The sweeping rollbacks announced this week by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator would dismantle dozens of bedrock environmental standards that have protected our air and water for decades. These actions include closing all EPA environmental justice offices and reconsidering more than a dozen core EPA rules covering vehicle emissions standards, power plant pollution controls, environmental justice protections, and even the scientific findings which created the basis for addressing climate change itself.

Maryland, however, has consistently led by example, setting ambitious climate goals and making significant progress on clean air, water protection, and emissions reduction. As we face these unprecedented federal attacks on environmental safeguards, Maryland must strengthen its commitment to environmental leadership by advancing – not retreating from – clean energy solutions. This means rejecting proposals for new methane-gas power plants that would lock in decades of fossil fuel infrastructure and instead investing in proven clean energy alternatives like battery storage and renewable energy that deliver both climate and economic benefits.

Now is absolutely not the time to back away from our environmental commitments. As federal protections crumble, Maryland must stand firmly against proposals that would saddle ratepayers with costly new greenhouse gas infrastructure investments or decades while undermining our state’s climate goals. New sources of greenhouse gas emissions are not the answer to our energy challenges – they’re expensive relics of the past that will drive up energy bills and pollute our communities. Instead, Maryland must double down on implementing the CHERISH Our Communities Act (SB978 / HB 1484) to protect vulnerable neighborhoods, advance the Coal Dust Clean-Up and Asthma Mitigation Fund (SB882 / HB 1088) to fund our state climate plan and invest in public health, push forward the Nearshore Farm and Finance Act (SB898 / HB1175) to protect our waterways while supporting farmers, and fully embrace the Abundant, Affordable Clean Energy (AACE) Act (SB 316 / HB 398) to secure reliable, clean power while creating local jobs. By taking bold action while federal agencies retreat, Maryland can serve as a beacon for other states to follow, demonstrating that environmental protection, economic prosperity, and environmental justice can advance together even as national leadership falters.