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House advances changes to Bay Restoration Fund priorities for septic upgrades; map shows some Western Maryland coverage
Summary
Delegates amended priorities for septic upgrade funding from the Bay Restoration Fund and debated which failing systems would qualify. Lawmakers discussed a statewide map identifying watershed areas most effective for nitrogen reductions; the bill was later passed on third reading.
House Bill 131, which revises priorities for funding from the Bay Restoration Fund’s septic system upgrade program, was discussed on the floor Thursday with questions about how the change would affect Western Maryland counties.
The measure moves certain priorities within the program: after priority for failing systems in the Chesapeake Bay critical area, it adds a tier for failing systems in watershed areas where upgrades are most effective at reducing nitrogen. It also places failing systems in the 500‑year floodplain and other systems that threaten public health or water quality into revised priority order.
Why it matters: The Bay Restoration Fund supports septic upgrades to reduce nitrogen pollution entering the Chesapeake Bay. Changing funding priorities alters which failing septic systems will receive scarce state assistance and may shift who receives early funding.
Questions on geographic impact
On the floor, a delegate asked whether portions of Western Maryland would meet the new “most effective for achieving nitrogen reductions” standard. The floor leader said the House had been provided a map showing qualifying areas and that parts of Western Maryland would qualify; the far western portion of Garrett County would not, because it is not in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, though other parts of Garrett County and counties to the east would qualify.
The floor leader said the map is based on statewide watershed data identifying areas where septic upgrades have relatively higher impact on nitrogen reductions.
Passage
Later in the day the bill was taken up as a special order and carried on to a vote. The clerk announced that House Bill 131 received the required constitutional majority and was declared passed by the House.
What the record shows and does not
The record shows the floor exchange about mapping and qualifying areas; the floor leader said a map was provided to members and offered to share it. The record does not contain the map itself or a complete list of qualifying census tracts; the map resides with legislative staff and the Department of the Environment.
