Maryland 2024 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB942 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	sb0942
6	6
7	7	SENATE BILL 942
8	8	M3 4lr3324
9	9	CF 4lr2051
10	10	By: Senator Gile
11	11	Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2024
12	12	Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Environment – Managed Aquifer Recharge Pilot Program – Establishment 2
19	19
20	20	FOR the purpose of establishing the Managed Aquifer Recharge Pilot Program; authorizing 3
21	21	the Department of the Environment to review, permit, and regulate a process to test 4
22	22	the use of treated reclaimed water from a demonstration facility as a source for 5
23	23	groundwater augmentation under certain circumstances; and generally relating to 6
24	24	the Managed Aquifer Recharge Pilot Program. 7
25	25
26	26	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
27	27	Article – Environment 9
28	28	Section 1–601(a) 10
29	29	Annotated Code of Maryland 11
30	30	(2013 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 12
31	31
32	32	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
33	33	Article – Environment 14
34	34	Section 9–301(a) and (f) 15
35	35	Annotated Code of Maryland 16
36	36	(2014 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 17
37	37
38	38	BY adding to 18
39	39	Article – Environment 19
40	40	Section 9–303.4 20
41	41	Annotated Code of Maryland 21
42	42	(2014 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 22
43	43
44	44	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 23
45	45	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 24
46	46
47	47	Article – Environment 25
48	48	2 SENATE BILL 942
49	49
50	50
51	51	1–601. 1
52	52
53	53	(a) Permits issued by the Department under the following sections shall be issued 2
54	54	in accordance with this subtitle: 3
55	55
56	56	(1) Air quality control permits to construct subject to § 2–404 of this article; 4
57	57
58	58	(2) Permits to install, materially alter, or materially extend landfill 5
59	59	systems, incinerators for public use, or rubble landfills subject to § 9–209 of this article; 6
60	60
61	61	(3) Permits to discharge pollutants to waters of the State issued pursuant 7
62	62	to § 9–323 of this article; 8
63	63
64	64	(4) Permits to install, materially alter, or materially extend a structure 9
65	65	used for storage or distribution of any type of sewage sludge issued, renewed, or amended 10
66	66	pursuant to § 9–234.1 or § 9–238 of this article; 11
67	67
68	68	(5) Permits to own, operate, establish, or maintain a controlled hazardous 12
69	69	substance facility issued pursuant to § 7–232 of this article; 13
70	70
71	71	(6) Permits to own, operate, or maintain a hazardous material facility 14
72	72	issued pursuant to § 7–103 of this article; 15
73	73
74	74	(7) Permits to own, operate, establish, or maintain a low–level nuclear 16
75	75	waste facility issued pursuant to § 7–233 of this article; [and] 17
76	76
77	77	(8) Potable reuse permits issued in accordance with § 9–303.2 of this 18
78	78	article; AND 19
79	79
80	80	(9) MANAGED AQUIFER RECHA RGE PILOT PERMITS IS SUED IN 20
81	81	ACCORDANCE WITH § 9–303.4 OF THIS ARTICLE . 21
82	82
83	83	9–301. 22
84	84
85	85	(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 23
86	86
87	87	(f) “Reclaimed water” means sewage that: 24
88	88
89	89	(1) Has been treated to a high quality suitable for various reuses; and 25
90	90
91	91	(2) Has a concentration of less than: 26
92	92
93	93	(i) 3 fecal coliform colonies per 100 milliliters; 27
94	94
95	95	(ii) 10 milligrams per liter of 5–day biological oxygen demand; and 28
