WHITE MARSH, MD—In a major development for Chesapeake Bay conservation, Maryland state officials have officially denied a controversial request to increase wastewater discharge at the Days Cove Rubble Landfill.
The decision, announced Wednesday following a meeting of the Board of Public Works (BPW), represents a significant shift in the management of the White Marsh facility. Senator J.B. Jennings, who has spent the past several days coordinating with Governor Wes Moore’s administration and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), confirmed that the state will not issue the permit that would have allowed a higher volume of effluent to flow into local waterways.
Halt on Increased Discharge
The proposed permit had drawn intense scrutiny from local residents and environmental advocates. If approved, it would have allowed the landfill to increase its daily discharge of treated leachate into the Bird River and Gunpowder River.
Senator Jennings characterized the MDE’s denial of the permit as a “significant victory” for the community. The senator noted that his discussions with State Treasurer Dereck Davis and MDE leadership focused on the potential environmental impact that increased effluent would have on the already delicate ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay.
A Defined Path to Closure
While the discharge increase was defeated, the Board of Public Works did address the future of the landfill site through a renewed lease agreement with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). However, this new lease comes with strict stipulations designed to phase out the facility’s operations:
- Five-Year Closure Window: The agreement establishes a firm five-year timeline for the physical closure and capping of the landfill.
- Post-Closure Monitoring: Following the capping process, the site will undergo an additional three years of mandatory environmental monitoring.
- Land Reclamation: The ultimate goal of the transition is to return the 113-acre site to a condition suitable for recreational park use within Gunpowder Falls State Park.
Community Advocacy and Cooperation
The outcome follows a period of concentrated bipartisan efforts at both the state and county levels. Senator Jennings highlighted the work of Baltimore County Councilman David Marks, as well as Delegates Ryan Nawrocki and Kathy Szeliga, who collaborated to ensure the Board of Public Works was fully briefed on local concerns…