St. Mary’s County, MD — A significant legal settlement has been reached between the Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRKN) and the State of Maryland to address ongoing illegal sewage discharges into the Potomac River and its tributaries by the St. Mary’s County Metropolitan Commission (MetCom), announced PRKN President Nancy Stoner.
The lawsuit, initiated by PRKN in 2022 after five years of raw sewage issues, aimed to curb the frequent spills from MetCom’s sanitary system, which threatened local waterways and public health. “MetCom’s sewage spills have sent raw sewage streaming into our streams and rivers and storm drains, contaminating oyster beds and exposing the public to serious health risks,” Stoner explained.
Under the settlement detailed in a proposed consent decree filed today, MetCom is mandated to implement immediate upgrades to its sewage pump stations, the noted sources of the spills. These actions mark the beginning of a broader nine-year plan to overhaul MetCom’s infrastructure. The plan includes comprehensive inspections, system-wide studies, and necessary repairs to ensure future sewage management meets safety standards.
Dean Naujoks, Potomac Riverkeeper, highlighted the historical significance of these measures, stating, “The steps to halt raw sewage discharges into the Potomac are among the most significant in the history of the Potomac watershed and certainly the broadest in my 20 years of fighting for clean water.”
The agreement also stipulates the development of an emergency response strategy for any future spills, ensuring timely public notification, cleanup, and investigation. Additionally, MetCom is required to pay a civil penalty of $250,500, half of which will fund a supplemental environmental project by the Potomac River Fisheries Commission to restore oyster populations in the river.
“The result is a win for the river, the oysters, watermen, and the public,” Stoner said, emphasizing the broad benefits of the settlement. Naujoks echoed this sentiment, underscoring the importance of clean water as a fundamental public right and expressing his pride in contributing to safer community waters.
The legal efforts were spearheaded by Van Ness Feldman LLC, a law firm with specializations in environmental, energy, and natural resources law.