MARYLAND ENVIRONMENT OFFICE SECRETARY GRUMBLES DIRECTS MARYLAND Environmental Service TO TAKE CHARGE OVER BACK RIVER WASTEWATER TRAITMENT PLANT
Maryland Environmental Service will be responsible for overseeing operations at Baltimore City-owned plants to protect public health. This follows the city’s failure of compliance with March 24 orders requiring that it demonstrate that it has met all discharge permit conditions.
BALTIMORE, March 27, 2022 – Maryland Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles today directed Maryland Environmental Service (MES), to assume responsibility for operations at Baltimore City’s Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Secretary Grumbles directed MES the operation, maintenance, improvements, and monitoring of the plant, which is the largest in the State, to ensure Baltimore City meets all its goals, including protecting public and environmental health. The directiveMES must ensure that the plant is operated in compliance with its discharge permit. It also must stop illegal discharges from Back River WWTP.
After Baltimore City failed to follow a previous order by Secretary Grumbles to stop illegal water pollution at the plant, and to show that it is in compliance with all Clean Water Act permit conditions, the directive was issued. The order was issued March 24, following a Maryland Department of the Environment inspection two days prior that revealed the dramatic decline in the functioning of many critical processes at the Plant compared to previous inspections.
Today’s directive states that MDE has determined the risk of catastrophic plant failures due to a decline in proper maintenance and operation. This could cause environmental harm, as well as adverse effects on public health and comfort.
“The ongoing and escalating problems at the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant present an unacceptable threat to the environment and public health, Secretary Grumbles said. I am taking additional, urgent and necessary action by directing Maryland Environmental Service (Metropolitan Environmental Service) to take control of operations at this plant.
As per state law, the directive to MES was issued. MES’ stated mission is to provide operational and technical services to protect and enhance the environment for the benefit of the people of Maryland. MES manages and maintains Maryland’s state-owned water, waste and solid waste management plants.
The Back River plant, which can discharge up to 180 million gallons of wastewater per day, is the largest in Maryland. Baltimore City’s operation at the Back River and Patapsco wastewater treatment facilities and the unauthorized discharge of pollutants, including nitrogen, undermines Chesapeake Bay Restoration efforts by Maryland and other bay watershed state.
On Friday, Secretary Grumbles met with Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott to discuss the Back River and Patapsco wastewater treatment facilities. They discussed the importance and urgent need to improve management of these valuable assets to prevent pollution, protect environmental health, and ensure that they are protected.
MDE filed suit against the City earlier this year seeking civil penalties and an injunction requiring the city take all necessary steps to ensure that the city’s Patapsco and Back River treatment plants are in permanent and consistent compliance to environmental law. MDE discovered numerous violations of the plant discharge permit during inspections at the Back River plant in June, September, and December 2013. The suit was filed in January. This case is still pending.
The MDE order dated March 24 gave the city 48 hours to show compliance with all discharge permit conditions at the Back River plant. MDE conducted a survey on Saturday, 48 hours after the order was served. Follow-up inspectionThe plant. MDE documented that the corrective measures identified in the March 22 inspection were not completed and that there are still numerous violations of conditions in the facility’s discharge permit.
The directive today, citing the applicable sections of state legislation, states: . . The Secretary hereby DIRECTS THAT [MES]Take charge of the Back River WWTP and its operations, maintenance, improvement, and maintenance functions. This will allow Baltimore City to meet the following objectives.
The directive also requires MES to conduct a thorough assessment of the plant’s operation, maintenance, staffing, equipment, and to submit a report to MDE by June 6, 2022 with its findings and recommendations.
# # #