Because of advocacy from Audubon members and plenty of companions, Maryland lawmakers retained most funding for core conservation and environmental packages, amid important funds challenges.
The information comes on the finish of Maryland’s 90-day legislative session, throughout which Audubon Mid-Atlantic offered testimony on 29 payments and at 5 funds hearings, advocating for birds and the locations they want. All through the session, our members took motion through postcards, cellphone calls, emails, and lawmaker conferences. Thanks on your assist of Maryland’s setting and the birds that depend on our distinctive landscapes!
The theme of this yr’s session was the state budgets, together with a $1.5 billion shortfall that meant the environmental neighborhood was on protection – preventing for environmental and conservation funding. Even with these funds headwinds, we did see wins for birds.
The Division of Pure Assets, the Division of the Surroundings, and the Division of Agriculture all noticed slight year-over-year will increase of their annual budgets.
Moreover, funding for Program Open House, a core conservation program, remained largely untouched, and the Chesapeake and Coastal Bays Belief Fund remained adequately funded, making certain crucial conservation work can proceed even on this fiscally difficult interval.
Payments that handed supporting birds in Maryland:
Audubon, our companions, and our community of advocates helped to advance these vital payments this yr in Annapolis. The next payments have handed the legislature and are anticipated to be signed into legislation by the Governor:
- The Jack Cowl Vernal Pool Wetlands Safety Act of 2026 (HB701/SB523) requires the Division of Pure Assets to determine vernal swimming pools in Maryland and keep an inventory of their places. It is a crucial step in defending important items of hen habitat within the state.
- Endangered Species and Habitat Protections (HB578/SB431) offers the state of Maryland further powers to guard uncommon, threatened, and endangered species amid federal rollbacks of bedrock conservation packages. Whereas Audubon was disheartened to see the migratory hen provisions of this invoice amended out resulting from opposition from trade, this invoice will increase protections for birds and hen habitat.