96	96
97	97	(iii) 10 milligrams per liter of total suspended solids. 29 SENATE BILL 942 3
98	98
99	99
100	100
101	101	9–303.4. 1
102	102
103	103	(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 2
104	104	INDICATED. 3
105	105
106	106	(2) “DEMONSTRATION FACILIT Y” MEANS AN A DVANCED WATER 4
107	107	TREATMENT FACILITY A PPROVED UNDER A MANA GED AQUIFER RECHARGE PERMIT 5
108	108	TO TREAT RECLAIMED W ATER FOR USE AS A SO URCE FOR TESTING GRO UNDWATER 6
109	109	AUGMENTATION . 7
110	110
111	111	(3) “MANAGED AQUIFER RECHA RGE PERMIT ” MEANS A PERMIT 8
112	112	ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO AUTHORI ZE AND REGULATE THE TREATMENT AND 9
113	113	UNDERGROUND INJECTIO N OF TREATED RECLAIM ED WATER FOR THE PUR POSE OF 10
114	114	TESTING THE FEASIBIL ITY OF AND REQUIREME NTS FOR SAFELY CONDU CTING 11
115	115	GROUNDWATER AUGMENTA TION. 12
116	116
117	117	(4) “PFAS CHEMICALS” MEANS PER – AND POLYFLUOROALKYL 13
118	118	SUBSTANCES. 14
119	119
120	120	(5) “PILOT PROGRAM” MEANS THE MANAGED AQUIFER RECHARGE 15
121	121	PILOT PROGRAM. 16
122	122
123	123	(B) THERE IS A MANAGED AQUIFER RECHARGE PILOT PROGRAM IN THE 17
124	124	DEPARTMENT . 18
125	125
126	126	(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE PILOT PROGRAM IS TO AUTHORI ZE THE TESTING 19
127	127	OF THE REGULATED USE OF TREATED RECL AIMED WATER AS A SOU RCE FOR 20
128	128	GROUNDWATER AUGMENTA TION THROUGH THE ISS UANCE OF MANAGED AQU IFER 21
129	129	RECHARGE PERMITS . 22
130	130
131	131	(D) (1) THE DEPARTMENT MAY REVIEW , PERMIT, AND REGULATE A 23
132	132	PROCESS TO TEST THE USE OF TREATED RECLA IMED WATER FROM A 24
133	133	DEMONSTRATION FACILI TY AS A SOURCE FOR GROUNDWAT ER AUGMENTATION 25
134	134	THROUGH A MANAGED AQ UIFER RECHARGE PERMI T IF THE DEPARTMENT 26
135	135	DETERMINES THAT : 27
136	136
137	137	(I) THE RECLAIMED WATER W ILL BE TREATED AT A 28
138	138	DEMONSTRATION FACILI TY TO MEET OR SURPAS S THE FOLLOWING REQU IREMENTS: 29
139	139
140	140	1. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY MAXIMUM CO NTAINMENT 30
141	141	LEVELS ESTABLISHED B Y: 31
142	142	4 SENATE BILL 942
143	143
144	144
145	145	A. THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 1
146	146	UNDER 40 C.F.R. §§ 141 AND 143; AND 2
147	147
148	148	B. THE DEPARTMENT UNDER COMAR 26.04.01; 3
149	149
150	150	2. TREATMENT FOR REMOVAL OF PATHOGENS AT THE 4
151	151	WASTEWATER TREATMENT STAGE AND ADVANCED WAT ER TREATMENT STAGE T HAT, 5
152	152	IN TOTAL, MEETS OR EXCEEDS : 6
153	153
154	154	A. 12 LOG FOR ENTERIC VIRU S REDUCTION; 7
155	155
156	156	B. 10 LOG FOR GIARDIA CYST REDUCTIO N; AND 8
157	157
158	158	C. 10 LOG CRYPTOSPORIDIUM OOCYS T REDUCTION; AND 9
159	159
160	160	3. MAXIMUM CONCENTRATION S OF PFAS CHEMICALS 10
161	161	ESTABLISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT AND SPECIF IED IN ANY PRIMARY D RINKING 11
162	162	WATER REGULATIONS ES TABLISHED BY THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 12
163	163	AGENCY IN A FINAL RUL EMAKING UNDER THE FE DERAL SAFE DRINKING WATER 13
164	164	ACT; 14
165	165
166	166	(II) THE TREATED RECLAIMED WATER WILL UNDERGO TESTING 15
167	167	AND REPORTING TO VER IFY THAT THE REQUIRE MENTS OF ITEM (I) OF THIS 16
168	168	PARAGRAPH ARE MET ; 17
169	169
170	170	(III) THE TREATMENT OF THE RECLAIMED WATER INCL UDES 18
171	171	REVERSE OSMOSIS ; 19
172	172
173	173	(IV) THE APPLICANT HAS IN PLACE A DETAILED TES TING AND 20
174	174	MONITORING PLAN TO D EMONSTRATE FACILITY PERFORMANCE AND 21
175	175	GROUNDWATER COMPATIB ILITY DURING UNDERGR OUND INJECTION , INCLUDING 22
176	176	ESTABLISHING PARAMET ERS FOR AUTHORIZING UNDERGROUND INJECTIO NS AND 23
