Shoreline protection bill passes
Shoreline development limited in new law
The General Assembly passed a bill in April to dramatically improve the law that limits development along the shoreline of the Chesapeake Bay. This bill was a major priority of Environment Maryland during this year’s legislative session and a significant piece of our long-term agenda for improving the health of the Bay.
One of the best ways to reduce pollution going into our rivers and the Bay is to maintain natural vegetation along the shoreline. Plants and marshland soak up pollutants before they hit waterways. Development destroys these natural filters.
The 1984 Critical Area Act was intended to strictly limit development along the shoreline. The law has certainly had a positive impact, but has not come close to achieving its objective.
Strengthening the Critical Area Act
Environment Maryland worked with the Critical Area Commission staff last fall to develop proposals to reform the law. Gov. Martin O’Malley introduced a bill in February. We helped push it throughout the session with research, citizen comments, media outreach and direct lobbying. It passed both houses with strong majorities.
The new law will:
- Give the state Critical Area Commission the authority to enforce the law and update regulations periodically.
- Allow the state to revoke the licenses of developers and contractors that knowingly violate the law.
- Increase penalties for violations and give local governments other enforcement tools.
- Increase set-back requirements to reduce the permissible footprint of construction near the shoreline.
- Provide stricter conditions under which developers who start building without a permit can get approval for construction next to the water.
Concerns about the impacts of growth have never been more urgent for Maryland. The military base realignment is projected to bring 70,000 new residents over the next few years.
This new law will further protect Maryland’s shoreline from rampant development in the coming years.
Learn more.
Development on the Elk river in Cecil County.
