Opinion ID: 2318832
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Maryland's New Standing Requirements

Text: In 2009, the Legislature adopted amendments to the Maryland Code that changed the standing requirements for challenging certain environmental permits. Maryland Code (1982, 2007 Repl.Vol., 2010 Supp.), Environment Article § 5-204(f). Under prior Maryland standing principles, a challenger had to be aggrieved by an agency or board action in order to bring and maintain a judicial review challenge. Maryland Code (1982, 2007 Repl.Vol.), Environment Article § 5-301(g) (providing the standing requirements for contested case hearings), Maryland Code (1982, 2009 Repl.Vol.), Environment Article § 10-222(a) (providing the standing requirements for judicial review of contested cases), Bryniarski v. Montgomery Cnty., 247 Md. 137, 143, 230 A.2d 289, 294 (1967). The former standard made it difficult for environmental organizations to establish standing to challenge environmental permits because an organization was required to have a distinct and separate property interest from its members. Medical Waste Assocs. v. Md. Waste Coalition, Inc., 327 Md. 596, 612, 612 A.2d 241, 249 (1992). The 2009 amendments, however, provided that any person could seek judicial review of a covered final permit determination by the MDE as long as he/she/it met the threshold standing requirements under federal law and participated in the public comment process, unless there was no opportunity for public comment. Maryland Code (1982, 2007 Repl.Vol., 2010 Supp.) Environment Article § 5-204(f).