Now more than ever, communities in Maryland that have been overburdened by pollution for too long need and deserve state-level protections. Tell your legislators and Governor Moore to pass the CHERISH Our Communities Act in 2026!
Why do we need the CHERISH Our Communities Act?
Every time we take a breath, we take in everything in the air around us. In some communities, there are multiple sources of pollution, which means people are breathing in emissions from dozens of polluting facilities at once. All of this pollution added together can cause more serious health problems than any single facility alone. This leads to greater cancer risks, shorter lifespans, and worse overall health especially in low-wealth, Black, and other communities of color in Maryland. These communities have faced more pollution throughout our history and still do today. In South Baltimore, just four pollutants from two waste incinerators cause $97 million worth of health damages every year - and they are just two out of more than 70 polluters in the area.
How does the CHERISH Our Communities Act work?
The CHERISH Our Communities Act will create state-level protections for communities in Maryland that face the most pollution. It is designed to stop this problem from getting worse and to reduce the amount of pollution already in our communities. Here’s how it works:
- The CHERISH Our Communities Act defines the most polluted communities in the state based on scientific data in Maryland’s EnviroScreen tool.
- The CHERISH Our Communities Act defines the most important pollution permits based on experiences of frontline communities across Maryland.
- Several of these types of permits are currently exempt from Maryland’s public participation requirements, meaning residents did not get the chance to weigh in on permit renewals for already-operating facilities - especially many permits to pollute the air. The CHERISH Our Communities Act, for the first time, makes sure the public will get a chance to participate in this process for these permits.
- The CHERISH Our Communities Act ensures that Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) gets the information it needs to make an informed decision on a permit, with a Baseline Understanding of Risk, Disparities, and Environmental Needs (BURDEN) Report.
- Under the CHERISH Our Communities Act, new or expanding facilities that would make pollution worse in an already overburdened community cannot be built, and facilities that already contribute too much pollution must reduce their emissions.
- If a polluter emits more pollution than their permit allows in one of the areas protected by the CHERISH Our Communities Act, they will face higher penalties and the community will receive compensation.
What will change if the CHERISH Our Communities Act passes?
In the most polluted neighborhoods in the state, residents will receive protection from new facilities that would make the pollution problem even worse. Pollution from existing facilities will also have to decrease. Meanwhile, positive development that doesn’t harm people’s health will be free to thrive.
Other states like New Jersey, New York, and Minnesota have already passed and begun to implement similar legislation, but Maryland is falling behind! Contact your legislators and Governor Moore today and urge them to support the CHERISH Act and make Maryland a leader in environmental justice.