HB 1296 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Environment - Managed Aquifer Recharge Pilot Program - Establishment

HB 1296 establishes a pilot program to test using treated wastewater for groundwater recharge in Maryland. The bill authorizes the Department of the Environment to review and permit demonstration facilities that treat reclaimed water to strict quality standards (including PFAS limits and pathogen reduction) for testing groundwater augmentation. It directly affects water treatment facilities and localities facing anticipated groundwater issues like saltwater intrusion or land subsidence within the next 25 years. The program requires facilities to prove they address specific groundwater problems, meet federal and state water quality standards, and undergo testing before permits are issued. This is strictly a testing phase for feasibility, not permanent implementation.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics: Water Quality Drinking Water

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Feb 7, 2025 Signed May 13, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Environment - Managed Aquifer Recharge Pilot Program - Establishment → Third - Environment - Managed Aquifer Recharge Pilot Program - Establishment · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was advanced from first to third reading with amendments that expanded the scope of sections repealed and added new definitions for groundwater augmentation. The bill now prohibits groundwater augmentation except under specific circumstances established by the new pilot program, and adds more environmental code sections to be repealed and reenacted.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from establishing a pilot program to also prohibiting groundwater augmentation outside the pilot program framework, and the list of repealed code sections was significantly expanded to include additional environmental protection statutes.

SCOPE

Added language prohibiting groundwater augmentation except under the pilot program circumstances, making the pilot program the exclusive pathway for this activity.

REQUIREMENT

Expanded the list of Maryland code sections being repealed and reenacted from 9 sections to 17 sections, including new sections 7-201 and 9-101 related to hazardous substances and sewerage systems.

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for 'Federal act', 'Hazardous substance', 'Discharge', 'Industrial user', 'Pollutant', 'Sewerage system', 'Aquifer', 'Confined aquifer', and 'Demonstration facility' to clarify regulatory requirements.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified the list of permit types in Section 1-601 to add managed aquifer recharge pilot permits as a distinct category, requiring separate permitting under the new program.

TECHNICAL

Added explanatory notes about formatting conventions (capital letters, brackets, underlining, strikeouts) to help readers understand amendments to existing law.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 15, 2025 · House of Delegates Mar 9, 2025

How they voted

46–0

Passed

Total votes 46

Mar 15, 2025

D Democratic33

33 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican13

13 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 13, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 474

executive

Apr 2, 2025

Lower · Passed

Returned Passed

lower

Apr 2, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Adopted

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Committee

Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 17, 2025

Introduced

Floor Amendment {

lower

Mar 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Motion Special Order until 03/17 (Delegate Chisholm) Adopted

lower

Mar 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Mar 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Environment and Transportation

lower

Mar 15, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (46-0)

senate

Mar 9, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (103-35-2)

house of delegates

Feb 7, 2025

Committee

First Reading Environment and Transportation

lower

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors