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County plans $1.75 million wetlands mitigation project at Tanner Farm to resolve long‑standing permit deficit
Summary
Public works staff described a multi‑year obligation to create replacement wetlands; the FY26 capital plan includes $1.75 million for Tanner Farm mitigation construction to address previously unfulfilled mitigation acres and avoid future permit holds.
Queen Anne's County public works staff told the Board of Commissioners April 1 that the county has a legacy obligation to create forested wetlands to offset prior permitted impacts and that a proposed Tanner Farm mitigation project is programmed in the FY26 capital plan.
Staff said the county previously attempted mitigation at a separate site (the Greenberg Site) but only about half the acreage was effective, leaving a deficit. "Ultimately, there was a deficit of wetlands which needed to be created," a public works official said, describing the obligation as carried for many years and noting that failure to complete mitigation could hold up permits for future county projects.
The FY26 capital request includes $1,750,000 for Tanner Farm wetland construction; staff said the proposed mitigation site is sized to exceed immediate needs so any surplus could be applied to future impacts. "It's a very important project," a public works planner said, adding that the site selection and state concurrence took many years.
Why it matters: the county's inability to complete required mitigation could affect future permitting for trails and other projects, so completing the mitigation reduces a regulatory bottleneck. The project is moderately large and will require coordination with Maryland Department of the Environment and other state agencies.
Next steps: staff said design and permitting work are underway and that the Tanner Farm project should advance to construction when state approvals and funding scheduling align.
