Maryland’s first adaptation plan was published in 2008. Maryland has codified an adaptation governance structure, adopted planning requirements for both state and local governments, uses climate-informed considerations for infrastructure investments, and established funding programs to ensure the resilience of the state’s infrastructure and communities. 

Decisions about adaptation priorities are led by the Adaptation and Resiliency Working Group of the interagency Maryland Commission on Climate Change. Day-to-day leadership is provided through the Maryland Office of Resilience, led by the state’s Chief Resilience Officer. Much of the resilient planning and design requirements are driven by the state’s flood risk and coastal hazards (such as sea-level rise). For example, localities affected by nuisance flooding must make plans to address it, and the state applies “Coast Smart” siting and design criteria to state-funded investments through a Department of Natural Resources project review. 

Many components of Maryland’s comprehensive statewide approach to adaptation were originally established through executive order by the governor, and later codified by the state legislature, such as establishing the Chief Resilience Officer position. The overview below provides a more detailed summary of Maryland’s key climate-related risks, the governance framework for overseeing adaptation work at the state level, and central laws and guidelines affecting how adaptation planning, investments, and funding are carried out in the state.

Maryland’s Climate Vulnerability and Risk Profile

Maryland has a diverse landscape, ranging from the beaches and wetlands of the Chesapeake Bay, to the rural and urban interior, all the way to the Appalachian Mountain subranges in the western part of the state. The varying landscape gives rise to diverse climate systems from west to east. Summers are generally hot, humid, and stormy, and winters are moderately cold (summers are milder and winters colder in the western part of the state).^{See footnote 1}  Natural hazards and climate change impacts are also variable across the state. Major concerns include sea-level rise, hurricanes, tornadoes, thunderstorms, precipitation extremes, heat and cold waves, floods, and drought.^{See footnote 2} According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool (RAPT), much of the state has been “Abnormally Dry” or in “Moderate Drought” on average since 2000. RAPT also indicates that coastal flooding risk is moderate to high, and wildfire risk is low.^{See footnote 3} The Chesapeake Bay has historically experienced sea-level rise beyond the global average, and it is one of the most at-risk areas for future sea-level rise in the United States,^{See footnote 4} due in part to local land subsidence.^{See footnote 5} Relative sea level is projected to rise by about a foot by 2050.^{See footnote 6} Increased sea-level rise, combined with extreme precipitation, is expected to lead to more flooding^{See footnote 7} and saltwater intrusion.^{See footnote 8}  Extreme heat and summer droughts are also primary climate change concerns for Maryland.^{See footnote 9} The state has invested in climate adaptation for agriculture in partnership with the University of Maryland^{See footnote 10} and in flooding solutions through the Maryland Commission on Climate Change^{See footnote 11} and state legislation.^{See footnote 12} 

Adaptation Governance in Maryland

Maryland has a robust governance structure in place to oversee adaptation efforts. The state Department of the Environment (MDE) and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) oversee many efforts relating to resilience, but the state has created additional structures and positions to help coordinate adaptation and environmental justice work, as described below.

Maryland Department of Emergency Management

The Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) houses several resilience programs and resources in addition to the state Office of Resilience. The MdReady Preparedness app provides local alerts for extreme weather such as floods, heat, hurricanes, winter storms, and more.^{See footnote 13} Know Your Zone Maryland similarly helps residents identify their evacuation zones in the case of a hurricane.^{See footnote 14} The State Hazard Mitigation Plan, developed by the Hazard Mitigation Branch of MDEM, will be updated by the end of 2026.^{See footnote 15}  This branch also manages and administers mitigation grants available through the state or FEMA (e.g., the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant). MDEM administers the Public Assistance Program, another FEMA grant that includes funding for hazard mitigation.^{See footnote 16} MDEM works with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) through the Baltimore District office, which is headquartered in Baltimore. The USACE Baltimore District supports planning and building for flood risk in Maryland, such as the Baltimore Metropolitan Coastal Storm Risk Management Study and the Atlantic Coast of Maryland Shoreline Protection Project.^{See footnote 17} MDEM and USACE both participate in Maryland Silver Jackets, an interagency preparedness and response team that includes Maryland DNR, MDE, the Maryland Historical Trust, the Maryland State Highway Administration, and other federal agencies, including FEMA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).^{See footnote 18} 

Maryland Office of Resilience, Chief Resilience Officer, and Agency Resilience Liaisons

