Maryland Lawmakers Propose 'Cherish Act' to Increase Community Input on Environmental Decisions

The bill would require pollution permit decisions to be based on environmental justice data and allow the state to deny permits on those grounds.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 2:08am

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A bill called the 'Cherish Our Communities Act' has been introduced in the Maryland General Assembly that would put communities at the center of environmental decisions. The bill requires pollution permit decisions to be based on environmental justice data, which would determine the impact on public health. It also creates a system where community voices matter in decisions that affect their health, and aims to protect overburdened communities from additional pollution.

Why it matters

The legislation seeks to address longstanding environmental injustices, where low-income and minority communities have disproportionately borne the burden of pollution and environmental harm. By centering community voices and environmental justice data in the permitting process, the bill aims to provide more safeguards and benefits for these impacted neighborhoods.

The details

The Cherish Our Communities Act would require the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to consider environmental justice data when making pollution permit decisions. This data would determine the impact on public health in communities. The bill also allows MDE to deny permits based on environmental justice grounds. Additionally, the legislation requires permit applicants to include a 'burden report' that establishes a baseline understanding of risk, disparities, and environmental needs in the affected community.

  • The bill has been introduced in the 2026 session of the Maryland General Assembly.
  • A public rally in support of the bill was held at Lawyer's Mall in Annapolis on March 17, 2026.

The players

Cherish Our Communities Act

A bill introduced in the Maryland General Assembly that would require pollution permit decisions to be based on environmental justice data and allow the state to deny permits on those grounds.

Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE)

The state agency that would be required to consider environmental justice data when making pollution permit decisions under the proposed legislation.

Carlos Sanchez

A concerned citizen from South Baltimore who spoke at the rally in support of the Cherish Act.

Marta Orellana

A Baltimore City resident and mother of two children, including a son with asthma and autism, who spoke at the rally about the impacts of pollution in her neighborhood.

Monica Brooks

A representative of the NAACP who spoke at the rally about the need for the Cherish Act to address the impacts of pollution on communities and families.

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What they’re saying

“We're here today because the Cherished Bill is what puts communities back into decision-making. The point of Cherish, it's beautifully as it sounds in the name, to cherish our communities. For far too long, the communities across the state of Maryland have dealt with the air pollution, with groundwater pollution, and had to take on more of their own share of pollution and harm being done into their communities.”

— Carlos Sanchez, Concerned citizen from South Baltimore

“I am a proud mother of two children, including my young son who's living with asthma and autism. Every day, I worry about the air my son breathes. Families like mine living in my neighborhood, surrounded by pollution, our children are paying the price with their health.”

— Marta Orellana, Baltimore City resident

“I'm speaking for families with children who struggle, as we just heard with asthma, for industries and households that are contaminated, for farmers whose land is saturated with nitrates that they can barely use; these are not statistics. But these are my neighbors.”

— Monica Brooks, NAACP representative

“Let me be clear about this bill and what it is and what it is not. The CARES Act is about fairness. Yeah, it's about transparency, and it's about making smarter, more responsible decisions when it comes to the environment and our health.”

— Benjamin Brooks, State Senator, bill sponsor

What’s next

The Cherish Our Communities Act has already been heard in the Maryland House and Senate, but no vote has been scheduled yet. Advocates have been working with lawmakers for months to get the bill passed.

The takeaway

The proposed Cherish Act represents a significant step towards addressing longstanding environmental injustices in Maryland. By centering community voices and environmental justice data in the pollution permitting process, the legislation aims to provide more protections and benefits for overburdened neighborhoods, ensuring they are not forced to bear an undue share of the state's pollution burden.