Empowering Change Through Policy!

Public policies are needed to bring about major change.  As individuals, and in our institutions, our behaviors can go a long way toward healing -- or harming -- the watershed. Changing public policies offers lasting, systematic change.  We all have a moral obligation to engage both in the political process and to adopt behaviors that ensure justice and respect for the entire web of life.  You can make a difference! Click here to read how a bill becomes a law in Maryland. Click here to read a great resource from MdLCV on how to influence your legislator. 

Join our Advocacy Volunteers in making a real difference for our shared home.

*Our Advocacy Volunteers receive Action Alerts every two weeks throughout the spring Legislative Session, featuring MD priority legislation updates, coordinated calls to action, and notices of national or other local policy activism.  Please complete your address information so that we can share those policies and efforts most relevant to your geographic location. 

2024 Maryland Legislative Session Priorities

• Impact of Environmental Permits and State Agency Actions - Through lack of historic oversight on preventing the aggregation of polluting industries and facilities in specific places, MD natural habitats and underserved populations are overexposed to pollution. This legislation will give the Maryland Department of the Environment the authority to approve, alter, or deny a permit based on an EJ score, and assessment of other permits and the underlying sociodemographic characteristics of the community. HB 1200 that passed in 2022 required an EJ score be included in the applications for section 1-601 permits. The Climate & Environmental Equity Act builds on this requirement to grant MDE authority to take action based on this information.
  
  
• Whole Watersheds Protection Act - In order to improve watershed health effectively and efficiently, a coordinated approach that maximizes return on investment from conservation funding sources is needed. This legislation will provide the direction, authority – and funding - needed to ensure this coordinated approach is informed by science and data. The bill will establish a pilot program to identify up to 5 impaired watersheds across Maryland. Watersheds selected for the program will be subject to a comprehensive planning and permitting process bringing together all relevant stakeholders to improve water quality on an expedited timeline using a variety of practices. The goal of the program is to rapidly (on a 5-7 year timeline) remove selected watersheds from the impaired waterways list.

SAVE THE DATE: Maryland Legislative Debrief

Click here to register! On Friday, April 19th at 3 PM, Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake, along with our ally Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA), will wrap up the 2024 legislative session with a special virtual program to reflect on the progress made during this 2024 session and discuss next steps for our advocacy efforts.

Past Legislative Debriefs

• 2023 Maryland Legislative Debrief - April 21, 2023 session. Click here to watch the recording. 

We Need Congregations to Fight with Us!

• Congregations can advocate, too.  A powerful statement is to write a letter on your congregational letterhead and send it in to your representative.  Not sure what congregations are legally allowed to do? 
  • These slides explain what 501c3's can and cannot do.  Yes, congregations can lobby!  These slides will explain what that word means -- and what it doesn't. 
  • Here is a video-recording on this same topic
    
    

Some of Our Past Campaigns…

• Maryland the Beautiful Act (2023) – Global leaders are calling for the conservation of 50% of Earth’s landmass in an effort to mitigate the harmful effects of the climate crisis, and to preserve biodiversity important to human health and spirit.  The Maryland the Beautiful Act sets a new national goal of 30% of MD lands permanently preserved by 2030. This legislation passed and was signed into law. Read more!
  
  
• Forest Conservation Act (2023) - An update to the 1991 Forest Conservation Act, this Maryland initiative aims to help curb our consumption of forested land.  Maryland is losing forests at a rate of roughly 10 acres each day. This leaves little to nothing for the next generation, something we know is entirely immoral and antithetical to our beliefs as people of faith to “love one another.” This legislation passed and was signed into law.
  
  
• Environmental Human Rights Amendment (2022) – Seeks to place in the Declaration of Rights of our state constitution the right of each person to a healthful environment. This law did not pass. Read more.
  
  
• AquaCon Fish Farm (2022) – A local issue; IPC took a stand alongside others to say no to the pollutant load of a proposed Salmon farm on MD’s Eastern Shore.  Read more!