Maryland faces growing environmental challenges, from increasingly severe storms and extreme weather to the impacts of a changing climate. As we confront these challenges, we must protect the diverse landscapes that make Maryland unique: from the Chesapeake Bay and its vital waterways to our forests, mountains, farms, and communities. Protecting our environment is about more than preserving the places we love; it is about safeguarding our economy, public health, infrastructure, and way of life for generations to come.

After spending 20 years building partnerships for sustainable development, I know the choice between protecting our environment and fostering economic growth is a false one.  With a rapidly changing climate, Maryland must take a thoughtful, forward-looking approach to environmental policy.  

Throughout my time in the Senate, I have worked to advance cleaner energy, address the impacts of climate change, protect our natural resources, and build more resilient communities. Flood mitigation, stormwater management, and community resilience remain critical to protecting lives and property.  Maryland is advancing these efforts statewide through the newly released Resilient Maryland Strategy, developed by the Maryland Office of Resilience—a state office established through legislation I sponsored in 2022, SB0630.  

In general, I support policies to:

• Hold polluters accountable for the cost of climate change and outsized impacts on Maryland’s natural resources,
• Support the expansion of clean, renewable energy while planning appropriately for future demand on Maryland’s power grid,
• Maintain and replace infrastructure to ensure all Marylanders have access to clean drinking water and proper waste removal, and
• Protect Maryland’s natural ecosystems, including the Chesapeake Bay and other vital waterways.

Legislation I have passed includes:

**SB0149/HB0128 Responding to Emergency Needs from Extreme Weather (RENEW) Act (2025)

Establishes a process to measure the costs of greenhouse gas emissions on our state through a series of assessments so that policymakers may hold polluters accountable and protect taxpayers from footing the bill for these impacts, resulting in the ongoing Cost of Climate Change Study.

**SB0969/HB1165 – Whole Watershed Act (2024)

Shifts Maryland toward a whole-watershed approach to environmental restoration, coordinating projects and investments across entire watersheds rather than focusing on individual streams, and incentivizes innovative restoration practices.  

**SB0956/HB1153 - Protecting State Waters from PFAS Pollution (2024)

Establishes new protections against PFAS “forever chemicals” by requiring Maryland to identify significant industrial users of PFAS and develop monitoring and testing requirements, PFAS action levels, and mitigation plans for industrial wastewater discharges.

**SB0630 – Maryland Department of Emergency Management – Office of Resilience (2022)

Establishes Maryland’s Office of Resilience to help communities prepare for and recover from flooding, severe storms, and other natural disasters. Creates a Chief Resilience Officer to coordinate state and local efforts and strengthens coordination across state agencies. Supports long-term planning to protect Maryland’s homes, businesses, infrastructure, and natural resources.

**SB0541/HB0727 - Great Maryland Outdoors Act (2022)

Expands Maryland’s investment in state parks, conservation, and outdoor recreation by establishing $150 million in dedicated funding for critical park maintenance, capital improvements, and land acquisition and expanding staffing, land preservation, and accessibility efforts.  

**SB0901 Public Safety - Emergency Management - Resilient Maryland Revolving Loan Fund (2021) 

Creates a first-in-the-nation Resilient Maryland Revolving Loan Fund to provide nearly $1B in federal funding to save our coastlines, cropland, and buildings and roads from environmental damage.

(**Denotes Legislation I Sponsored)