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Senate committee hears dispute over voluntary remediation closure after multi‑million dollar cleanup; bill held for further work
Summary
Senate Bill 349, which would clarify when IDEM may grant closure under the Voluntary Remediation Program if neighboring landowners refuse environmental restrictive covenants, drew extended testimony and was held for further work rather than voted out of committee.
Senate Bill 349 prompted extended testimony and debate over the state’s Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) and the use of environmental restrictive covenants (ERCs) to control exposure after a cleanup. The committee did not take a final vote and the bill was held for further work.
Representatives for AutoCar and affiliate Hagerstown Land described a long cleanup at a former industrial site in Hagerstown that they say otherwise meets VRP requirements but is blocked from final closure because some neighboring private property owners will not accept ERCs. Miriam Dant, representing AutoCar, said the company and its insurer have spent “around $8,000,000 on remediation costs to date” and that 30 of 36 affected parcels had signed restrictive covenants while six property owners refused. Dant asked the legislature for clarification so that a successful remediation is not stalled by a few landowner refusals.
AutoCar’s…
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