MDE is committed to assuring public participation and stakeholder involvement in all the Department's activities through numerous programs that encourage pu​blic participation and public responsibility in order to achieve Maryland's public health and environmental protection goals. Some of these programs and activities are:

• MDE Public Meeting Calendar
• Clean Air Partners
• Water Conservation
• Flood Hazard Mitigation
• Recycling
• E-cycling
• Scrap Tire Program
• Public Service Opportunities
• Kids Pages
• Pollution Prevention
• TMDL
• Environmental Justice
• A Citizen’s Guide to Information Meetings and Public Hearings
  

Another key area in citizen participation is promoting environmental justice and developing private and intergovernmental partnerships.

MDE routinely seeks broad stakeholder review and comment on reports it plans to publish, on permit applications, and on specific environmental concerns affecting the State. Through public hearings and meetings, MDE engages a wide range of stakeholders, including environmental and public health advocacy groups, citizen groups, elected officials, agency advisory groups, business leaders, educators, scientists, natural resources users, among many others. (See the MDE Calendar for scheduled meetings and hearings.) MDE makes its reports and publications available to the citizens of Maryland using a variety of outreach tools, which include direct mailings, agency Internet site, public libraries, and organization newsletters, among others.​​