The Maryland Department of the Environment awards CO₂ offset allowances for projects that demonstrate real, additional, verifiable, enforceable and permanent avoidance of CO₂ emissions or reduction of atmospheric CO₂ levels. These projects may be located in any participating RGGI state, or other approved jurisdiction. Additional information, including specific project standards, may be found under COMAR 26.09.03

Regulations pertaining to offset projects may be found here under COMAR 26.09.03, Offset Projects.

A consistency application must be submitted to MDE within six months of commencing the offset project (one year for carbon sequestration projects). Any application failing to meet these deadlines shall result in denial of the application and continued ineligibility of the project. Applications and technical support documents for each project type may be obtained below:

• Landfill Methane Capture and Destruction
• Reduction or Avoidance of CO2 Emissions from Natural Gas, Oil, or Propane End-Use Combustion due to End-Use Energy Efficiency
• Avoided Methane Emissions from Agricultural Manure Management Operations
• Reduction in Emissions of Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6)
• Carbon Sequestration: Reforestation
• Consistency Application
• Monitoring and Verification Report 
• Carbon Sequestration: Improved Forest Management
• Consistency Application
• Monitoring and Verification Report
• Carbon Sequestration: Avoided Conversion
• Consistency Application
• Monitoring and Verification Report

Parties interested in becoming Accredited Independent Verifiers for the offset program should review the qualifications listed in COMAR 26.09.03.08​ and submit the Offset Verifier Application for Accreditation, documents to the Maryland Department of the Environment. MDE will either approve or deny complete applications within 45 days of submission. The Accredited Offset Verifier Pre-Engagement Disclosure Submittal must be submitted to MDE prior to engaging in verification services for each offset project.