![[photo, Maryland Environmental Service, 259 Najoles Road, Millersville, Maryland]](/msa/mdmanual/25ind/images/1198-1-859.jpg)
The Maryland Environmental Service assists with the preservation, improvement, and management of the quality of air, land, water, and natural resources, and promotes the health and welfare of the citizens of the State.
For private entities and federal, State and local governments, the Maryland Environmental Service provides water and wastewater treatment, solid waste management, composting, recycling, dredged material management, hazardous materials clean up, and renewable energy. Fees are charged for the agency's services. From these fees, operating funds for the Maryland Environmental Service are generated. The Service also may issue revenue bonds (Code Natural Resources Article, secs. 3-101 through 3-130).
Maryland Environmental Service, 259 Najoles Road, Millersville, Maryland, August 2004. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
The Service works through four main offices: Environmental Dredging and Restoration; Environmental Operations; Information Technology and Innovation; and Water, Wastewater and Environmental Monitoring. The Board of Directors oversees the Service.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
An eight-member Board of Directors governs the Maryland Environmental Service. Six members are appointed to four-year terms by the Governor with Senate advice and consent. Two members serve ex officio, one of whom is a nonvoting member. The Board chooses its Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer (Chapter 72, Acts of 2021; Code Natural Resources Article, sec. 3-103).
Under the Deputy Director are four main services: Environmental Dredging and Restoration; Environmental Operations; Environmental Monitoring and Geospatial and Engineering Services; and Water and Wastewater.
The Division operates and maintains the Cox Creek Dredged Material Management Facility (Anne Arundel County); the Masonville Dredged Material Management Facility (Baltimore City); the Hart-Miller Dredged-Material Containment Facility (Baltimore County); and the Poplar Island restoration project (Talbot County). The Division also has managed remediation and habitat development, covering the Swan Creek wetlands adjacent to Cox Creek and the Masonville Cove restoration and remediation project, along with other projects, for the Maryand Port Administration, the Department of Natural Resources, and other federal, State, local and private clients.
State-mandated programs for environmental protection are overseen by Environmental Operations throughout Maryland. These programs involve a variety of responsibilities. For example, Environmental Operations runs the Baltimore County Resource Recovery Facility, the Western Acceptance Facility in Baltimore County, the Harford Solid Waste Program, the Montgomery County Material Recycling Facility, and the Prince George's County Material Recovery Facility. It also oversees yard waste and composting projects conducted at the Mid-Shore II Regional Landfill (Caroline County); the Yard Waste Composting Facility (Montgomery County); the Western Branch Yard and Food Waste Composting Facility (Prince George's County); and the Mid-Shore I Transfer Facility (Talbot County). Moreover, programs for scrap-tire stockpile cleanup and recovery, and used motor oil and antifreeze recycling are conducted by Environmental Operations.
Byproducts of recycling are marketed by the Service. Food waste, leaves, and grass clippings are composted and sold as organic soil amendments.
Environmental Operations is responsible for two divisions: Project Management, and Recycling.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT DIVISION
RECYCLING DIVISION
Through transfer stations, landfills, and recycling, the Recycling Division disposes of solid waste for Maryland communities.
MARYLAND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION - HAGERSTOWN STEAM POWER PLANT
Environmental Monitoring and Geospatial and Engineering Services oversees two divisions: Environmental Monitoring, and Geospatial and Engineering Services.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
With the Maryland Aviation Administration, the Division works to provide 24-hour emergency response at Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) Thurgood Marshall Airport and Martin State Airport. For both airports, on a daily basis, the Division supports operations effected by weather and other emergencies. To prevent the runoff of toxic chemicals into nearby streams and tributaries, the Division manages the de-icing fluid recovery process in the winter.
The Division provides comprehensive program management, technical and scientific consulting, and field-based services to agencies of the Department of Transportation. Services include environmental spill and leak investigations, including sampling and remediation; and assistance with current standards for water quality, such as the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and Total Maximum Daily Loads requirements. In environmentally safe ways, the Division also inspects and removes underground storage tanks, and installs above-ground storage tanks. It assists with fueling facility upgrades; asbestos and lead paint monitoring; invasive-species control; stormwater management programs; oil and water separator inspection and maintenance; and environmental management system development.
