By most measures, the environment emerged from the Maryland General Assembly session as a big winner with the passage of a number of bills designed to curb pollution and encourage renewable energy usage.

In addition to cleaning up vehicle emissions, lawmakers approved a handful of bills designed to stem the tide of pollutants that end up in the Chesapeake Bay from stormwater runoff and treated wastewater.

Under the Stormwater Management Act of 2007, the state will craft regulations to mandate environmentally friendly stormwater management techniques in new construction and require local governments to revise their zoning laws with an eye toward environmental protection. Another bill prohibits the sale of dishwashing machine detergent that contains phosphorus, the second biggest chemical pollutant in the Chesapeake Bay after July 1, 2010.

The bills were passed in anticipation of the area’s expected growth due to the military’s base realignment and closure program.

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“[The stormwater management bill] was sort of a sleeper bill,” said Cindy Schwartz, executive director of the League of Conservation Voters. “But it’s a really important bill as the state grows, particularly around BRAC — we have to be thinking about stormwater. It’s critical.”

Lawmakers also agreed to a handful of bills designed to expand the use of alternative energy sources, both at the state level and in the private sector. Companies can apply to the Public Service Commission for the creation of a wind-powered electric generation facility to serve broader areas of the state. Another bill requires the Public Service Commission to add more solar energy generation capability to the state’s energy supply.

Despite a rocky start in the Senate, lawmakers also eventually approved a bill that added products to the state’s list of items that must meet certain energy efficiency standards. Electronic devices like DVD and CD players and large appliances like home furnaces were among the items added.

“Our goals for next year will be working to pass the Green Fund, and we were disappointed the global warming solutions bill didn’t get more traction,” Schwartz said, citing two pieces of legislation that failed to win approval this year. “I’m assuming that [global warming] is going to be a big bill next year … [and] we’ll be working … to expand the renewable energy portfolio — we’d like to see it increased.”

stracy@baltimoreexaminer.com