Upgrade to Indian Head Wastewater Treatment Is Launched

The Maryland Department of the Environment officially broke ground last week on a $14 million renovation of a wastewater treatment plant in Indian Head, the latest of 66 facilities across the state that are slated to be upgraded under the 2004 Chesapeake Bay Restoration Act.

Renovations will enhance the Indian Head plant's nutrient removal technologies, which environmental officials said would help reduce by more than half the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus discharged into waterways. The plant is in northwestern Charles County and serves Mattawoman Creek, which is a tributary of the Potomac River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

Construction is underway, and officials expect the plant to be fully operational by September 2008.

The Chesapeake Bay Restoration Act created the Bay Restoration Fund, supported by what is commonly known as the flush tax. The fund collects fees from residents using public sewerage to pay for upgrades to the state's largest wastewater treatment facilities.

These technological upgrades are designed to reduce nutrient pollution in the bay by as much as 7 million pounds a year.

Other Southern Maryland projects on the fund's priority list are operations in Chesapeake Beach in Calvert County; La Plata and Swan Point in Charles County; and plants in Leonardtown and Pine Hill Run in St. Mary's County.

Secretary of the Environment Kendl P. Philbrick presided over Thursday's groundbreaking in Indian Head and called the act "the most cutting-edge environmental restoration law" in the state's history. Philbrick highlighted the importance of preserving the Chesapeake Bay, which he said is Maryland's largest economic engine.

"Governor [Robert L.] Ehrlich [Jr.] has pointed out that all citizens have an obligation to help preserve the Chesapeake Bay for generations," Philbrick said.

Ehrlich (R) echoed Philbrick in a statement released by Philbrick's office.

"Maryland continues to lead other states in restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay," the governor said. "By upgrading plants across the state, we are eliminating millions of pounds of pollution annually. Projects like this one demonstrate my commitment to preserving our environment and making Maryland a cleaner, safer place to live."

The campaign of Ehrlich's Democratic opponent in this fall's election, Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, criticized Ehrlich's environmental record. O'Malley press secretary Rick Abbruzzese said increased growth and development around the Chesapeake Bay during Ehrlich's term have increased demand on the state's septic systems, adding pollution to the waterways.

"Try as he may to mislead Maryland voters, the health of the Chesapeake Bay and the environment has actually gotten worse under Bob Ehrlich," Abbruzzese said.

"Martin O'Malley is committed to keeping the Eastern Shore the Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland Southern Maryland," Abbruzzese added. "These are environmental treasures. People on the Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland enjoy a tremendous quality of life because of the Chesapeake Bay, and under this current administration, growth has been allowed to go completely unchecked."

Of the 66 wastewater treatment plants to be updated through the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Act, two are completed, 10 are under construction, 10 are in design and 25 are being planned. As of July 31, the Bay Restoration Fund had collected $74 million.

At Indian Head, state officials estimate that Defense Department installations associated with the Navy base contribute more than 9.4 million gallons of wastewater each day to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. This summer, the Defense Department partnered with the state to finance part of the upgrades and implement watershed improvement projects to remove nutrients, stabilize eroding shorelines and enhance stream buffers and wetlands.

"It's really about partnerships and working together to get results," said Donald R. Schregardus, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for the environment, who attended the groundbreaking. "The events occurring all across the state mark really important steps towards restoring the bay."