The Maryland Office of Resilience and position of Chief Resilience Officer (CRO) were established through legislation in 2022^{See footnote 19}  and their duties were elaborated further in 2024 by executive order.^{See footnote 20}  The Office of Resilience, led by the CRO, sits within MDEM and is responsible for coordinating across state agencies and with local governments to “build resilience to risks identified in the Maryland Hazard Mitigation Plan” and for developing and implementing a statewide resilience strategy. The office also oversees administration of federal and state resilience funding, provides technical assistance, ensures effective state coordination (including to improve response after emergency events), and conducts public outreach and education. The office is also directed to prioritize investments in vulnerable communities to address environmental justice goals. The 2024 executive order also establishes Agency Resilience Liaisons for all Executive Branch departments and independent agencies. The Liaisons serve as main points of contact regarding resilience efforts in each department and provide input and expertise to the Office of Resilience and CRO.

Maryland Coastal Zone Management Program (Chesapeake and Coastal Program)

The Maryland Coastal Zone Management Program was established in 1978 following passage of the national Coastal Zone Management Act in 1972.^{See footnote 21} The program is administered by Maryland DNR and is networked among other partner agencies in the state, including MDE.^{See footnote 22See footnote 23} In addition to federal consistency, the program is responsible for coastal planning and project implementation in the state’s coastal zone, which covers two-thirds of Maryland and includes the Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, and Potomac River.^{See footnote 24} The program also administers grants to local partners, such as the Shore Erosion Control program, which offers technical and financial assistance to waterfront property owners facing shoreline erosion.^{See footnote 25} The Chesapeake and Coastal Program also manages the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation funding from NOAA, protecting “important coastal and estuarine areas with significant conservation, recreation, ecological, historical, or aesthetic values that may be vulnerable to conversion.”^{See footnote 26} The program collaborates with Maryland Sea Grant on outreach and tool development for climate change adaptation and education.^{See footnote 27} 

Maryland Commission on Climate Change – Adaptation and Resiliency Working Group

The Maryland Commission on Climate Change (MCCC), together with its working groups, is a multi-stakeholder body that is charged with advising the governor and legislature "on ways to mitigate the causes of, ​p​repare for, and adapt to the consequences of climate change." The MCCC was established through executive order in 2007 and directed to develop a Climate Action Plan that included measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the impacts of climate change.^{See footnote 28} The MCCC working groups include the Adaptation and Response Working Group (now known as the Adaptation and Resiliency Working Group), which developed the adaptation portions of the state's initial Climate Action Plan and continues to oversee adaptation planning efforts, and the Scientific and Technical Working Group, which updates and informs the MCCC on climate change science. The MCCC was expanded in membership and scope by executive order in 2014,^{See footnote 29} and then codified in 2015.^{See footnote 30} In 2022, the MCCC was further expanded to include additional working groups focused on different aspects of energy systems and resilience and the workforce.^{See footnote 31} 

Coast Smart Council

Maryland’s Coast Smart Council, which sits within DNR, is responsible for developing and overseeing siting and design criteria to ensure resilience of state-level investments and infrastructure to sea-level rise and coastal impacts. The Council was established by law in 2014.^{See footnote 32}  It developed its initial “Coast Smart Construction Program” (see Resilient Design Requirements section below) in 2015 and continues to meet quarterly and review the program and the state’s “coast smart” criteria annually.

Critical Area Commission

Maryland’s Critical Area Commission is responsible for issuing regulations that affect development within and preservation of the “critical area” — which includes the shoreline and lands adjacent (buffer areas) to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries in the state. State law recognizes the state’s interest in “developing policies and strategies to better mitigate, prepare for, and adapt to the consequences of climate change along the State’s shorelines, including sea level rise, storm surge, precipitation–induced flooding, and other extreme weather events and to enhance the resilience of the State’s shorelines by identifying, restoring, creating, and conserving existing natural and nature–based features.”^{See footnote 33} 

Maryland Resiliency Partnership

The Maryland Resiliency Partnership — an interagency state-level group that works to better integrate floodplain management, hazard mitigation, and coastal resilience practices — has hosted meetings for local governments and community groups to inform them about programs and resources related to resilience.^{See footnote 34} The Partnership’s website provides a central repository of information, tools, and resources on floodplain management, grants available for hazard mitigation, and more.

Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities

The Maryland Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities advises the state on environmental justice and other related issues affecting communities, including disproportionate effects of climate change.^{See footnote 35} This commission is responsible for collaborating with MDE to adopt a methodology to identify disproportionately impacted communities, develop strategies to address disproportionate impacts and build climate equity, and establish percentage-based goals for state funding that should be used to benefit these communities.^{See footnote 36}  It is also directed to host at least four community listening sessions annually in communities disproportionately affected by health and environmental hazards, ensuring geographic diversity in selecting the locations for listening sessions and rotating meetings.

