Councilman McCormick proposed that the Town petition the local state legislative delegation to ask the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to explore aquifer reallocation or other actions that would protect La Plata’s water allocation and reduce competition with Charles County.

McCormick said the petition would add the town’s delegation to the town’s negotiating position and provide extra leverage with MDE and the county. He said the town faces constraints because some aquifer allocations are shared and that an unfavorable memorandum of understanding (MOU) could expose the town to fast growth driven by water availability. He asked whether the council would direct staff to petition the legislature to act or to seek a formal request through the delegation.

Several councilmembers said staff already have been directed to negotiate with Charles County and are pursuing an Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) and other tools. They characterized the proposal as premature and urged staff to complete the county negotiations before involving the delegation; one councilmember said a petition to the state delegation without a completed local strategy risked undermining county relationships and MDE engagement.

The council did not reach a consensus to move the item to a future agenda (no majority in favor). McCormick may pursue further outreach independently but the council as a body did not direct staff to prepare a petition.