As Marylanders, we pride ourselves on our commitment to equality and justice for all. But our government hasn’t always adhered to these principles. For decades, Maryland agencies have allowed companies and others to build wastewater treatment plants, mining operations, major highways, and other projects in or near low-wealth communities and communities of color. These projects often threaten public and environmental health – but state agencies don’t fully consider how they harm people, communities, or our planet or seek meaningful input from affected communities.

The result: Maryland communities pay a heavy price with their jobs, with their health, and with their lives.

Fortunately, there is a solution. The Climate and Environmental Equity Act of 2023 (SB743/HB840), sponsored by Delegate Regina T. Boyce and Senator Michael A. Jackson, will help end environmental racism by strengthening the process to obtain permits for projects that threaten our air, land, water, and people. Specifically, it will require key state agencies, like the Maryland Department of Environment, to fully assess and report on the health and environmental impacts of such projects on marginalized communities and prioritize these communities for public protection.

Tell your Maryland legislators to pass the Climate and Environmental Equity Act of 2023 to ensure a safer environment for all of Maryland’s communities.