Climate Data

Maryland state agencies, such as DNR and MDE, commonly collaborate with the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) to inform the development and use of climate data for the state. For example, in 2020, the state and UMD put out an Ocean Acidification Action Plan,^{See footnote 37} and UMCES updates state sea-level rise projections every five years.^{See footnote 38} UMCES has representation on the MCCC, which publishes annual reports on climate adaptation and mitigation for the governor and Maryland General Assembly. MDEM and UMD’s Department of Atmospheric and Ocean Science co-administer Maryland Mesonet, a project that delivers real-time weather data for emergency preparedness.^{See footnote 39} Risk mapping is primarily provided by state agencies and their partners. MDE hosts FEMA’s Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs)^{See footnote 40} and drought information.^{See footnote 41} There is no state-provided heat mapping for Maryland, but the Department of Health (MDH) reports on hospitalizations for extreme heat^{See footnote 42} and cold.^{See footnote 43}  DNR also houses the Maryland Coastal Flood Explorer, an online tool that maps historic floods and future flood risk using sea-level data specific to the state.^{See footnote 44} 

Adaptation Law and Policy in Maryland

Adaptation Planning Requirements

The state law formally codifying the MCCC incorporates the key requirements for the state relating to climate and adaptation planning and decisionmaking. The Commission is required to report annually to the legislature on the state’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change, including identifying any plans or legislative recommendations for the state legislature to consider.^{See footnote 45} State agencies are also required to evaluate their planning, regulatory, and fiscal programs; identify areas to more fully integrate the state’s adaptation goals into these programs; and report on these findings and recommendations annually to the Commission and governor.^{See footnote 46}  Additionally, the Office of Resilience is required to report annually to the governor on the status of state and local resilience efforts, including 1-, 2-, 5-, and 10-year plans for increasing resilience in the state.^{See footnote 47} 

The state is also required to develop and update every five years a plan for addressing the challenges of salinization and saltwater intrusion that are worsening with climate change and sea-level rise.^{See footnote 48} The Maryland Department of Planning, in consultation with DNR, MDE, and the Department of Agriculture, is responsible for developing the plan.

Maryland also has several mechanisms in place under state law to encourage or require resilience-related planning and decisionmaking at the local level. The Commission, through its working groups, is directed to assist local governments in undertaking vulnerability assessments and integrating adaptation strategies into local plans and ordinances.^{See footnote 49} The Office of Resilience and other agencies are also responsible for providing technical assistance to local governments interested in developing their own local resilience plans.^{See footnote 50} 

Local governments of any jurisdictions that experience nuisance flooding are required to develop a plan for addressing this type of flooding and must update these plans at least every five years.^{See footnote 51} Under Maryland law, local governments are authorized to establish Resilience Authorities to more efficiently take in (including through bonds and collecting non-tax-related fees) and distribute funding for large-scale infrastructure projects designed to improve resilience. While not required, having this option available to local governments can encourage more effective local and regional governance for resilience investments.

Resilient Design and Siting Requirements

Maryland requires the application of siting and design standards and specifications to ensure the resilience of state (and in some cases, local or private) projects to certain climate change impacts — particularly sea-level rise, flooding, and other coastal impacts. 

“Coast Smart” Construction

Since 2012, Maryland has required consideration of risk related to sea-level rise, flooding, and extreme weather in the construction or reconstruction of state buildings and facilities, including a minimum freeboard standard of two feet above the 100-year base flood elevation for new and reconstructed state-owned structures.^{See footnote 52} In 2014, state law called for the establishment of a Coast Smart Council within DNR and required the formal development of “coast smart” siting and design criteria for state structures.^{See footnote 53} The coast smart criteria were strengthened and expanded to include new state highway facilities and new or reconstructed local capital projects that use at least 50% state funding, following additional legislation in 2018 and 2019.^{See footnote 54} The 2020 criteria also require that structures and highway facilities be built such that they can withstand the storm surge of a Category 2 hurricane and be elevated above projected storm surge.^{See footnote 55} 

Floodplain Management

MDE produces the state’s Model Floodplain Ordinance that serves as the benchmark for local jurisdictions’ floodplain ordinances.^{See footnote 56} It exceeds the minimum standards set by the National Flood Insurance Program, including by the establishment of a flood protection elevation, which amounts to the base flood elevation (the level of flooding during a one-percent-annual-chance storm event) plus two feet of freeboard. Any new or substantially improved buildings and structures must be elevated to the greater of the flood protection elevation or what is required by the state building code. Critical and essential facilities cannot be located in coastal high hazard areas or floodways, and they must be elevated either to the elevation of the 500-year flood, the model ordinance regulations plus one foot, or the building code (whichever is highest). Near nontidal waters, buildings must be set back 50 to 100 feet from the top of a watercourse (depending on whether the watercourse has special flood hazard areas). Local governments’ floodplain ordinances may deviate from the state’s Model Floodplain Ordinance only after review by MDE. 

