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MDE says stormwater rule update will include farm‑specific flexibilities
Summary
The Maryland Department of Environment told Montgomery County leaders that proposed stormwater management regulations are being updated with flexibility for agricultural operations—standard plans and larger‑scale options—to reflect farms' different treatment options and space.
Les Knapp, Assistant Director for the Water and Science Administration at the Maryland Department of Environment, told the committee that stormwater rules are in advanced notice of proposed rulemaking and that MDE intends to give producers clearer, farm‑appropriate compliance options. "We are building in with these regs some flexibility," Knapp said, describing options such as sheet‑flow management to pasture, larger‑scale stormwater ponds, and a standard plan for agricultural parking lots so some projects would not require costly custom engineering.
Knapp said the rules respond to the practical differences between urban sites and farms, noting that farms typically have more open space and therefore different treatment options. He said the proposed regulations were open for public comment through December and that MDE intends to review comments during the legislative session and pursue adoption next year. The department also plans a short guidance one‑pager outlining treatment options for farms to make choices more transparent for producers and local reviewers.
