April Riverkeeper Report

Legislative Session Ends and Water Quality Season Begins!

April is here which means field season is officially upon us. The legislative session wrapped up on April 7 and we are already back on the water for our 2025 water quality season. Wondering how we fared in session? Well... it could have been worse! This was a tough year for environmental legislation given the state budget constraints.

Despite this huge hurdle, we did have some gains for the environmental community: 

Passed!

HB131 Septic System Upgrade Program- Arundel Rivers supported this bill with amendments (most of which were adopted). This bill will result in climate vulnerable and nutrient impaired areas having more access to Bay Restoration funding for failing septic systems. 

HB506 Bay Legacy Act- Arundel Rivers supported this bill, which creates a new agricultural best management practice incentive program and uplifts water quality monitoring programs among other Bay-focused initiatives. 

Didn't make it over the finish line: 

HB747 Septic System Inspection and Pump Out Requirements

HB909/SB837 PFA Limits in Sludge Permits

HB1175/SB898 Nutrient Management Restrictions in Vegetative Buffers

HB1484/SB978 Cherish Our Communities Act (Burden Analyses and Public Participation in Environmental Permits)

HB878 Protection of Vernal Pools

HB1360 Road Salt Outdoor Storage Requirements

Budget: 

The real story of the session is the budget. Although land conservation funding took a significant hit this year, the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund and Bay Restoration Fund came out relatively unscathed and with minimal reductions. 

Water quality season always comes as a welcome relief at the end of session. Being back out on the river serves as a reminder for why we need to carry on with this work. The water quality team has created a 2025 Bingo for water quality this year - including spaces such as "remove 20 pieces of floating trash" (we've already collected 1 so far) and "animal rescue" (last year we saved a squirrel trying to swim across the South!). Have any good ideas to add to our bingo board? Let us know!