MDE Today: 🗣 Your Voice Matters. How Maryland Is Expanding Public Engagement 📣

Maryland Department of the Environment sent this bulletin at 07/01/2026 10:00 AM EDT

Edition #34 | July 2026

PHOTO OF THE MONTH: The Climathon convened in Baltimore at our headquarters (Montgomery Park) with environmental policy practitioners from NGOs, businesses, governments, universities, research institutes and students from the United States and Germany.

Protecting Maryland's environment starts with listening.

One of the most important commitments we have made at the Maryland Department of the Environment is to meet people where they are. That means making it easier for Marylanders to participate in our work, ask questions, and have their voices heard.

Our hybrid public meetings are helping us do just that by bringing more communities into the conversation and expanding access to the decisions that shape our environment and public health. Over the past several weeks, we have seen firsthand how this approach is strengthening public engagement.

Whether discussing Amazon's proposed data center project, the City of Westminster's potable reclaimed water permit, or the Quarantine Road Landfill permit renewal, residents have been able to participate both in person and online. These conversations reflect our commitment to transparency, accessibility, and meaningful public participation as we make decisions that serve all Marylanders.

Public engagement is fundamental to good government, and our role is to ensure every proposal receives a thorough technical review while creating opportunities for communities to understand the process, ask questions, and share their perspectives. That is how we build trust, strengthen accountability, and deliver better outcomes.

To everyone who has participated in a hybrid meeting, thank you for your continued engagement and partnership. Your participation strengthens our work and helps ensure decisions are informed by the communities we serve. I encourage you to explore the projects highlighted in this newsletter, stay engaged in upcoming opportunities, and continue to share your voice as we work together to protect Maryland’s environment and build a healthier, more resilient future.

$15M FOR SEPTIC SYSTEM UPGRADES AND SEWER CONNECTIONS

The Board of Public Works has approved $15 million in grants to help improve water quality across the state. The funding will support upgrades to failing septic systems and connect more homes and businesses to public sewer systems. These investments help reduce pollution and protect Maryland's waterways. All 23 Maryland counties will benefit from this funding. MORE

ELEVATED LEVELS OF PFAS DETECTED IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Montgomery County has been notified of PFAS detected in samples taken from Muddy Branch, a stream on the western side of the County, as well as significantly elevated levels in a stormwater pond and small stream running along the south side of Great Seneca Highway and beneath Key West Avenue. WSSC Water has confirmed that drinking water remains in compliance and is safe for consumption. MORE

MARYLAND JOINS LEGAL FIGHT AGAINST ARCTIC WILDLIFE REFUGE OIL DRILLING IN ALASKA

Attorney General Anthony G. Brown joined a coalition with 13 other attorneys general in filing an amicus brief supporting three lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s decision to authorize an oil and gas leasing program that would maximize development of the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. MORE

VIDEO OF THE MONTH: Catch the latest updates from BEPS

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POST OF THE MONTH: We got some BTS at the @umesnews Horn Point Laboratory oyster hatchery to see exactly how these little guys power the entire Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.

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