Septic Stewardship Act Of 2018

Important Legislation Aids In Bay Restoration Efforts

Note: House Environment and Transportation Committee to Hold Hearing on HB 361 February 23, 2018, 1:00 PM

“This legislation will build on our administration’s remarkable Chesapeake Bay restoration progress, record funding, and common sense regulatory reforms by incentivizing septic system maintenance and agricultural best practices to reduce runoff and protect the Bay.” - Larry Hogan, January 29, 2018

Septic Stewardship Act Of 2018

Governor Hogan’s Proposed Legislation Allows For The State’s Bay Restoration Fund To Be Used To Reimburse Homeowners For The Cost Of On-Site Sewage Systems Pumping, If Their County Creates A Septic Stewardship Program. “Subject to paragraph (8) of this subsection, financial assistance to eligible homeowners for the reasonable cost of pumping out an on-site sewage disposal system once every 5 years; and Transfer 50% of the funds to the Maryland Agriculture Water Quality Cost Share Program in the Department of Agriculture in order to fund cover crop activities. Financial assistance under paragraph (2)(I)5 of this subsection may be provided only if the homeowner resides in a local jurisdiction that has developed a septic stewardship plan that includes provisions to ensure that on-site sewage disposal systems are operated and maintained, including provisions for routine pump-outs and inspections of on-site sewage disposal systems.” (“House Bill 361,” Maryland General Assembly, 1/24/18)

Governor Hogan Has A Strong Record Of Protecting Our Most Precious Natural Asset, The Chesapeake Bay

Governor Hogan: “We will continue to provide record state support and tireless advocacy at the federal level for Bay restoration, and develop innovative policy solutions that encourage all Marylanders to become guardians of our environment.” (Press Release, “Governor Hogan Announces Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Initiatives,” Office Of The Governor, 1/29/18)

Since Taking Office, Governor Hogan Has Committed Over $4 Billion In State Funds Toward Wide Ranging Bay Initiatives. (“Budget Highlights Fiscal Year 2019,” Maryland Department Of Budget And Management, Pg. S1; “Budget Highlights Fiscal Year 2018,” Maryland Department Of Budget And Management, Pg. S1)
Governor Hogan Has Committed Nearly $210 Million Toward The Chesapeake And Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund; Fiscal Year 2019 Marks The Third Year In A Row That The Governor Has Fully Funded This Important Bay Restoration Initiative. (Maryland Department Of Budget And Management)

In 2017, Governor Hogan Pushed For And Enacted The Clean Water Commerce Act Of 2017; Legislation Allows For $10 Million Over Two Fiscal Years Of The Bay Restoration Fund To Be Used To Purchase Nutrient Credits.“After funding any eligible costs identified under item (IV) 1 and 2 of this paragraph, for costs associated with the purchase of cost-effective nitrogen, phosphorus, or sediment load reductions in support of the State’s efforts to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay, not to exceed $4,000,000 in fiscal year 2018, $6,000,000 in fiscal year 2019, and $10,000,000 per year in fiscal years 2020 and 2021.” (“Senate Bill 314,” Maryland General Assembly, 5/4/17)

Governor Hogan’s Enacted Bold, Comprehensive Phosphorus Management Tool Regulations. “The Hogan Administration and lawmakers, together with stakeholders from the agriculture and environment communities, reached consensus on the phosphorus management tool regulations on March 18. Two changes were made to the regulations proposed on February 23. Those changes address key concerns of legislators and the environmental community.” (Press Release, “Consensus Reached On PMT Regulations,” Maryland Department Of Agriculture, 3/19/15)
In A Joint Statement, The Maryland Clean Agriculture Coalition And The Chesapeake Bay Foundation Stated That The Agreement Represented “Progress”; And Was A “Major Accomplishment.” “The Maryland Clean Agriculture Coalition and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation issued a joint statement Wednesday praising the compromise. ‘Our organizations would have liked to have begun using the phosphorus management tool four years ago, as Maryland promised, and as the science dictated. Nevertheless, these revised regulations represent progress toward reducing pollution from agriculture —– which we absolutely must do to protect the Chesapeake Bay and local waterways, as well as public health.’ ‘The Maryland Clean Agriculture Coalition and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation praised the compromise in a joint statement Wednesday evening, calling it ‘a major accomplishment.’ But they warned that their vigilance will continue.” (Rona Kobell, “MD Reaches Compromise On Phosphorus Management Tool,”Bay Journal, 3/18/15; Jenna Johnson, “Hogan, Lawmakers Reach Compromise On Chicken Manure Rules For Farms,”The Washington Post, 3/18/15)
Ann Swanson, Executive Director Of The Chesapeake Bay Commission Noted That Agreement On The Phosphorus Management Tool Regulation Demonstrated “Phenomenal Progress.” “Ann P. Swanson, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, an advisory panel that represents the legislatures of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, said earlier this week that she was confident the sides would reach a deal because they had never been so close. ‘Not so long ago, people were saying there was no science, there was no problem that we had ample capacity to deal with the manure, that our soils were not saturated,’ she said. ‘Now, all sides recognize that we need to change the way we do things. That is phenomenal progress.’” (Rona Kobell, “MD Reaches Compromise On Phosphorus Management Tool,”Bay Journal, 3/18/15)

The Chesapeake Bay Received Its Highest Grade For Water Quality In A Quarter Century

In December 2017, The Chesapeake Bay Program Announced That Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Reached A Near-Record High. “Estimated water quality in the tidal Chesapeake Bay has reached a near-record high. According to preliminary data, almost 40 percent of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries met clean water standards for clarity, oxygen and algae growth between 2014 and 2016. This two percent increase from the previous assessment period is due in large part to a rise in dissolved oxygen in the deep channel of the Bay.” (Catherine Krikstan, “Water Quality In The Chesapeake Bay Approaches Record High,” Chesapeake Bay Program, 12/14/17)

In 2017, The University Of Maryland Center For Environmental Science Released Its 2016 Bay Report Card, Which Showed Improvement From The Report Card Released In 2016. “The overall health of Chesapeake Bay improved in 2016, a positive sign that recovery efforts are working. The largest estuary in the nation scored a C grade (54%) in the 2016 report card, one of the highest scores calculated by scientists at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES). While only a slight improvement, it’s encouraging that the overall health remained steady despite many pressures on the Chesapeake Bay and across its watershed. In addition, fish populations greatly improved to an A (90%). (“Chesapeake Bay Report Card Shows Steady Recovery,” University Of Maryland Center For Environmental Science, 5/8/17)
In 2016, The Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Received Its Highest Grade Since 1992. “The Chesapeake Bay Received a ‘C’ on its latest report card, released Tuesday, its highest score since 1992. ‘In an annual survey of bay conditions, researchers at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science found that water clarity and the prevalence of underwater grasses increased over the past year, while levels of nitrogen pollution fell. Ecosystems in the upper Chesapeake, north of the Bay Bridge, showed significant improvement, though conditions in the Patapsco and Back rivers in and around Baltimore remain poor, the survey found. Scientists say the data shows that efforts to reduce the pollution flowing into the estuary are working.’” (Scott Dance, “Scientists Give Chesapeake Bay Its Highest Environmental Grade Since 1992,” The Baltimore Sun, 5/17/16)