Maryland Department of the Environment

Last updated
Maryland Department of the Environment
Agency overview
Formed1987 (1987)
Headquarters Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Agency executives
Website https://mde.maryland.gov/Pages/index.aspx
MDE offices in Baltimore Montgomery Ward Warehouse and Retail Store.jpg
MDE offices in Baltimore

The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) is a government agency in the state of Maryland that implements and enforces environmental protection laws and programs. The agency's stated vision is "Healthy, vibrant and sustainable communities and ecosystems in Maryland." Its headquarters are in Baltimore, Maryland. [1]

Contents

Department responsibilities

The Department's principal functions are:

Organization

The Maryland Department of the Environment was created in 1987 by the Maryland General Assembly, which consolidated environmental regulatory and planning programs from several predecessor agencies. [3]

Serena McIlwain was appointed Secretary of the Environment by Governor Wes Moore in 2023. [4]

The department includes five principal divisions:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Environmental Protection Agency</span> U.S. federal government agency

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent agency of the United States government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it began operation on December 2, 1970, after Nixon signed an executive order. The order establishing the EPA was ratified by committee hearings in the House and Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stormwater</span> Water that originates during precipitation events and snow/ice melt

Stormwater, also written storm water, is water that originates from precipitation (storm), including heavy rain and meltwater from hail and snow. Stormwater can soak into the soil (infiltrate) and become groundwater, be stored on depressed land surface in ponds and puddles, evaporate back into the atmosphere, or contribute to surface runoff. Most runoff is conveyed directly as surface water to nearby streams, rivers or other large water bodies without treatment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monocacy River</span> River in Maryland, United States

The Monocacy River is a free-flowing left tributary to the Potomac River, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean via the Chesapeake Bay. The river is 58.5 miles (94.1 km) long, with a drainage area of about 970 square miles (2,500 km2). It is the largest Maryland tributary to the Potomac.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental Protection Department</span>

Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is a department of Hong Kong Government concerning the issues of environmental protection in Hong Kong.The EPD is responsible for developing policies covering environmental protection, nature conservation; enforcing environmental legislation; monitoring environmental quality; providing collection, transfer, treatment and disposal facilities for many types of waste; advising on the environmental implications of town planning and new policies; handling pollution complaints and incidents; and raising awareness and support in the community for environmental initiatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York State Department of Environmental Conservation</span> New Yorks state-level environmental regulator

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is a department of New York state government. The department guides and regulates the conservation, improvement, and protection of New York's natural resources; manages Forest Preserve lands in the Adirondack and Catskill parks, state forest lands, and wildlife management areas; regulates sport fishing, hunting and trapping; and enforces the state's environmental laws and regulations. Its regulations are compiled in Title 6 of the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. It was founded in 1970, replacing the Conservation Department, and is headed by Basil Seggos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ministry of Ecology and Environment</span> Department of the State Council of the Peoples Republic of China

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment is an executive-department of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, responsible for the ecological and environmental affairs. It is the 15th-ranked department in the State Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division</span> Government Department

The United States Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) is one of seven litigating components of the U.S. Department of Justice. ENRD's mandate is to enforce civil and criminal environmental laws and programs protecting the health and environment of the United States, and to defend suits challenging those laws and programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970</span> US presidential directive

Reorganization Plan No. 3 was a United States presidential directive establishing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), effective December 2, 1970. The order, published in the Federal Register on October 6, 1970, consolidated components from different federal agencies to form the EPA, "a strong, independent agency" that would establish and enforce federal environmental protection laws.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is a government agency in the state of Maryland charged with maintaining natural resources including state parks, public lands, state forests, state waterways, wildlife, and recreation areas. Its headquarters are in Annapolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dickerson Generating Station</span>

The Dickerson Generating Station is an 853 MW electric generating plant owned by NRG Energy, located approximately two miles west of Dickerson, Maryland, on the eastern banks of the Potomac River.

Back River is a tidal estuary in Baltimore County, Maryland, located about 2 miles (3 km) east of the city of Baltimore. The estuary extends from Essex, Maryland, southeast for about 8.8 miles (14.2 km) to the Chesapeake Bay. The watershed area is 39,075 acres (15,813 ha) and includes Essex Skypark Airport and the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant. The river is shared between Essex, MD, Dundalk, MD, and Edgemere, MD

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance</span> Law enforcement arm of the United States Environmental Protection Agency

The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) is the law enforcement arm of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is made up of attorneys, special agents, scientists and other employees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California State Water Resources Control Board</span>

The California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) is one of six branches of the California Environmental Protection Agency.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is the administrative department of the Ohio state government responsible for protecting the environment and public health by ensuring compliance with environmental laws. Those laws and related rules outline Ohio EPA's authority and what things the Agency can consider when making decisions about regulated activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States regulation of point source water pollution</span> Overview of the regulation of point source water pollution in the United States of America

Point source water pollution comes from discrete conveyances and alters the chemical, biological, and physical characteristics of water. In the United States, it is largely regulated by the Clean Water Act (CWA). Among other things, the Act requires dischargers to obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to legally discharge pollutants into a water body. However, point source pollution remains an issue in some water bodies, due to some limitations of the Act. Consequently, other regulatory approaches have emerged, such as water quality trading and voluntary community-level efforts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wheelabrator Incinerator</span> Waste-to-energy incinerator in Baltimore, Maryland, US

Wheelabrator Baltimore is a waste-to-energy incinerator located in the Westport neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland and is operated by Wheelabrator Technologies, a subsidiary of Energy Capital Partners. It has an electric generation capacity of 64.5 megawatts. On October 2, 2018, ECP announced the agreement to sell Wheelabrator Technologies to Macquarie Infrastructure Partners, a subsidiary of Macquarie Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. Paul Smith Power Station</span> Former electric generating plant

The R. Paul Smith Power Station is a closed electric generating plant owned by FirstEnergy in Williamsport, Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment</span>

The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment is a cabinet level agency in the executive branch of Arkansas government responsible for implementation of the rules and regulations regarding the management of natural resources and protecting the environment of the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate change in Maryland</span> Climate change in the US state of Maryland

Climate change in Maryland encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in the U.S. state of Maryland.

References

  1. 1 2 "MDE Organizational Guide" (PDF). Baltimore, MD: Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). 2019.
  2. "About MDE". MDE. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  3. "Department of the Environment: Origin". Maryland Manual Online. Annapolis, MD: Maryland State Archives. 2015-09-29.
  4. Weingarten, Dwight A. (January 17, 2023). "Mayors of Salisbury, Hagerstown among Wes Moore's picks for administration". The Herald-Mail . Retrieved January 18, 2023.