PMT public comment period opens

EASTON — Proposed Phosphorus Management Tool regulations were published Monday in the Maryland Register, which sparked a 30-day public comment period opened by Maryland Department of Agriculture.

Outgoing Gov. Martin O’Malley submitted the regulations to the Administration, Executive and Legislative Review Committee in November, starting the regulations’ implementation process.

“While Maryland farmers have met all of the nitrogen goals under the Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP), there are concerns with obtaining agriculture’s phosphorus goals,” MDA Secretary Earl “Buddy” Hance said in a statement Monday.

“The governor has been committed to adopting the regulations to fulfill Maryland’s commitment to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Maryland’s WIP to update the current phosphorus risk assessment tool (the Phosphorus Site Index),” he said.

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