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Plant expansion gets second look By MARGOT MOHSBERG, Staff Writer The Maryland Department of the Environment plans to decide by mid-June whether Queen Anne's County can expand and improve its Kent Island sewage treatment plant. Even as the plan goes for state approval a second time, however, a concern for many remains whether the $28 million plan for the Kent Narrows Stevensville Grasonville Wastewater Treatment Plant is more about cleaning up the environment or making way for more homes and development on Kent Island. "I understand the need for plant improvement, but we don't approve of the county's use of additional capacity," said Rick Moser of Chester, president of the development watchdog group Kent Island Defense League. "It appears that the additional capacity will be used for new growth." The county plan would increase the capacity of the plan from 2 million gallons per day to 3 million. The project would also improve the facility so it can remove a larger percentage of nutrients from the treated wastewater before it is pumped into the Chesapeake Bay, an upgrade required by MDE. Many residents at a public hearing on the proposal Tuesday complained about existing traffic congestion, and said making more growth possible was a bad idea. Others wanted assurances that property owners with failing septic tanks at the southern end of the island will be the first to benefit from the additional capacity. "It'd be better for the environment and for the people who are already there to use the additional capacity to fix the existing problems," Mr. Moser said. County public information officer Greg Nizza said the county has not decided whether it will use the additional capacity to connect to the homes with failing septic systems. "We are certainly aware of the failing systems and we're constantly looking into how to address it. But it's a big decision," he said. However, he said there can be no relief for those with failing septic systems without expanding the facility. "That would be like putting the cart before the horse," Mr. Nizza said. "But one thing I can promise you, without the upgrade, we couldn't even consider going down Route 8." The county received approval
for the project once before in 2000. However, a group of residents contested
the decision.
The county is currently discharging 100,455 pounds per year of nitrogen at 1.5 million gallons per day, according to county Chief Sanitary Engineer Alan Quimby. Under the permit being considered, that would shrink by 80 percent to 35,800 pounds per year despite the increase in plant capacity. In the meantime, the permit expired in April 2001, requiring it to go through the application process again. The county is planning to build the plant next to the already existing one by 2004. The state is kicking in nearly 32 percent of the cost and the new users are expected to pay the rest. Published April 8, 2002,
The
Capital, Annapolis, Md.
The public comment period on the permit application ends Tuesday. Mail comments to: Jim Dieter, Wastewater Permits Department, Maryland Department of the Environment, 2500 Broening Highway, Baltimore, MD 21224.
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