Living Shorelines

Since 2008, Maryland has required the use of “living shorelines,” or nonstructural shoreline stabilization methods, in tidal wetland areas whenever feasible. This requirement, established through the state’s Living Shorelines Protection Act, places the burden on property owners to show that nonstructural shoreline stabilization methods are not feasible before adopting an alternative (structural) method to protect the shoreline and prevent erosion.

Adaptation Investments and Funding 

In addition to the laws described above that affect how state standards are building resilience, Maryland has created grant programs designed to fund resilience projects specifically and has integrated climate considerations into other decisionmaking processes that determine what major capital projects are funded. 

In 2021, the state established a Resilient Maryland Revolving Loan Fund for the purpose of providing low- and no-interest loans to support local resilience projects.^{See footnote 57} Local governments and nonprofit organizations are eligible to receive loans from the fund, and the loans may be used to help meet nonfederal match requirements for federal hazard mitigation grants.

In 2016, the Maryland legislature passed the Maryland Open Transportation Investment Decision Act of 2016, which establishes state transportation goals and measures by which the Maryland Department of Transportation is required to score and rank certain major capital projects for inclusion in the Consolidated Transportation Program (the state’s six-year capital budget for transportation projects) and Maryland Transportation Plan (the state’s long-range transportation plan). Increased resilience is among the performance measures used to rank and prioritize projects under the plan’s system preservation goal.

In 2024, the Whole Watershed Act^{See footnote 58} established the Whole Watershed Program, a five-year pilot program aiming to improve watershed health through “pollution reduction, habitat creation, aquatic resource improvements, equitable public access, carbon sequestration, public health enhancements, outreach to overburdened and underserved communities, and more.”^{See footnote 59} The State Management Team approves up to five projects for each five-year program window, and projects are sponsored by land trusts, estuary programs, interdisciplinary resilience networks, and nonprofits. The five selected watersheds must span one urban, one suburban, two agricultural, one multistate, and two in underserved communities. Funds are combined from DNR, MDE, and the Maryland Department of Agriculture. Whole Watershed Program projects increase the state’s resilience through measures such as shoreline stabilization and tree planting, land conservation, workforce development, and nature-based infrastructure.

Statewide Adaptation Planning and Technical Assistance

Maryland’s statewide adaptation planning efforts go back to 2008, when the state developed its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Maryland's Vulnerability to Climate Change, Phase I: Sea-level rise and coastal storms, which was followed in 2011 by the Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Maryland's Vulnerability to Climate Change, Phase II: Building societal, economic, and ecological resilience. Led by MCCC’s Adaptation and Resiliency Working Group, the state has continued to revisit adaptation planning and in 2019 adopted Maryland's Climate Adaptation and Resilience Framework. In 2024 the state adopted its Next Generation Adaptation Plan (NextGen Plan), which builds on the Framework and heavily emphasizes integrating Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) into climate planning. The NextGen Plan is intended to guide the state’s adaptation efforts for the subsequent decade.

In 2019 the state published its Plan to Adapt to Saltwater Intrusion and Salinization, which has since been updated once in accordance with a 5-year update cycle. The plan examines several resources impacted by saltwater intrusion or salinization in Maryland, including aquifers, surface waters, wetlands, and agriculture. For each resource, the plan describes the scientific context, the current knowledge of impacts and concerns, additional research recommended, and potential adaptation strategies.

Multiple agencies in Maryland oversee technical assistance programs, and the state maintains tools to help state and local adaptation efforts. The Office of Resilience developed the Maryland Resilience Toolkit as a centralized searchable repository for users to find state sources of technical assistance, grant and loan programs, tools, and other resources to assist in their adaptation and resilience efforts.^{See footnote 60} 

This summary aims to highlight the notable adaptation and resilience efforts underway in Maryland, but it is not exhaustive. Other adaptation and resilience efforts may be led by other state agencies, localities, and private partners within the state. Source documents and additional resources, many of which are housed in the Adaptation Clearinghouse, are highlighted below.

This research was last updated on October 19, 2026.