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Staff summarizes state legislative developments: PFAS sludge restrictions, Edwards Fund progress and homelessness bill stall
Summary
City staff presented a legislative summary from Rich Reinhart (absent) covering the governor's supplemental budget, the George Edwards Fund, several House bills (including ones on unhoused individuals and sewage sludge/PFAS), and potential local impacts from pending state actions.
Hayden presented a summary of state legislative activity on behalf of Rich Reinhart, who was absent for medical reasons. The update covered supplemental budget highlights, several bills of local interest, and specific concerns about proposed restrictions on land application of sewage treatment residuals containing PFAS and PFOA.
Hayden said the governor’s supplemental budget included multiple technical corrections and new appropriations such as additional general fund dollars for developmental disabilities, an appropriation to the Maryland Department of Labor for a family program, and other adjustments. Staff noted reductions in some proposed statewide salary increases and flagged potential shifts of approximately $93 million in costs that could affect local governments; staff said the local impact is still unclear.
On targeted legislation, staff said the George Edwards Fund (a Western Maryland economic development initiative) appeared likely to pass in a discretionary form; the homelessness bills were facing heavy pushback and likely would not make crossover, according to the briefing. Hayden reviewed several House bills by number: HB487 (civil rights/affirmative defense for unhoused individuals), HB1164 (counties/municipalities homelessness local laws), and HB909 (sewage sludge utilization/permits and PFAS/PFOA limits).
On HB909 and related PFAS concerns, Hayden said the bill’s proponents seek to restrict land application of treated sewage residuals and require testing; if residuals test above specified parts‑per‑billion thresholds for PFAS/PFOA they could no longer be land‑applied. Staff warned that such restrictions would increase disposal costs for nearby systems (Hayden cited Cumberland’s treatment plant as an example) and that an individual local processing company currently lacks sufficient capacity to handle the systemwide volume. Hayden said Frostburg and Cumberland were working to negotiate phased amendments with proponents to reduce abrupt cost impacts for ratepayers.
Hayden also noted a business‑to‑business service tax bill with a hearing scheduled the following day and other employment‑related and budget bills the city had tracked. Staff offered to follow up with Rich Reinhart for additional detail and to report back to the council if members had questions.
No formal council action was taken on the legislative briefing; staff asked for guidance on any positions the council wanted relayed to Richmond staff.
