Maryland leaders question plan to treat contaminated wastewater in Dundalk

BALTIMORE — The Maryland Division of the Setting is making an attempt to guarantee the general public that the plan to deal with two million gallons of water contaminated by a prepare derailment in Palestine, Ohio, poses no hazard to the state, however native leaders nonetheless have questions.

In an announcement, division employees mentioned that the extent of contaminants within the water “are so low that the water will not be thought-about to be hazardous waste.”

These contaminants “will probably be absolutely eliminated” in the course of the remedy course of, employees mentioned.

Metropolis leaders discovered on Thursday that pretreated wastewater can be despatched to the Again River Wastewater Therapy Plant—a city-run facility based mostly in Dundalk, Maryland. 

The town-run facility, positioned in Baltimore County, has been underneath non permanent state management as a result of compliance and allow points. Final week, an explosion occurred on-site at a contractor constructing, however nobody was injured.

The method of overseeing the contaminated water will probably be overseen by the state, division employees mentioned. 

“The Maryland Division of the Setting will proceed to train regulatory oversight of the Again River Wastewater Therapy Plant and can work intently with Baltimore Metropolis and Baltimore County officers to observe the remedy course of and shield each public well being and the setting,” Maryland Division of the Setting spokesman Jay Apperson mentioned. “We will even proceed to work with the federal authorities to make sure now we have the sources and staffing wanted to deal with remedy.”

Mayor Baltimore Scott and Baltimore County Government Johnny Olszewski mentioned on Friday that they view the state of affairs as a sign that the troubled Again River plant is heading in the right direction. 

As of Friday, the Ohio EPA reported that round eight million gallons of wastewater have been hauled out of city. 

Now, native leaders are in search of a authorized opinion from the legal professional basic and have raised considerations with federal officers about being left at midnight. 

“That’s one thing I’ve raised to the best ranges of the federal authorities: that we must always have higher communication over issues like this—and we all know that we are able to and can sooner or later,” Scott mentioned.

In Baltimore County, delegates Kathy Szeliga (R) and Ryan Nawrocki (R) issued a joint assertion on Friday during which they rejected the poisonous waste.

“As a member of the Setting and Transportation Committee, I’ve heard numerous hours of testimony concerning the continuous failures on the Again River Wastewater Therapy Plant in Dundalk,” Nawrocki mentioned. “This remedy plant has a historical past of sewage overflows. They definitely shouldn’t be trusted to course of poisonous waste into Maryland’s best pure useful resource.”

“That’s one thing I’ve raised to the best ranges of the federal authorities: that we must always have higher communication over issues like this—and we all know that we are able to and can sooner or later,” Scott mentioned.

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) mentioned he, too, was in search of instant solutions from the EPA, resembling the way it got here round to the conclusion that they will guarantee the well being and security of Marylanders won’t be put in danger.

“I have been in touch with them and native officers in Baltimore Metropolis and County,” Van Hollen mentioned. He mentioned that no plan ought to be finalized till native leaders are capable of get passable solutions.