Washington, DC — After over a decade of campaigning by groups fighting trash incinerators, the Maryland General Assembly has removed trash incineration from the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). This ends Maryland’s practice of providing subsidies to companies that burn trash to create electricity under the state’s premier climate program.

A broad coalition of grassroots organizations led the legislative effort to remove incineration from the RPS, including South Baltimore Community Land Trust, Clean Water Action, Progressive Maryland, Food and Water Watch, Coal-Free Curtis Bay, Zero Waste Montgomery County, Sugarloaf Citizens Association, and Frederick Zero Waste Alliance.

Over the years, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) has provided important data analysis, research, and reports to legislators and community groups advocating for the removal of incineration from the RPS. Burning trash to produce electricity releases high levels of greenhouse gases, toxic air pollutants, and toxic ash, undermining Maryland’s climate goals and endangering public health.

“Removing incineration from the RPS will allow state subsidies to go to healthier renewable energy choices,” says PEER’s Executive Director Tim Whitehouse. “This is good for the climate, public health, and the environment.”

Last year, PEER, Clean Water Action, and Progressive Maryland published a report, Maryland’s Clean Energy Subsidies are Going Up in Flames. Classification of Trash Incineration as “Renewable” Hurts the Climate and Consumers.

The report found that between 2012 and 2022, Maryland energy providers spent about $100 million subsidizing trash incinerators through Maryland’s RPS. The report also found that between 2023 and 2030, Maryland energy providers would likely provide an additional $200 million subsidizing trash incineration.

These figures were cited by the bills’ sponsors as a reason to support removing incineration from the RPS, so that those funds could be better directed to cleaner renewal energy sources.

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Read Maryland’s Clean Energy Subsidies are Going Up in Flames. Classification of Trash Incineration as “Renewable” Hurts the Climate and Consumers

Review PEER’s 2025 Report, Maryland’s Renewable Electricity Program Fails to Deliver