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MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT 

1800 Washington Boulevard • Baltimore MD 21230 

410-537-3000 • 1-800-633-6101 

 

 

 March 18, 2008 

CERTIFICATE OF PUBLICATION 

This is to certify that the “Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) Notice of Public Hearings 

Concerning Proposed Air Quality Regulation Amendments” was published on MDE’s web site on March 

18, 2008. It will remain posted on the site until the public hearings have been held on April 30, 2008. The 

notice in full with links to technical supporting documents may be found in the following web address: 

http://www.mde.state.md.us/AboutMDE/reqcomments.asp

Web publication of the notice was at the request of Deborah Rabin, Regulations Coordinator of the Air and 

Radiation Management Administration of MDE. 

 By: 

 DIANA ALEGRE 

 MDE Webmaster 

 

Attachments: 

Copy of web page as published. 

MDE CMS Content History Report. 

Shari T. Wilson

Secretary

Robert M. Summers, Ph.D.

Deputy Secretary

Martin O’Malley 

Governor 

Anthony G. Brown 

Lieutenant Governor 
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Home > About MDE > MDE Request for Comments

MDE Public Meetings, Hearings and Request for Comments 

A list of MDE's public meetings and hearings are available in the MDE Calendar. 

Please call or email contact person cited in meeting details for materials for comment 

and other questions. 

 Public Hearing Notice on the Proposed Implementation, Maintenance, 

and Enforcement of the PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard 

State Implementation Plan

The Maryland Department of the Environment will hold a public hearing concerning: 

(1) a proposed State Implementation Plan (SIP) to meet obligations regarding 

implementation and enforcement under Section §§110(a)(2)(A)–(M) of the Clean Air Act 

of the PM 2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS); and 

(2) Section B of the proposed plan entitled "Ambient Air Quality Monitoring/Data 

System", when approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will also 

supercede the air quality monitoring network SIP revision of December 20, 1979 which 

was approved by the EPA on August 31, 1981 (46 FR 43677). 

The public hearing will be held as required by federal law (Clean Air Act at 42 U.S.C. 

7410 (a) and 40 CFR 51.102). After consideration of all comments received, the 

proposed plan will be submitted to the U.S. EPA for approval as part of Maryland's SIP. 

The proposed plan document has been made available on the Maryland Department of 

the Environment's website at 

http://www.mde.state.md.us/Programs/AirPrograms/air_planning/index.asp

Note: The public library systems in Maryland can be used for Internet access to view the 

document. 

Copies of the document can also be viewed at the Maryland Department of the 

Environment, Air and Radiation Management Administration, 1800 Washington 

Boulevard, Suite 730, Baltimore, Maryland. Contact: Deborah Rabin. 

Comments on this proposed plan may be (1) presented at the hearing, (2) mailed to 

Deborah Rabin, Air and Radiation Management Administration, Department of the 

Environment, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Suite 730, Baltimore, Maryland 21230-1720, 

(3) emailed to drabin@mde.state.md.us, or (4) faxed to (410) 537-4223. Comments 

must be received not later than March 26, 2008. For more information, contact 

Deborah Rabin at (410) 537-3240 (Toll free in Maryland call (800) 633-6101 ext. 3240 

or e-mail drabin@mde.state.md.us. 

The public hearing on the proposed plan will be held on March 26, 2008 at 10 

a.m. at the Department of the Environment, 1800 Washington Boulevard, 1st 

Floor Aeris Conference Room, Baltimore, Maryland 21230-1720.

Anyone needing special accommodations at the hearing should contact the Department's 

Fair Practices Office at (410) 537-3964. TTY users may contact the Department through 

the Maryland Relay Service at 1-800-735-2258. 

MDE Request for Comments Page 1 of 4

http://www.mde.state.md.us/AboutMDE/reqcomments.asp 3/18/2008
 Request for Comments on Preliminary Draft to Renew the General 

Permit for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)

The Maryland Department of the Environment has developed a preliminary draft to 

renew the general permit for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). 

