Committee advances bill expanding living‑shoreline rules and tightening waiver process

The House Environment and Transportation Committee advanced House Bill 613 after adopting amendments that expand nonstructural shoreline stabilization requirements to expressly include living shorelines and tighten the waiver process.

Chair Stein reported the subcommittee recommended the bill favorable with amendments. As amended, HB 613 applies existing nonstructural shoreline stabilization requirements to living shorelines, requires the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to visit a requested waiver site within 45 days of a waiver request, requires MDE to provide written notice of a waiver request to the local soil conservation district so that the district may make recommendations, and directs MDE to develop and publish a scoring system to evaluate waiver requests on its website.

Why it matters: Supporters said the change clarifies that living shoreline approaches fall under nonstructural stabilization rules and improves oversight and transparency for waiver decisions. Committee discussion noted the bill was amended to align with existing statutory processes and to avoid creating separate approval tracks in certain counties.

Procedure and outcome: The committee adopted the amendments on a voice vote and moved the bill as amended; the measure was recorded as now statewide and cosponsors were listed.

What happens next: The bill will move forward with the amended waiver procedures; MDE will be responsible for site visits and publishing the waiver scoring system if enacted.