To help State government organize, plan, and implement multi-agency environmental efforts, Environmental Monitoring uses Geographic Information Systems technology. It digitizes and maps environmental data for multiple State agencies.
ENGINEERING DIVISION
The Division works with private clients and local, State and federal government agencies to manage capital improvement projects at water and wastewater treatment facilities, and water distribution and sewer collection systems. In addition, the Division investigates and designs solutions for plant operation problems. For municipalities, the Division provides technical assistance to apply for and administer federal and State environmental protection grants and loans.
OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE DIVISION
Core duties of Operations and Maintenance are to ensure a safe drinking-water supply and minimize the environmental impact of residential and industrial wastewater discharge. County, municipal and private facilities, as well as all State plants at correctional institutions, health facilities, rest areas, and parks are operated and maintained by this division. Wastewater sludge and dredged material from waterways also are managed by the division.
The water and wastewater treatment plant at the Eastern Correctional Institution in Somerset County is run and maintained by this division. In addition, the division manages the Wastewater Plant at the Maryland Correctional Institution-Hagerstown in Washington County.
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FINANCE
Finance organized in September 2017 as Financial Performance, and assumed its present name in January 2019.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Information Technology began as Data Processing, reformed as Database Management, and then as Local Area Networks (LAN) before becoming Information Technology in 2004. It later was renamed Information Technology and Innovation, and returned to its former name of Information Technology in May 2021.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR
The Deputy Director is appointed by the Executive Director with the Governor's approval (Chapter 72, Acts of 2021; Code Natural Resources Article, sec.3-103 (2) (III)).
ENVIRONMENTAL DREDGING & RESTORATION
Environmental Dredging and Restoration provides dredged materials management services, including planning, design, environmental studies, and long-term facility operations and maintenance. It assesses dredging needs and placement options, and helps secure permits for environmental projects.
ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATIONS
Under the the Maryland Environmental Service, Environmental Operations began as Environmental Services and Waste Management in 1997, and reorganized under its present name in 2004.
Under Environmental Operations, the Project Management Division started as Solid Waste Engineering, and reformed under its present name in 2011.
The Recycling Division began as Materials Handling and Solid Waste and, in 2007, became the Solid Waste Operations Division. In January 2019, it reformed as the Recycling Division.
EASTERN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION CO-GENERATION PLANT
To meet the energy needs of the Eastern Correctional Institution in Somerset County, Environmental Operations operates and maintains a wood-burning co-generation facility which generates steam, hot water, and electricity. The facility provides approximately 85 percent of the electrical and 100 percent of the thermal needs of the Institution.
To provide heat and hot water for the Maryland Correctional Institution-Hagerstown, Environmental Operations also runs the Maryland Correctional Institution - Hagerstown Steam Power Plant in Washington County.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING & GEOSPATIAL & ENGINEERING SERVICES
In 2004, Environmental Monitoring and Geospatial and Engineering Services formed as Technical and Environmental Services. It was renamed Environmental Services in September 2017, and restructured as Water, Wastewater and Environmental Monitoring in January 2019. It reorganized as Environmental Monitoring and Geospatial and Engineering Services in May 2021.
Environmental Monitoring assists clients with comprehensive water quality laboratory testing, sampling, and reporting. It helps them manage environmental program requirements; operate and maintain facilities and systems; and provides geospatial and hydrologic/hydraulic engineering services.
WATER & WASTEWATER
Water and Wastewater is responsible for two divisions: Engineering, and Operations and Maintenance.
In 2004, the Engineering Division originated as Engineering Services under Technical and Environmental Services. In 2005, it reformed as the Engineering Division and transferred to Water and Wastewater Services.
The Operations and Maintenance Division began under Environmental Operations as Water and Wastewater Management in 2004, and transferred to Water and Wastewater Services in 2005. The division was renamed Water and Wastewater Operations in 2007, and Water and Wastewater Operations and Maintenance in 2011. It reformed as the Operations and Maintenance Division in July 2021.
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