Climate Change and the 2026 Session

Each year, the Climate Change team selects several bills as “priority.” The bills are evaluated based on their climate effectiveness and climate justice impacts. In order to collect information about the bills, UULM-MD participates in three different coalitions. They are the Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative Coalition, the Citizens Concerned for the Environment (CCE), and the Transform Maryland Transportation coalition. These three coalitions emphasize different perspectives on climate change. They are climate justice, broader climate and environmental issues, and public transportation advocacy, respectively.

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In addition, several bills have been selected that we are “supporting” and may be elevated in the event that a priority bill fails to move forward.

For priority bills, the UULM-MD will submit written testimony, issue action alerts and join rallies in Annapolis. For the supported bills, we will follow their progress, and sign-on to other Advocacy Organizations' testimony.

​This year, we will advocate for three climate bills. They are:

The CHERISH Our Communities Act (Cumulative Harms to Environmental Restoration for Improving our Shared Health): addresses a critical gap in Maryland's environmental protection system, particularly in disadvantaged and overburdened communities.

The Climate and Transportation Alignment Act:  would require the Maryland Department to align transportation projects with state climate goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and Vehicle Miles Traveled.

The Bottle Bill (aka Maryland Beverage Container Recycling Refund and Litter Reduction Program): would implement a deposit-return system for beverage containers (plastic, glass, metal) with 10-15 cent deposits, aiming to drastically cut litter and boost recycling.

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In addition, there are several energy-related bills being discussed aimed at:

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1) Stabilizing the rising cost of energy,

2) Encouraging the growth of renewable energy, and

3) Incorporating advanced technologies to enhance the electric grid.

We will consider supporting these bills as the details emerge.