Compromise Reached On Storm-Water Pollution Rules

Deal lets current projects proceed under less stringent rules

Builders, environmentalists and government officials have reached a compromise in a looming legislative fight that threatened to weaken Maryland's new storm-water pollution rules, they said Monday.

The deal, hammered out over more than a week of negotiations, would head off a move by lawmakers in Annapolis to soften or delay by up to a decade the requirements for controlling runoff from development, which are supposed to take effect May 4.

Environmentalists were girding for a major battle to defend the rules, which were written to tackle a significant and growing source of pollution that is fouling streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.

"Not everybody's going to be happy," said Del. Maggie L. McIntosh, chairwoman of the House Environmental Matters Committee, who pushed the feuding parties to work out their differences. But she added, "We have not changed any of the specifications within those regulations - we've just allowed a transition period. And we have, I think, given a little bit more consideration to redevelopment projects."

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