New Maryland Biofuels Task Force Targets Economic, Environmental Wins for Maryland

April 22, 2025

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(Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition) The Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition (GWRCCC) has launched the Maryland Biofuels Task Force to help the state meet the goals of the Climate Solutions Now Act (CSNA) of 2022, which requires a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2006 levels by 2031, and net-zero emissions by 2045.

The initiative is driven by preliminary research that quantifies the costs and benefits of increasing the use of higher biofuel blends and impact on the state’s strategic resiliency and the economic, energy, and environmental security of its residents.

Key highlights from the initial research include:

• Economic Security & Agricultural Growth: The transition to biofuels could help stimulate Maryland's economy through value-added agricultural processing, offering a potential strategy to offset the state’s $3 billion budget shortfall.

• Food & Farmland Protection: Supporting the state’s agricultural markets may enhance food security, stabilize food prices, and prevent increased carbon emissions from converting farmland into residential, commercial, or industrial power generation projects.

• Fuel Cost Savings: Increased biofuel supply is currently saving Maryland drivers approximately $569 million annually—an estimated 20 cents per gallon.

• Emissions Reductions: The use of higher biofuel blends could cut 3.2 million metric tons of carbon emissions each year—equivalent to removing nearly 800,000 vehicles from the road—helping close the emissions gap in meeting CSNA goals.

• Legacy Engine Compatibility: Biofuels offer a near-term solution to reduce emissions from every internal combustion engine manufactured since 2001 (which accounts for 97% of gasoline sold), as well as from new ICE and hybrid vehicles sold in the coming decade.

• Health & Climate Savings: The shift to biofuels could save the state an estimated $3.4 billion annually—or $44 billion over five years—through reduced public health costs, lower climate-related economic losses, and decreased carbon pollution.

The Maryland Biofuels Task Force, led by GWRCCC, unites government leaders, industry experts, and environmental advocates. The task force’s mission is to identify challenges, gather input from stakeholders, and develop a roadmap and "goalkeeper scorecard" to integrate biofuels into Maryland’s current state agency economic, energy, and environmental sustainability policies, plans, and future strategies.

“Our initiative directly supports the Climate Solutions Now Act. The road to achieving Maryland’s carbon reduction goals needs to be paved with cleaner fuels in all legacy and new internal combustion engines while the state’s transition to more EVs continues. We are excited to announce that Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks has agreed to host a briefing by our Organizing Committee to kick off our yearlong fact-finding mission and stakeholder engagement campaign," said Antoine Thompson, Executive Director of the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition.

For more information or to participate in upcoming Maryland Biofuels Task Force meetings, contact Burl Haigwood, GWRCCC Task Force Coordinator, at burlhaigwood@gwrccc.org READ MORE

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Under the landmark 2022 Climate Solutions Now Act, Maryland has committed to achieving a 60 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2031 and net zero by 2045.

Three specific bills currently in the state house have prompted many to question whether Maryland is reversing course on climate action.

At the heart of the conflict is the Next Generation Energy Act (Senate Bill 937), a bill that creates a fast-tracked procurement process for “dispatchable energy generation”—shorthand for systems that can be adjusted to meet demand, such as gas and nuclear plants.

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Another provision in the bill allows large industrial customers—those with over 100 megawatts of energy demand, such as data centers—to contract directly with new or expanded gas plants, bypassing public ratepayer protections and traditional grid interconnection requirements.

Mike Tidwell, executive director at Chesapeake Climate Action Network, criticized the Next Generation Energy Act, describing it as “utterly contrary to two decades of clean energy progress in Maryland.”

“It is tragic that the Maryland General Assembly, with a historically pro-climate Democratic trifecta and supermajorities in both chambers, is talking about lighting frack gas on fire to keep the lights on in the year 2025,” Tidwell said.

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“It is an egregious proposal to eliminate any public input or input from counties, municipalities, citizen groups, community groups, environmental justice groups,” said Kim Coble, executive director the Maryland League of Conservation Voters.

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Maryland’s commitment to adopting ACC II regulations was set in motion last year, positioning the state as a leader in clean transportation policy. However, SB 1020 could derail that progress by delaying the implementation of stricter standards.

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