177	177	REQUIRING ALTERNATIV E METHODS OF USE OR DISPOSAL WHEN THE IN JECTION 24
178	178	PARAMETERS ARE NOT MET; 25
179	179
180	180	(V) THE APPLICANT GIVES T HE DEPARTMENT THE RIGHT OF 26
181	181	ENTRY ON THE PERMIT SITE AT ANY REASONAB LE TIME TO INSPECT O R 27
182	182	INVESTIGATE FOR A VI OLATION OR ANY POTEN TIAL VIOLATION OF TH E MANAGED 28
183	183	AQUIFER RECHARGE PER MIT; 29
184	184
185	185	(VI) THE PROCESS INCLUDES APPROPRIATE RECORD–KEEPING 30
186	186	REQUIREMENTS ; AND 31
187	187	SENATE BILL 942 5
188	188
189	189
190	190	(VII) THE PROCESS COMPLIES WITH ALL OTHER APPLI CABLE 1
191	191	STATUTORY AND REGULA TORY REQUIREMENTS . 2
192	192
193	193	(2) THE DEPARTMENT MAY APPROV E THE USE BY A DEMON STRATION 3
194	194	FACILITY OF ANY DRIN KING WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES THAT HAVE THE 4
195	195	CAPABILITY TO MEET T HE REQUIREMENTS OF P ARAGRAPH (1)(I) OF THIS 5
196	196	SUBSECTION, INCLUDING NONMEMBRAN E TREATMENT SYSTEMS . 6
197	197
198	198	(E) (1) THE DEPARTMENT MAY INCLUD E IN A MANAGED AQUIF ER 7
199	199	RECHARGE PERMIT ANY TERM, CONDITION, OR REQUIREMENT THAT THE 8
200	200	DEPARTMENT CONSIDERS APPROPRIAT E TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH OR THE 9
201	201	ENVIRONMENT . 10
202	202
203	203	(2) THE REQUIREMENTS OF A MANAGED AQUIFER RECH ARGE PERMIT 11
204	204	ARE SUPPLEMENTAL TO AND DO NOT OVERRIDE ANY OTHER LAW , REGULATION , 12
205	205	PERMIT, ORDER, OR DECREE. 13
206	206
207	207	(3) THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 1, SUBTITLE 6 OF THIS ARTICLE 14
208	208	SHALL GOVERN THE ISS UANCE OF MANAGED AQU IFER RECHARGE PERMIT S. 15
209	209
210	210	(F) A SUCCESSFUL APPLICATI ON FOR A MANAGED AQU IFER RECHARGE 16
211	211	PERMIT SHALL : 17
212	212
213	213	(1) DEMONSTRATE TO THE SA TISFACTION OF THE DEPARTMENT : 18
214	214
215	215	(I) THE ABILITY TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS O F 19
216	216	THIS SECTION; 20
217	217
218	218	(II) THE APPLICANT ’S AVAILABLE FUNDING FOR THE 21
219	219	CONSTRUCTION AND OPE RATION OF THE DEMONS TRATION FACILITY ; 22
220	220
221	221	(III) THE TECHNICAL AND ADM INISTRATIVE CAPACITY TO 23
222	222	PERFORM THE PROCESS COVERED UNDER THE PE RMIT; AND 24
223	223
224	224	(IV) THAT ALL NECESSARY PL ANNING AND ENGINEERI NG 25
225	225	DESIGN IS COMPLETE ; AND 26
226	226
227	227	(2) INCLUDE ANY ADDITIONA L INFORMATION REQUES TED BY THE 27
228	228	DEPARTMENT . 28
229	229
230	230	(G) THE DEPARTMENT MAY REFUSE TO ISSUE A MANAGED A QUIFER 29
231	231	RECHARGE PERMIT IF : 30
232	232	6 SENATE BILL 942
233	233
234	234
235	235	(1) THE APPLICANT FAILS T O PROVI DE ANY INFORMATION 1
236	236	REQUESTED BY THE DEPARTMENT ; 2
237	237
238	238	(2) THE APPLICANT FAILS O R REFUSES TO ALLOW T HE DEPARTMENT 3
239	239	TO INSPECT THE PERMI T SITE; 4
240	240
241	241	(3) THE DEPARTMENT FINDS THAT ISSUANCE OF THE PERM IT WOULD 5
242	242	VIOLATE ANY STATE OR FEDERAL LAW OR ANY REGULATION ADOPTED UNDER ANY 6
243	243	STATE OR FEDERAL LAW ; 7
244	244
245	245	(4) THE SOURCE OF THE REC LAIMED WATER FAILS T O COMPLY WITH 8
246	246	ANY STATE OR FEDERAL LAW , ANY REGULATION ADOPT ED UNDER ANY STATE OR 9
247	247	FEDERAL LAW , OR ANY PERMIT ; OR 10
248	248
249	249	(5) THE APPLICANT FAILS T O DEMONSTRATE COMPLI ANCE WITH 11
250	250	THIS SECTION TO THE DEPARTMENT ’S SATISFACTION. 12
251	251
252	252	(H) (1) A MANAGED AQUIFER RECH ARGE PERMIT ISSUED U NDER THE 13
253	253	PILOT PROGRAM SHALL BE EFFE CTIVE FOR 10 YEARS FROM THE DATE OF 14
254	254	ISSUANCE. 15
255	255
256	256	(2) THE DEPARTMENT MAY RENEW A MANAGED AQUIFER RE CHARGE 16
