Key Takeaways
Product manufacturers, developers, agricultural operators, utilities, and local governments should take note of Maryland’s 2026 environmental actions. The most immediate impacts include new pre-construction discharge-permit requirements for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), PFAS limits that will impact wastewater utilities and biosolids managers with respect to longstanding land application practices, tighter Critical Area variance rules affecting coastal and waterfront projects, and the development of extended producer responsibility (EPR) obligations for packaging and paper products.
The Maryland General Assembly adjourned on Monday, April 20, 2026, after a three-month session dominated by budget negotiations. Although many environmental and energy measures moved slowly, lawmakers passed several notable bills in the final week, and Governor Wes Moore has signed many of them into law. Key final enacted legislative changes include:
