BALTIMORE, MD (August 31, 2000) – Maryland’s Oil Spill Prevention Advisory Committee will hold its first meeting this coming Tuesday, Sept. 5 at 2 p.m., at the headquarters of the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), located at 2500 Broening Highway in Baltimore.

Under an Executive Order, Gov. Parris N. Glendening formed the committee in response to the April pipeline break at Potomac Electric Power Company’s Chalk Point Power Plant that sent 126,000 gallons of oil spilling into Swanson Creek marsh and the Patuxent River.

Chaired by MDE Secretary Jane T. Nishida, and appointed by the governor, the Oil Spill Prevention Advisory Committee members are comprised of government, environmental interest organizations, oil transport and utility industries, emergency response organizations, the scientific community and the general public.

The Oil Spill Prevention Advisory Committee has been directed to evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of the programs, standards and resources devoted to oil spill prevention and response that protect the Chesapeake Bay and the state’s other natural resources. The committee will review and analyze the adequacy of state and federal policy, laws and regulations pertaining to oil transport and spill response. The committee is to recommend to the governor by Dec. 31, options for addressing any issues, concerns or problems that surface during the review process and prioritize sensitive areas of risk which are targets for immediate attention.

For a list of meeting dates and times, please contact Greg Sonberg in MDE's Oil Control Program at (410) 631-3386 or toll free within Maryland at 1-800-633-6101 ext. 3386.

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