What

Visit to MDE’s Hagerstown Field Office -- MDE Secretary Shari T. Wilson recognizes MDE Field Office employees as part of Public Employee Recognition Week, briefs Hagerstown Public Works staff on MDE’s recently released nutrient trading policy, and tours wastewater treatment plant and storage tank construction.

Meeting with City of Hagerstown Public Works Department – Secretary Wilson will meet with staff to discuss the following:

MDE’s Nutrient Credit Trading Policy is a creative and innovative approach to managing point sources nutrient load caps. The Policy addresses both the need to achieve early nutrient load reductions from point sources through enhanced nutrient removal upgrades and the need to address new or increased point source nutrient loads associated with a growing population. The need to address planned growth is met through various environmentally sensitive offset/trading options and requirements outlined in the Policy. Secretary Wilson will discuss this new policy and how it benefits the City of Hagerstown.

ENR Upgrades/Enhancement – The City of Hagerstown, through a grant from the Bay Restoration Fund, began the process of upgrading the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to Enhanced Nutrient Reduction (ENR) in July, 2008. The upgrade is scheduled to be completed in November, 2010. Secretary Wilson will tour the WWTP and the Public Works staff will provide an update on how the upgrade is proceeding.

April 2009 Finished Water Storage Guideline -- The West End Reservoir has a capacity of 11 million gallons, and serves the City’s base zone. Hagerstown plans to replace it with two storage tanks; the Phase I tank (6.4 MG) is scheduled for completion in December 2008, and the Phase II tank (6.4 MG) is under design. Secretary Wilson will tour the construction site and the Public Works staff will update the Secretary on the project.

Who

MDE Secretary Shari T. Wilson

When

Thursday, May 8, 2008
1:45 – 2:45 p.m. Visit to MDE’s Hagerstown Field Office

3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Meeting with Hagerstown Public Works Staff

Where

Secretary Wilson will be available to talk with media by appointment. Please call 410-537-3003 to arrange an interview.

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