production of natural gas is banned.

Establishing Policies
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Oil and Gas Regulations 2017
Enacted
Empty column

Reporting and control of methane emissions from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills are required.

Establishing Policies
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Waste Management 2023
Enacted
Empty column

Food waste ban – The state requires businesses and institutions that generate at least 2 tons of food waste per week to dispose of food residuals via composting or anaerobic digestion.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Waste Management 2021
Enacted
Empty column

The Maryland Healthy Soils Program provides financial assistance to manage conservation practices in new and innovative ways that improve soil health, yield, and profitability and capture carbon.

Maryland's Cover Crop Program offers grants to help pay for seed, labor, and equipment costs to plant cover crops.

Natural and Working Lands
Agriculture 2017
Not Enacted
Empty column

Agriculture technical assistance programs provide state-driven technical assistance, apprenticeship and mentorship programs, and support securing additional funding for farmers to increase uptake of soil health practices.

Natural and Working Lands
Agriculture

The State Climate Policy Dashboard tracks only passed policies and does not include bills currently proposed in legislative sessions. The website is intended to illustrate the current status of policies for each state, as well as key resources and model states for each policy.

Much of the information contained in this database is derived from the public domain, with links to resources provided. The information provided is made available solely for general information purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Click here for full Terms of Use.

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