Maryland Executive Order 01.01.2026.10: In-State Wood for Public Construction

EXECUTIVE ORDER 01.01.2026.10

Use of In-State Wood for Publicly Funded State Construction Projects

WHEREAS, Maryland’s nationally acclaimed Sustainable Forestry Act of 2009 recognizes the ecological importance of sustainably managed forests to the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed;

WHEREAS, Maryland's forest industry is integral to the sustainable management of the State's forest system which encompasses approximately 41 percent -- about 2.6 million acres – of the State's total land acreage and operates under rigorous State and federal regulatory oversight;

WHEREAS The forest products industry generates an estimated $4 billion in total economic impact annually, supports between 13,000-18,000 jobs, and represents a vital manufacturing sector that underpins many of Maryland's rural economies;

WHEREAS Maryland's forest industry faces significant global market pressures, including trade disruptions, tariffs, volatile shipping costs and intense international competition, all of which threaten the long-term economic viability of this critical resource-based industry;

WHEREAS, Timber growth in Maryland consistently exceeds timber harvests, meaning that the State's forests add more wood volume each year that is removed through harvesting or land-use conversion, reflecting sustained forestry recovery and sound forest management practices;

WHEREAS, Maryland spends billions of taxpayer dollars annually on State and local public construction projects in which wood products are frequently specified, and increased reliance on, or preference for, in-State wood, i.e. wood grown and harvested in Maryland, can reduce overall project costs.

NOW THEREFORE, I, WES MOORE, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND, BY VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME BY THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF MARYLAND, HEREBY DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES, IN COORDINATION WITH THE DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE, COMMERCE AND NATURAL RESOURCES, TO TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE AND NECESSARY STEPS TO PROMOTE THE USE OF IN-STATE WOOD WHEN WOOD IS A REQUIRED, PREFERRED, OR OPTIMAL BUILDING MATERIAL AND/OR ACCESSORY TO CONSTRUCTION, IN ALL PUBLICLY FUNDED STATE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THIS DAY FORWARD.

GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND THE GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND, in the City of Annapolis, this 1st day of June, 2026.

Wes Moore Governor

ATTEST:

Susan C. Lee Secretary of State