At its meeting on August 19, 2026, the Critical Area Commission for the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays granted the Commission staff permission to forward draft regulations to the Administrative, Executive and Legislative Committee (AELR) for review. These regulations are not final, but have only begun the formal rulemaking process. They will be published in a future edition of the Maryland Register. Please check back for further updates.

A copy of the draft regulations can be found here. These regulations constitute amendments to COMAR Title 27, Subtitle 01, Chapter 12, Variances. They are reflective of the updates to the Natural Resources Article that was amended by the Maryland General Assembly during the 2026 legislative session. Information of the bill​ can be found here​​.

Please contact Lisa Hoerger at [email protected] or at (410) 260-3478 with any questions or comments. The formal public comment period has not yet begun, but Commission staff welcome any questions or comments at this time.

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