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The Port of Baltimore
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March/April 201 2
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Green
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BY NANCY MENEFEE JACKSON
T
he Maryland Port
Administration (MPA)
is taking a proactive
approach to benchmark its
Total Maximum Daily Loads
(TMDLs) — numbers that
reflect the amount of pollution
a body of water can receive
and still meet water quality
standards.
“As stated in our
environmental policy, we
believe that protection of
the Chesapeake Bay and
stewardship of the state’s
reduction in three pollutants:
nitrogen, phosphorus and
sediment, including sediment
picked up by stormwater
running across impervious
surfaces.
In December 2010, the
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and local
Chesapeake Bay jurisdictions
established a nutrient and
sediment pollution diet for the
bay, known as the Chesapeake
Bay Total Maximum Daily Load.
The complex, multi-jurisdictional
TMDL addresses the
64,000-square-mile watershed
with a goal of meeting 70
percent of the final target load
by 2017, eight years prior to
the date when the entire final
target load must be met. Each
segment of impaired waters,
from small streams to the Inner
Harbor, will have its own TMDLs.
The MPA’s marine
terminals were identified as an
affected sector because they
have permitted stormwater
management systems, which
handle stormwater that runs
across the paved surfaces of the
terminals. The next phase of the
bay’s TMDL will be to develop
local watershed implementation
plans, with detailed reduction
targets and specific strategies
to meet water quality goals.
No regulatory limits have been
set yet.
“We decided in-house to
develop our own team and
define what our loading is and
develop methods to reduce
it,” said Barbara McMahon,
natural resources are
essential elements of MPA’s
mission,” said MPA Deputy
Executive Director M. Kathleen
Broadwater. “Therefore,
establishing an in-house team
to develop a master plan for
water quality improvement
was felt to be an appropriate
response.”
An executive order issued
by President Barack Obama in
2009 to protect and improve
the water quality of the
Chesapeake Bay demands a
Manager, Safety, Environment &
Risk Management for the MPA.
Bill Richardson, MPA
Environmental Manager, added,
“We’re trying to get everything
in order so when allocations
are identified for permit
holders, we’re in a position
to act quickly. We’ve been
proactive and we’re pulling our
information together.”
The first step in gathering
information is to identify the
drainage areas, including
city and county storm drain
connections, and determine
the land use and activities
that occur there. With that
information, the MPA can
develop assessment tools and
identify stormwater controls.
Some steps are already in
place to reduce the impact of
stormwater-borne pollutants:
A storm septer installed at
Dundalk Marine Terminal
filters sediments and oils, oil
and water separators have
been installed at several
terminals, and stormwater
inlet filters at the Dundalk
and Seagirt marine terminals
collect sediment and
petroleum products. The
filters, which have been in
place for about two years, are
the newest innovation.
“As projects come up, we’re
always evaluating current
technology,” Richardson said.
A key part of reducing
pollutants and complying with
TMDLs is to establish best
management practices.
“When we do have TMDLs
Lessening the
Load On the Bay
MPA Team Tackles Plan for
Water Quality Improvements
JUPITERIMAGES