Brandywine/Aquasco and Southern P.G. & Charles Co.
Development
Possible changes if restoration requirements were reduced:
Some developers could face fewer or less costly environmental mitigation requirements.
Large developments might have fewer restrictions related to:
runoff controls,
stream buffers,
nutrient management,
stormwater facilities.
However:
Prince George’s County and Maryland would still have:
zoning requirements,
subdivision regulations,
floodplain rules,
wetland protections,
septic regulations,
erosion and sediment controls.
So development would not become “unregulated.”
For the Rural Tier areas around Brandywine, Baden, Aquasco, and Croom, the biggest factors would still be:
available water/sewer,
zoning,
transportation capacity,
environmental constraints.
2. Septic Systems (Important for Rural Brandywine/Aquasco)
Many rural properties rely on:
private wells,
septic systems,
drain fields.
Bay restoration rules have encouraged improvements that reduce:
nitrogen,
phosphorus,
bacteria contamination.
If requirements were reduced:
Possible result:
Less pressure to upgrade older septic systems.
Lower costs for some property owners.
Potential concern
Poorly functioning septic systems can affect:
groundwater,
nearby streams,
wells,
the Patuxent River watershed.
3. Data Centers
This is becoming a major issue in the Chesapeake Bay region because data centers require:
large amounts of electricity,
cooling systems,
land,
infrastructure.
Concerns being discussed include:
water demand,
energy use,
stormwater runoff from large paved sites,
impacts on surrounding communities.
For Brandywine/Aquasco, and surrounding areas questions residents should ask about any proposed data center:
Water:
Will it use public water or private wells?
How much water per day?
Will groundwater levels be monitored?
Stormwater:
How much impervious surface will be created?
Where will runoff go?
Are ponds or infiltration systems planned?
Energy:
Will it require new substations or transmission lines?
4. Stormwater Rules
Stormwater management is one of the biggest development issues.
A new commercial project usually must address:
increased runoff,
erosion,
sediment,
water quality impacts.
Stormwater controls are designed to reduce pollutants entering waterways.
If requirements were reduced:
Possible benefit:
Lower construction costs
Faster approvals
Possible tradeoff:
More runoff entering local streams
Greater flooding risk
More sediment/nutrient pollution
The Trump Administration today issued an executive order repealing Executive Order 13508, a 2009 order that established a framework for federal leadership and coordination on Chesapeake Bay restoration.This could weaken the federal-state partnership that has helped drive decades of Bay restoration progress. Read more at
https://www.cbf.org/news/trump-executive-order-takes-aim-at-chesapeake-bay-restoration/.
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