Background: A draft proposal to renew the permit was published in December 2004, 

and hearings were held in January 2005. In the interim, the federal regulations, which 

served as the basis of that draft, were challenged in federal court and never finalized. In

May of 2007, MDE and the Maryland Department of Agriculture publicly committed to 

update and implement the original proposal to address issues that are important to the 

Chesapeake Bay restoration. Since significant time has elapsed since the publication of 

the previous tentative determination and hearings, MDE is providing an informal 

comment opportunity prior to publishing a new tentative determination. 

Proposal: Requirements for existing, permitted CAFOs have changed. MDE has added a 

requirement for a comprehensive nutrient management plan (CNMP) developed for the 

facility with an opportunity for public review and comment on that plan. This permit 

regulates poultry growers for the first time and includes requirements to properly store 

and handle dry manure. 

Process: MDE has extended the preliminary comment period and intends to publish a 

revised tentative determination (draft permit) by March 31, 2008. EPA is also preparing

final regulations for CAFOs and may issue these regulations at any time. While the 

tentative permit determination will include a formal opportunity to comment on the 

permit, MDE welcomes, in the interim, any written comments on the preliminary 

draft available on the MDE website. MDE also reserves the right to initiate its own 

changes to the draft proposal. MDE is specifically reviewing the fee structure to ensure 

that the Department will have adequate resources to properly implement these new 

requirements. 

MDE will also propose regulations to formally implement the general permit for AFOs by 

March 31, 2008. These regulations will also outline the process for formal public review 

and comment for each request to register a facility under the general permit. 

Written comments on the preliminary draft permit should be submitted by the close of 

business, March 31, 2008 to Maryland Department of the Environment, Water 

Management Administration, 1800 Washington Blvd., Ste 455, Baltimore Maryland 

21230, Attn: Edwal Stone, or via email to estone@mde.state.md.us. 

The full text of the preliminary draft to renew the general permit for concentrated animal

feeding operations (CAFOs) may be viewed here . 

Frequently Asked Questions about Proposal to Regulate Animal Feeding Operations may 

be viewed here. 

MDE Press Release on CAFO public meeting schedule is available here. 

 Request for Comments on the Draft Total Maximum Daily Loads of 

Nutrients/Biochemical Oxygen Demand for the Anacostia River Basin, 

Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, Maryland and The District of 

Columbia

A 30-day public comment period for the referenced draft document will take place from 

March 7, 2008 to April 7, 2008. Written comments concerning Maryland-related aspects 

of the draft document may be submitted to the Department on or before April 7, 

2008, and should be sent to Mr. Thornton at MDE's address or emailed to 

tthornton@mde.state.md.us. 

EPA will host a public meeting about the Anacostia River nutrients/BOD TMDL 

for all interested parties from both Maryland and DC on Friday, March 14, 2008 

in Rooms 4 and 5 on the 1st floor of the Metropolitan Washington Council of 

Governments at 777 N. Capitol Street NE, Washington DC from 1:00–3:00 p.m. 

Directions are available at

http://www.mwcog.org/contact/directions/default.asp, or call (202) 962-

3200. 

MDE Request for Comments Page 2 of 4

http://www.mde.state.md.us/AboutMDE/reqcomments.asp 3/18/2008
To view the complete notice and access the documents, please click here. 

 Advance Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM) - Triennial Review 

of Water Quality Standards

On February 29, 2008 in the Maryland Register, MDE published a document entitled, 

"Advance Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM)". Presented in the document are 

issues that the MDE believes should be addressed are presented for public review. MDE 

will consider additional issues if the necessary data are available to make the appropriate

determination. A subsequent promulgation of new water quality standards may include 

issues not included in the proposal. To view the proposal, click here. 

Comments on the proposal and on additional issues that the public believes should be 

addressed should be submitted to John Backus at jbackus@mde.state.md.us, or by mail 

to Mr. Backus, Science Services Administration, Maryland Department of the 

Environment, 1800 Washington Blvd, Baltimore MD 21230. 

An informational public meeting to discuss the ANPRM and receive public 

comment is scheduled for March 19, 2008. Click here for more meeting details.

