REGIONAL BRIEFING

De Francis Quitting Board

Racing executive Joseph De Francis said he will resign tomorrow from the board of Magna Entertainment, which owns Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore and Laurel Park in Anne Arundel County.

The announcement came hours after Magna Chairman Frank Stronach told investors in a conference call that De Francis would not remain as a director this year.

Stronach was responding to a question about the need for the struggling company to renegotiate a slots profit-sharing agreement with De Francis. Stronach says De Francis's board role raises conflict-of-interest concerns.

Magna Entertainment bought out the remaining shares of longtime track owners Joseph and Karin De Francis last year. At the time of the buyout, Joe De Francis and Magna had a deal that entitled him and several partners to 18 percent of future profits Magna receives from slot machines.

Maryland voters will decide in November whether the state should legalize as many as 15,000 slot machines at five locations in Baltimore and in Allegany, Anne Arundel, Cecil and Worcester counties. Laurel Park would be eligible but would not be guaranteed a license.

-- Associated Press

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

Army Officials Protest EPA Order

Officials at Fort Meade last week protested an order from the Environmental Protection Agency that sets a procedure for cleaning up hazardous waste sites that have polluted groundwater on the base.

The base, contaminated by an old landfill, unexploded ordnance and other buried waste, was listed as a Superfund site in 1998. The EPA set out procedures for the cleanup in an order in August. The Army says the order would create more paperwork and delays and is seeking to negotiate an alternative arrangement, officials said.

An EPA official said Friday that the dispute is mainly about administrative matters. He said there does not appear to be any danger to public health. Although waste has contaminated an aquifer under the Anne Arundel County base, the aquifer is not used for drinking water.