Both Maryland and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have scheduled a series of meetings over the next several months to discuss Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements and the creation of Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs). The WIPs are the plans that will detail how the State and local governments will meet the TMDL nutrient and sediment reduction goals.
The Maryland Tributary Teams will be hosting four meetings to explain the WIPs and seek public comment:
- September 27 from 7:00 – 9:00 PM at South Hagerstown High School Auditorium, 820 Commonwealth Avenue, Hagerstown
- September 30 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at Talbot County Community Center, Wye Oak Meeting Room, 10028 Ocean Gateway (eastbound US Route 50), Easton,
- October 4 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at Maryland State Fair Grounds, DNR Building/State Fair Museum, 2200 York Road, Timonium
- October 6 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at Prince George’s Soil Conservation District, 5301 Marlboro Race Track Road, Upper Marlboro
PRIOR TO EACH WIP MEETING, THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL ONE-HOUR BRIEFING FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHERE LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS MAY ASK QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE INPUT RELATIVE TO THEIR COUNTY OR MUNICIPALITY. The Hagerstown local government briefing will start at 5:30 PM. All other briefings start at 5:00 PM.
In addition, the EPA will be hosting three regional meetings in the State to discuss TMDL requirements and seek public comment:
- October 12 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM at The Easton Club, 28449 Clubhouse Drive, Easton
- October 13 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM at The Sheraton Annapolis, 173 Jennifer Road, Annapolis
- October 14 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM, Hagerstown Hotel and Convention Center, 1901 Dual Highway, Hagerstown. This meeting will also be available through webinar participation.
[...] previously reported on Conduit Street, the State has scheduled a series of four public meetings to discuss the Phase I WIP across the [...]
[...] August 25 Conduit Street post on Public WIP and TMDL Regional Meetings - post includes meeting information [...]
[...] On September 24, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the draft Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load ( TMDL), a “pollution diet” that will set binding limits on nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment throughout the 64,000-square-mile watershed to meet clean water standards for the Bay and its tidal tributaries and help restore local rivers and streams. A 45-day public comment period has begun and EPA will be holding 18 public meetings in all six states and the District of Columbia. Complete information on the meetings, including venues, directions and webinar registration links, can be found on the Bay TMDL website at http://www.epa.gov/chesapeakebaytmdl or in previous Conduit Street posts. [...]