257	257	PERMIT FOR AN ADDITIONAL PERIOD OR PERIODS OF 5 YEARS FOLLOWING 17
258	258	ADMINISTRATIVE REVIE W BY THE DEPARTMENT AND SUBJEC T TO THE PROVISIONS 18
259	259	OF TITLE 1, SUBTITLE 6 OF THIS ARTICLE. 19
260	260
261	261	(I) THE DEPARTMENT MAY REVOKE A MANAGED AQUIFER RE CHARGE 20
262	262	PERMIT ISSUED UNDER THIS SECTION IF THE DEPARTMENT FINDS THAT : 21
263	263
264	264	(1) THE APPLICATION INCLU DED FALSE OR INACCUR ATE 22
265	265	INFORMATION ; 23
266	266
267	267	(2) CONDITIONS OR REQUIRE MENTS OF THE PERMIT HAVE BEEN OR 24
268	268	ARE ABOUT TO BE VIOL ATED; 25
269	269
270	270	(3) SUBSTANTIAL DEVIATION FROM PLANS , SPECIFICATIONS , OR 26
271	271	REQUIREMENTS HA S OCCURRED OR IS ABO UT TO OCCUR; 27
272	272
273	273	(4) THE DEPARTMENT IS REFUSED ENTRY TO ANY PREMISE S FOR 28
274	274	THE PURPOSE OF INSPE CTING THE PROCESS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WI TH THE 29
275	275	PERMIT; 30
276	276
277	277	(5) A CHANGE IN CONDITIONS EXISTS THAT REQUIRES THE 31 SENATE BILL 942 7
278	278
279	279
280	280	TEMPORARY OR PERMANE NT REDUCTION OR ELIMINATION OF TH E USE OF TREATED 1
281	281	RECLAIMED WATER FOR GROUNDWATER AUGMENTA TION; 2
282	282
283	283	(6) THERE IS ANY NONCOMPL IANCE WITH A DISCHAR GE PERMIT OR A 3
284	284	PRETREATMENT REQUIRE MENT THAT MAY AFFECT THE RECLAIMED WATER IN ANY 4
285	285	MANNER; 5
286	286
287	287	(7) ANY STATE OR FEDERAL WATE R QUALITY STANDARD OR 6
288	288	EFFLUENT LIMITATION HAS BEEN OR IS THREA TENED TO BE VIOLATED ; 7
289	289
290	290	(8) ANY STATE OR FEDERAL REQU IREMENT ESTABLISHED UNDER 8
291	291	THE FEDERAL SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT, SUBTITLE 4 OF THIS TITLE, OR TITLE 9
292	292	12 OF THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN OR IS THREATENE D TO BE VIOLATED ; OR 10
293	293
294	294	(9) THE TREATED RECLAIMED WATER MAY THREATEN P UBLIC 11
295	295	HEALTH, SAFETY, COMFORT, OR THE ENVIRONMENT . 12
296	296
297	297	(J) (1) ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1 EACH YEAR, EACH HOLDER OF A 13
298	298	MANAGED AQUIFER RECH ARGE PERMIT SHALL RE PORT TO THE DEPARTMENT ON : 14
299	299
300	300	(I) THE APPLIED SCIENTIFI C RESULTS OF ANY 15
301	301	DEMONSTRATION FACILI TY OR GROUNDWATER AU GMENTATION ACTIVITIE S 16
302	302	UNDERTAKEN UNDER THE PILOT PROGRAM; AND 17
303	303
304	304	(II) ANY RECOMMENDATIONS F OR THE PILOT PROGRAM BASED 18
305	305	ON THE HOLDER ’S EXPERIENCE IN THE PILOT PROGRAM. 19
306	306
307	307	(2) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31 EACH YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT 20
308	308	SHALL REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND , IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE 21
309	309	STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON: 22
310	310
311	311	(I) THE STATUS OF THE PILOT PROGRAM; 23
312	312
313	313	(II) ANY SCIENTIFIC RESULT S AND RECOMMEND ATIONS 24
314	314	REPORTED UNDER PARAG RAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION ; 25
315	315
316	316	(III) WHETHER THE PILOT PROGRAM SHOULD BE MOD IFIED, 26
317	317	EXTENDED, OR MADE PERMANENT ; AND 27
318	318
319	319	(IV) ANY STATUTORY OR REGU LATORY CHANGES THAT THE 28
320	320	DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS TO PERMANENTLY AUTHO RIZE THE REGULA TED USE 29
321	321	OF TREATED RECLAIMED WATER AS A SOURCE FO R GROUNDWATER AUGMEN TATION, 30
322	322	IF APPROPRIATE . 31 8 SENATE BILL 942
323	323
324	324
325	325
326	326	(K) THE DEPARTMENT MAY ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS 1
327	327	SECTION. 2
328	328
329	329	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 3
330	330	October 1, 2024. 4
331	331