In addition to the public meeting, a conference call is scheduled for March 18, 

2008. Details are available here.

 Public Notice of Intent to Develop a Process and Approach for Use 

Attainability Analyses

On February 29, 2008 in the Maryland Register, MDE announced that it will meet with all 

interested stakeholders on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at MDE to solicit initial input on 

the Use Attainability Analysis (UAA) process. At that meeting, MDE will answer questions 

to clarify the issues and begin to develop the approach. Other meetings may be 

scheduled if necessary. MDE anticipates completing this process by summer of 2008 at 

which point the draft approach will be open to comment. When this approach is applied 

and a decision is made that a specific water quality standard cannot be attained, revision

of the standard and development of new criteria must go through the promulgation 

process. 

A public meeting is scheduled for March 19, 2008. Click here for details of the 

meeting.

 Request for Public Comment on Draft 2008 Integrated Report (IR) of 

Surface Water Quality in Maryland

MDE is announcing the availability of the Draft 2008 IR for public review and comment. 

The public review period will run from March 12 to April 28, 2008. Comments or 

questions may be directed in writing to Linda Watson MDE, Science Services 

Administration, 1800 Washington Blvd., Baltimore Maryland 21230, emailed to 

303d@mde.state.md.us, or faxed to the attention of Ms. Linda Watson at 410-537-3873 

on or before April 28, 2008. 

Public meetings on the draft Integrated Report will be held on April 14, 15 and 

 22, 2008 from 6:00pm-8:00pm in various regions of the State. 

To view the complete notice and access the document, please click here. 

 Notice of Public Hearings and Request for Comments Concerning 

Proposed Air Quality Regulation Amendments

MDE Request for Comments Page 3 of 4

http://www.mde.state.md.us/AboutMDE/reqcomments.asp 3/18/2008
The Maryland Department of the Environment gives notice of public hearings concerning 

proposed air quality regulation amendments. The proposed actions are briefly described

below: 

(1) amend Regulation .01 under COMAR 26.11.01 General Administrative Provisions and 

Regulation .14 under COMAR 26.11.06 General Emission Standards, Prohibitions, and 

Restrictions to adopt the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised rule and 

future changes to the federal Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) requirements 

which are incorporated by reference prospectively under COMAR 26.11.01.01 and 

COMAR 26.11.06.14 (Technical Support Document); 

2) amend Regulation .05 under COMAR 26.11.26 Conformity to remove a subsection that

has been deemed not necessary by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(Technical 

Support Document); and 

(3) amend Regulations .01 - .07 under COMAR 26.11.28 Clean Air Interstate Rule to 

assure that Maryland’s Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) is consistent with the federal 

CAIR model rule (Technical Support Document). 

These actions will be submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval

as revisions to Maryland’s State Implementation Plan. 

The full text of these proposed actions will appear in the Maryland Register and at 

http://www.dsd.state.md.us/mdregister/ on March 28, 2008. The Technical Support 

Document is available for public review on the Maryland Department of the 

Environment's website. 

The proposed actions and supporting documents are also available for review at the 

following locations: the Air and Radiation Management Administration; regional offices of 

the Department in Cumberland and Salisbury; all local air quality control offices; and 

local health departments in those counties not having separate air quality control offices.

Public hearings on the proposed actions will be held on April 30, 2008 at 10 

a.m. at the Department of the Environment, 1800 Washington Boulevard, 1st 

Floor Terra Conference Room, Baltimore, Maryland 21230-1720.

Interested persons are invited to attend and express their views. Comments may be 

mailed to Deborah Rabin, Regulations Coordinator, Air and Radiation Management 

Administration, Department of the Environment, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Suite 730, 

Baltimore, Maryland 21230-1720, or emailed to drabin@mde.state.md.us, or faxed to 

(410) 537-4223. Comments must be received not later than April 30, 2008, or be 

submitted at the hearing. For more information, call Deborah Rabin at (410) 537-3240. 

Anyone needing special accommodations at the public hearing should contact the 

Department's Fair Practices Office at (410) 537-3964. TTY users may contact the 

Department through the Maryland Relay Service at 1-800-735-2258. 

 

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