Army, Navy, Upgrade Latrines

Wednesday's Capital reports that, after much whining and mewling, the the Department of Defense is finally coming clean on its wastewater obligations. Representatives from the Army and Navy initially argued that the federal government was not required to pay the State's "Flush Fee" because it was, they said, a tax. The Department of Defense's extensive holdings in the County, which include the US Naval Academy, Fort Meade and the former David Taylor Research Center, would have required it to pay approximately $900,000 a year towards the fee.

Instead, the Department of Defense has agreed to upgrades to their wastewater treatment facilities totaling $22 million and meet discharge limits set by the State. Congratulations to the DoD for doing the right thing. I wonder how they'll react to a watershed restoration fund. Will rain barrels replace gun barrels?