News stories Archive
Bay Journal: New ‘forever chemical’ guidelines challenge Chesapeake Bay states
Clean Water, Drinking water, News stories, Public Health, Uncategorized
Sep 14, 2022
States across the nation will need to do more to protect the public from toxic “forever chemicals” in drinking water. How much and how soon remain up in the air. In June, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed new lifetime health advisories for four per– and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, indicating
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WJZ-TV: Maryland Officials Look To Reduce Use Of Salt On Roads
Clean Water, Drinking water, News stories, Secretary Grumbles, Uncategorized
Jan 20, 2022
It’s a delicate balance of safety and environmental awareness—treating the roads with enough ice-melting salt to make sure they’re safe to drive, while minimizing the impact on our environment. Too much salt can be detrimental to our waterways. It can damage vegetation and marine life and even contaminate drinking
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WFMD: MDOT SHA Receives Praise For Reducing Its Use Of Salt To Clear Snow & Ice-Covered Roads
Clean Water, News stories, Secretary Grumbles, Uncategorized
Jan 18, 2022
Salt has been used for many years to remove snow and ice from roads during winter storms. But it can also be harmful to waterways. That’s according to the Maryland Department of the Environment. Secretary Ben Grumbles says salt can also threaten aquatic life. He’s praising the Maryland Department
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Capital News Service: In move to electric vehicles, Maryland is doing better than most states
Clean Air, Climate change, News stories, Secretary Grumbles, Uncategorized
Dec 10, 2021
The future of the American automobile industry is electric, President Joe Biden said in an August executive order, pledging to make half of all new cars and trucks sold in 2030 zero-emission vehicles. But weaning the nation off of gas-fueled vehicles might be easier said than done, although Maryland
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WJZ-TV: Maryland Zoo Replaces Diesel-Powered Shuttles With All-Electric Fleet
Clean Air, Climate change, News stories, Secretary Grumbles, Uncategorized
Nov 18, 2021
WJZ-TV: Maryland Zoo Replaces Diesel-Powered Shuttles With All-Electric Fleet Stop by the Maryland Zoo sometime soon and you’ll notice a new fleet of shuttles is now available to cart visitors around the park. The zoo announced this week it has replaced its diesel-powered shuttles with three all-electric vehicles, a
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Hagerstown Herald-Mail: MD environment secretary emphasizes state’s ambitious greenhouse gas reduction plan
Climate change, News stories, Secretary Grumbles, Uncategorized
Apr 23, 2021
In the wake of President Joe Biden announcing his commitment to cut national fossil fuel emissions up to 52% by 2030, Maryland Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles emphasized Maryland’s already ambitious plan to reduce greenhouse gases. Grumbles said in a phone interview on Thursday — Earth Day — that Maryland’s
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Baltimore Sun: Polluting paper mill in Allegany County must pay Maryland $650K, commit to cleanup, settlement says
Clean Water, Enforcement actions, News stories, Uncategorized
Apr 06, 2021
A paper mill in Allegany County that regulators say is polluting the North Branch of the Potomac River will be required to pay more than $650,000 in fines after reaching a settlement with the state, officials said. Read more
WBAL-TV: MDE testing wastewater to help prevent COVID-19 outbreaks
News stories, Public Health, Uncategorized, Wastewater
Feb 05, 2021
The Maryland Department of the Environment is using a unique way to help prevent future outbreaks of the coronavirus. Go to story
WYPR: The Fight Against COVID Goes To The Sewers
News stories, Public Health, Uncategorized, Wastewater
Jan 27, 2021
The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) is pulling together a new statewide initiative to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks in public housing facilities: sampling and testing wastewater for the virus. Go to story
WJZ: Maryland Launches Targeted Wastewater Sampling For COVID-19
News stories, Public Health
Nov 13, 2020
Gov. Larry Hogan announced a statewide initiative Thursday to sample wastewater as an early warning system of a COVID-19 outbreak in vulnerable communities. As part of Maryland’s COVID-19 Sewer Sentinel Initiative, the governor has approved funding of $1 million to sample wastewater for the virus that causes COVID-19 in
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