Residents back cleanup but push to limit airport, seaplane port and large UAS at Piney Point redevelopment

Residents from Tall Timbers, The Landings and Piney Point urged the Board of County Commissioners to insist on thorough environmental oversight of the Piney Point terminal redevelopment while limiting aviation and large unmanned aerial system operations.

Kurt Engel said he supported cleanup of the oil terminal but “strongly oppose[d] the creation of an airport and a seaplane base next door to our homes and the use of fiber optic command and control lines for the UAS to be built and tested.” He said the planned runway would place aircraft flight paths close to neighborhoods and raised safety concerns about takeoffs toward residential areas.

Multiple speakers including Thomas Hain, Dan Rygaard, Larry O'Brien and Bob Lindblad urged the county to require clarity on the size and class of drones to be tested and to commit to environmental monitoring. Bob Lindblad pressed for transparent soil, water and air test results and said state oversight must ensure cleanup is done cautiously: "The federal EPA is currently gutted and will not protect us. It is up to the state of Maryland and especially Saint Mary's County to protect your citizens," he said.

Speakers asked the county to limit development of seaplane operations and private runways, to constrain UAS activity to smaller classes, and to require clear plans for traffic, emergency access and protections for nesting birds and marine life. Several residents warned that narrow two-lane peninsula roads create evacuation and safety constraints if aviation incidents occurred.

Commissioners did not take formal action during the forum. Residents asked for an additional public presentation focused on the redevelopment details and for the county to make environmental testing results available to the public.