The Maryland Department of the Environment enforces State and federal environmental laws to protect public health and our land, air, water and wetlands resources.
"Enforcement is an important part of what we do to protect public health and keep our communities clean, and we do this with a balanced and common-sense approach,” said Secretary of the Environment Ben Grumbles. “The Department of the Environment works in collaboration with facilities to ensure they are in compliance with all requirements, but we will go after polluters and impose financial penalties when needed. We are committed to changing Maryland for the better – protecting and restoring our environment while providing businesses with clear expectations and a level playing field among the regulated entities."
The majority of the Department’s enforcement and compliance activities involve working with permit holders to correct any minor deficiencies with no formal enforcement action taken or financial penalties assessed. This assistance may be the most efficient method to achieve compliance. If an inspection reveals a significant violation, or if minor violations continue to recur and become a significant problem, then enhanced actions are warranted. Such action may take the form of penalties, corrective orders, the filing of injunctions and, in some cases, criminal sanctions.
The Department took 9,914 enforcement actions in Fiscal Year 2019, as reported in the
Annual Enforcement and Compliance Report. Below are recent enforcement actions brought to a resolution with financial penalties of $10,000 or more.
WATER POLLUTION ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS
State law prohibits the discharge of any pollutant into waters of the State, unless such discharge is in compliance with the terms, conditions, and requirements of a discharge permit. A person must hold a discharge permit issued by MDE before the person may construct, install, modify, extend, alter or operate any facility or disposal system or any other outlet or establishment if its operation could cause or increase the discharge of pollutants into waters of the State.
State law requires that any activity involving earth disturbance over one acre requires a General Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Construction Activity. This permit requires the implementation of an approved erosion and sediment control plan prior to performing earth grading operations as well as self-monitoring inspections of the erosion and sediment controls.
City of Westminster Wastewater Treatment Plant – Carroll County
On May 4, 2020, the department issued $44,600 in stipulated penalties to the City of Westminster to resolve alleged effluent violations from November 2011 through July 2019 at the City of Westminster Wastewater Treatment Plant and for not completing the plant upgrade by the established deadline of January 1, 2017. The penalties have been paid in full.
NIH IWS and TESS Projects, John C. Grimberg Co., Inc. – Montgomery County
On June 16, 2020, the department and John C. Grimberg Co., Inc. settled alleged sediment control and construction stormwater permit violations from March 2018 through June 2019 at the National Institutes of Health Industrial Water System and Thermal Energy Storage System construction projects with a $20,057 penalty payment. The penalty has been paid in full and all alleged violations have been corrected.
City of Frederick Wastewater Treatment Plant – Frederick County
On April 28, 2020, the department issued $12,600 in stipulated penalties to the City of Frederick to resolve alleged effluent violations in 2018 at the City of Frederick Wastewater Treatment Plant. The penalties have been paid in full, all requirements of a consent order between the department and the city have been completed and the consent order has been terminated.
Contact Information
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