SB 371

Water Pollution Control - Discharge Permits - Animal Feeding Operations

Sponsor: Mary Beth Carozza (District 38)Committee: Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentSubject: EnvironmentStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 253 (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Repealing a provision of law requiring a person to hold a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) general discharge permit issued by the Department of the Environment before the person may begin construction on any part of a new CAFO; and authorizing the Department to authorize a person to begin construction on any part of a new animal feeding operation under an approval process established by the Department that requires the person to demonstrate compliance with certain requirements, laws, and regulations.

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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 (46)

MGA witness list

FAV 23FavorableUNF 23Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Molnar, Rusty	Asscociate Broker Real Estate Keller Williams Realty	Oral
FAV	Stegman, Matt	Chesapeake Bay Foundation	Written (PDF)
FAV	Middleton, Graysonlobbyist	Delmarva Chicken Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Middleton, Graysonlobbyist	Delmarva Chicken Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Feindt, Jennifer	Horizon Farm Credit	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Baker, Jeremy	MDE	Written (PDF)
FAV	Nelson, Jen	Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts	Written (PDF)
FAV	Allen, Hannahlobbyist	Maryland Chamber of Commerce	Written (PDF)
FAV	Allen, Hannahlobbyist	Maryland Chamber of Commerce	Written (PDF)
FAV	Palmer, Harrison	Maryland Department of Agriculture	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Baker, Jeremy D	Maryland Department of the Environment	Written (PDF)
FAV	McIlwain, Serena	Maryland Department of the Environment	Oral
FAV	Hough, Tylerlobbyist	Maryland Farm Bureau	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hough, Tylerlobbyist	Maryland Farm Bureau	Written (PDF)
FAV	O'Hara, Molly	Office of Senator Mary Beth Carozza	Written (PDF)
FAV	Snow, Ryanlobbyist	R&R Solutions	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Richards, Annie	ShoreRivers	Written (PDF)
FAV	Carozza, Mary Beth	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Carozza, Mary Beth	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Senator Carozza, Senator Carozzalegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Senator Carozza, Senator Carozzalegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Thompson, Lindsaylobbyist	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Warraich, Waleed	Individual	Oral
UNF	Bassett, Elle	Arundel Rivers Federation	Written (PDF)
UNF	Bassett, Elle	Arundel Rivers Federation	Written (PDF)
UNF	Swanson, Taylor	Assateague Coastal Trust	Written (PDF)
UNF	Dunning, Bryan	Center for Progressive Reform	Position only
UNF	Stegman, Matt	Chesapeake Bay Foundation	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Demiray, Sonia	Climate Communications Coalition	Position only
UNF	Ross, Gabrielle	Concerned Citizens Against Industrial CAFOs (CCAIC)	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Armus, Molly	Friends of the Earth	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Smith, Virginia	IndivisibleHoCoMD	Position only
UNF	Anderson, Patti	Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Olszewski, Marisa	Maryland League of Conservation Voters	Written (PDF)
UNF	Casteel, Rachel	Sentinels of Eastern Shore Health	Written (PDF)
UNF	Payan, Maria	Sentinels of Eastern Shore Health	Oral
UNF	Payan, Michael	Sentinels of Eastern Shore Health	Oral
UNF	Pluta, Matt	ShoreRivers	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	McNair, Lee	Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice Ministry	Position only
UNF	Wilson, Sacoby	University of Maryland	Oral
UNF	Broder, Robin	Waterkeepers Chesapeake	Written (PDF)
UNF	Holcomb, Karen	Individual	Position only
UNF	Meyerovich, Mark	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Peters-Lidard, Christa	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Ruhl, Janet	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Thacker, John	Individual	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Arundel Rivers FederationUNF 2

Assateague Coastal TrustUNF 1

Asscociate Broker Real Estate Keller Williams RealtyFAV 1

Center for Progressive ReformUNF 1

Chesapeake Bay FoundationFAV 1UNF 1

Climate Communications CoalitionUNF 1

Concerned Citizens Against Industrial CAFOs (CCAIC)UNF 1

Delmarva Chicken AssociationFAV 2

Friends of the EarthUNF 1

Horizon Farm CreditFAV 1

IndivisibleHoCoMDUNF 1

Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable FutureUNF 1

Maryland Association of Soil Conservation DistrictsFAV 1

Maryland Chamber of CommerceFAV 2

Maryland Department of AgricultureFAV 1

Maryland Department of the EnvironmentFAV 2

Maryland Farm BureauFAV 2

Maryland League of Conservation VotersUNF 1

MDEFAV 1

Office of Senator Mary Beth CarozzaFAV 1

R&R SolutionsFAV 1

Sentinels of Eastern Shore HealthUNF 3

ShoreRiversFAV 1UNF 1

Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice MinistryUNF 1

University of MarylandUNF 1

Waterkeepers ChesapeakeUNF 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVMiddleton, GraysonDelmarva Chicken AssociationRegistered for: Delmarva Chicken Association

FAVAllen, HannahMaryland Chamber of CommerceRegistered for: Maryland Chamber of Commerce

FAVHough, TylerMaryland Farm BureauRegistered for: Maryland Farm Bureau

FAVSnow, RyanR&R SolutionsRegistered for: Araminta USA; Dorchester County, Maryland; For All Seasons; Maryland Farm Bureau; Talbot Watermen's Association; Tetrus Corp.…

FAVThompson, LindsayRegistered for: Alliance to Prevent Legionnaire's Disease; American Farmland Trust; CropLife America; Delaware-Maryland Agribusiness Association; Denali Water Solutions; Horizon Farm Credit…