HB 897

Electricity Transmission and Distribution, Energy Storage, and Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Fund (Lower Bills and Local Power Act of 2026)

Sponsor: SpeakerCommittee: Environment and TransportationSubject: Utility RegulationStatus: Hearing 2/24 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring an electric company, located in the State, that owns or operates a transmission line that is designed to carry a voltage in excess of 69,000 volts to participate as a member in a regional transmission organization under certain circumstances; requiring a person applying for a certain certificate of public convenience and necessity to include certain information with the application; requiring certain transmission utilities to submit a certain advanced transmission technology implementation report; etc.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (43)

MGA witness list

FAV 34FavorableFWA 7Favorable with amendmentsUNF 1UnfavorableINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Mettle, Katie	Advanced Energy United	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Mauk, Jeff	Ceres	Written (PDF)
FAV	McGilvray, Laurie	Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Coggeshall, Charlie	Coalition for Community Solar Access	Written (PDF)
FAV	DeMarco, Jamie	DeMarco Advocacy	Written (PDF)
FAV	Brown-Burnett, Gloria	Department of Human Services	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bevan-Dangel, Jenniferlobbyist	Economic Action Maryland Fund	Written (PDF)
FAV	Reid, William	FCC - Board of Trustees	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Smith, Virginia	IndivisibleHoCoMD	Position only
FAV	Ratul, Saif	Legislative Office of the Governor	Oral
FAV	Blackfield, Anne	Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD)	Written (PDF)
FAV	McPherson, Lydia	Maryland Department of Natural Resources	Written (PDF)
FAV	Coffman, Eric	Maryland Energy Administration	Oral
FAV	Opsal, Ryan	Maryland Energy Administration	Oral
FAV	Speakes-Backman, Kelly	Maryland Energy Administration	Oral
FAV	Rehr, Rebeccalobbyist	Maryland League of Conservation Voters	Written (PDF)
FAV	Brice, Tyler	Maryland Municipal League	Written (PDF)
FAV	Scarr, Emilylobbyist	Maryland PIRG	Written (PDF)
FAV	Fitzgerald, Garrett	Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lapp, David	Office of People's Counsel	Written (PDF)
FAV	Sharif, Humnalobbyist	The Nature Conservancy	Written (PDF)
FAV	Murray, Davidlobbyist	TurningPoint Energy	Written (PDF)
FAV	McNair, Lee	Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice Ministry	Position only
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Aruna Miller, LT Governor	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Fiastro, Johnlobbyist	Individual	Oral
FAV	Grochowski, Kathy	Individual	Position only
FAV	Held, Karl	Individual	Position only
FAV	Kranz, Rhonda	Individual	Position only
FAV	Outten, Megan	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Seibel, Derek	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Soderstrom, Derek	Individual	Position only
FAV	Speaker, Speaker	Individual	Oral
FAV	Tibbals, Trudy	Individual	Position only
UNF	Meyerovich, Mark	Individual	Position only
FWA	Jones, Brittanylobbyist	BGE	Written (PDF)
FWA	Dutta, Robin	Chesapeake Solar and Storage Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Gramlich, Robert	Grid Strategies LLC	Oral
FWA	Barve, Barve	MD PSC	Written (PDF)
FWA	Tulkin, Joshlobbyist	MD Sierra Club	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Vaughan, Evanlobbyist	Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition (MAREC Action)	Written (PDF)
FWA	Black-Woodson, Allysonlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
INFO	Aroneanu, Phil	Climate United	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Advanced Energy UnitedFAV 1

BGEFWA 1

CeresFAV 1

Chesapeake Solar and Storage AssociationFWA 1

Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Climate UnitedINFO 1

Coalition for Community Solar AccessFAV 1

DeMarco AdvocacyFAV 1

Department of Human ServicesFAV 1

Economic Action Maryland FundFAV 1

FCC - Board of TrusteesFAV 1

Grid Strategies LLCFWA 1

IndivisibleHoCoMDFAV 1

Legislative Office of the GovernorFAV 1

Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD)FAV 1

Maryland Department of Natural ResourcesFAV 1

Maryland Energy AdministrationFAV 3

Maryland League of Conservation VotersFAV 1

Maryland Municipal LeagueFAV 1

Maryland PIRGFAV 1

MD PSCFWA 1

MD Sierra ClubFWA 1

Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition (MAREC Action)FWA 1

Montgomery County Department of Environmental ProtectionFAV 1

Office of People's CounselFAV 1

The Nature ConservancyFAV 1

TurningPoint EnergyFAV 1

Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice MinistryFAV 1

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVBevan-Dangel, JenniferEconomic Action Maryland FundRegistered for: Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition DBA Economic Action Maryland; Humane Society of the United States; Chesapeake Bay Foundation; Humane World for Animals

FAVRehr, RebeccaMaryland League of Conservation VotersRegistered for: Maryland League of Conservation Voters

FAVScarr, EmilyMaryland PIRGRegistered for: Maryland PIRG Citizen Lobby

FAVSharif, HumnaThe Nature ConservancyRegistered for: Nature Conservancy, The

FAVMurray, DavidTurningPoint EnergyRegistered for: TurningPoint Energy

FAVFiastro, JohnRegistered for: Amazon.com Services, LLC; Bayview Management LLC; Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1 MD, VA & DC; Building Decarbonization Coalition; Carbon Solutions Group; Cybersecurity Association of Maryland, Inc.…

FWAJones, BrittanyBGERegistered for: Baltimore Gas and Electric Company

FWATulkin, JoshMD Sierra ClubRegistered for: Sierra Club Maryland Chapter

FWAVaughan, EvanMid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition (MAREC Action)Registered for: Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition Action (MAREC Action)

FWABlack-Woodson, AllysonRegistered for: Pepco Holdings, LLC.; Pepco Holdings, Inc.