• DC Home Rule At Risk: A Threat to the Environment

    The District of Columbia has always lived in the shadow of federal power. Unlike states, DC lacks full autonomy over its own budget, policies, and representation. Now, with the National Guard deployed into the city, residents face yet another reminder that their rights and the principles of democracy are treated as optional when it comes…


  • Rising Waters, Rising Urgency

    In late July 2025, torrential weather swept across the I‑95 corridor, from Washington, D.C. to New Jersey. The storms dumped 2–6 inches of rain in under an hour, triggering flash floods across DMV neighborhoods including Bethesda, Parkside and Silver Spring. The devastation was immediate as residents took to social media to show vehicles stranded, basements…


  • Montgomery County Council Agenda Heating UP!

    The Montgomery County Councilmembers saw the rising temperatures and said to themselves, “let’s set a record for how many individual pieces of legislation we can introduce so we can all stay inside.” And with that, we have some advocacy to do from the comfort of our homes and workplaces! Expedited Bill 19-25, Noise Control –…


  • Write Your Elected Officials: We need an Override

    Image and news referenced in banner image: Inside Climate News If we truly want to understand the full impacts of data center development on Marylanders and our environment, State Lawmakers must override Governor Moore’s veto of the Data Center Study Bill. Nature Forward urges you and all of our members to write and call your elected officials to urge…


  • Nature Forward Statement on Climate Vetos

    For Immediate Release – May 22, 2025 For more information, contact Lisa Goodnight at [email protected] or 301-450-1478 or Vince Robinson at [email protected], or 301-450-1458    CHEVY CHASE, MD – Nature Forward issued the following statement in response to Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s veto of critical data center and climate measures: Nature Forward is deeply disappointed in Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s veto of…


  • MoCo’s FY26 Budget

    A screengrab of the Fiscal Year 2026 $7.7B budget across all of Montgomery County.  Source: https://apps.montgomerycountymd.gov/BASISOPERATING/Common/Index.aspx March and April are big months for Montgomery County. March brings Crossover in the General Assembly, and the County Executive’s recommended budget. For those who are unfamiliar, Marc Elrich recommended his budget to the County Council on March 14th,…


  • Say No to New Gas in Maryland

    Angie McCarthy with Senator Brooks, who is championing the Affordable Abundant Clean Energy Act, in Annapolis alongside environmental advocates from Maryland LCV, CCAN, Sierra Club, and others. What is the Issue? Energy has been the focus of Maryland’s General Assembly. Most of Nature Forward’s priority bills this session have championed clean energy and ways we…


  • Nature Forward Building Flood Wise Communities Impact

    Washington D.C., due to its unique location of being surrounded by both the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers, is a hotspot for floods. The last major riverine flooding occurred in 1996; the last major tidal flood occurred in 2003 with Hurricane Isabel. The last interior flood was in 2012 when Federal Triangle had to shut down…


  • Conservation on the Chopping Block

    The Maryland Department of Legislative Services’ proposed funding cuts to the Department of Agriculture, Department of Natural Resources, and Maryland Energy Administration would impact every part of our state and put us behind on our environmental and conservation goals Source: Maryland Protected Lands Dashboard What is on the Line? The Maryland state budget shortfall has…


  • 2025 Maryland General Assembly: Moore than just Energy

    Sine Die Updates: If you have listened to any legislative briefings or skimmed a headline, you know it is the year of energy in the 2025 Maryland General Assembly. But, there is much more than that awaiting us, namely, how Maryland is going to balance the budget. Given the many different moving parts of Assembly,…