Council Punts on Legislation to Ban Fly Ash

Several Republican Councilmembers last night stonewalled the Leopold administration's effort to ban the dumping of fly ash in Anne Arundel County. Rather than move to protect public safety, Councilmen Middlebrooks and Dillon seem to be having second thoughts on the matter. After Middlebrooks amended the bill from a ban to a 1-year moratorium, Councilman Dillon declared "I almost feel, in a sense, that we've dropped the hammer too fast." It should be noted that two of Constellation's coal plants, which produce the fly ash, are in the heart of Mr. Dillon's district.

Leopold Takes Important Step on Stormwater

The Leopold administration today announced that it is seeking to start levying a fee of $.25 on each new square foot of impervious surface created by development projects. It is estimated that this will generate something on the order of $5 million additional dollars per year for restoration and mitigation projects.

Though it's not a stormwater utility, it's certainly a step in the right direction.