Carbon Dioxide Capture, Removal, and Sequestration Projects - Regulations and Standards for Biochar and Wood Vault Technologies
HB0817 requires the Maryland Department of the Environment, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, to adopt regulations and standards by January 1, 2028 for permitting certain carbon removal, dioxide capture, removal, and sequestration projects. The bill focuses specifically on projects that use biochar or wood vault technologies and that are certified by an internationally recognized third-party certification body. The stated purpose is to create a permitting framework tailored to carbon removal practices rather than relying on existing solid waste regulations.
The bill also directs each State agency to use available funding sources to support carbon removal projects that meet the bill’s certification criteria. In effect, it establishes a state-level policy preference for funding and permitting carbon removal activities that can demonstrate recognized third-party verification, while leaving the details of the regulatory standards to the Department of the Environment.
The bill would add a new section to the Environment Article requiring the Department of the Environment to create permitting regulations and standards for certified carbon removal projects using biochar or wood vault technologies, and it would require coordination with the Department of Agriculture. It also imposes a statewide funding directive on State agencies to seek available funding sources for qualifying carbon removal projects. This would affect environmental permitting, agricultural coordination, and state procurement or grant-funding practices related to carbon sequestration and climate mitigation projects.
The available bill history suggests generally favorable treatment, as the House committee reported the bill favorably with amendments and the House adopted it on second reading. The bill’s framing indicates support for expanding carbon removal options and creating a more suitable regulatory pathway for these technologies. No recorded votes or committee transcript objections are provided, so the overall sentiment appears positive but not fully documented in the available materials.
The main policy issue identified in the bill text is the claim that applying solid waste regulations to carbon removal is unsuitable, which implies a desire to replace or avoid existing regulatory treatment. Potential points of contention include whether the Department of the Environment should create a specialized permitting regime, whether biochar and wood vault projects should receive preferential state funding, and whether third-party certification should be required as a condition of regulation and support. Because no committee transcript is available, the specific objections or supporters are not identified in the record provided.