Baltimore City Consent Decree

Joining a growing list of municipalities, Baltimore City entered into a Consent Decree in September 2002 with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address sanitary and combined sewer overflows, which requires the City to conduct $900 million worth of improvements over the next fourteen (14) years. For the purpose of maintaining public and environmental health, the Consent Decree complements the ongoing efforts made by the City to address these issues and upgrade its wastewater collection system. Improvements are under way in and around Baltimore’s harbor, streams, the Chesapeake Bay and the property of the citizens of Baltimore.

Consent Decree Section

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (NPDES)

Baltimore City was issued a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit (MD0068292) on January 3, 2005. This permit lasts for 5 years and requires the City to prohibit non-stormwater discharges and reduce stormwater pollutants through its storm sewer system to the maximum extent practicable.

NPDES Permit

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) Permit

Baltimore City is a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) class of permit covered by the NPDES stormwater permit regulations, put into law by the U.S. EPA.

Munic Permit

Approved Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) For Baltimore City

The Maryland Department of the Environment (DOE) lists approved TMDLs for various parts of Maryland. Details on the TMDLs in Maryland can be found online.

Approved TMDLs applicable to Baltimore City include:

• Total Maximum Daily Loads of Fecal Bacteria for the Non-Tidal Jones Falls Basin in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Maryland
• Total Maximum Daily Loads of Nitrogen and Phosphorus for the Baltimore Harbor in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll and Howard Counties and Baltimore City, Maryland
• Total Maximum Daily Loads of Fecal Bacteria for the Non-Tidal Gwynns Falls Basin in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Maryland
• Total Maximum Daily Loads of Fecal Bacteria for the Herring Run Basin in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Maryland
• Total Maximum Daily Loads of Phosphorus and Sediments for Loch Raven Reservoir and Total Maximum Daily Loads of Phosphorus for Prettyboy Reservoir, Baltimore, Carroll and Harford Counties, Maryland
• Total Maximum Daily Loads of Nitrogen and Phosphorus for the Back River, Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Maryland
• TMDL of Mercury for Prettyboy Reservoir in Baltimore County, Maryland
• TMDL of Mercury for Loch Raven Reservoir in Baltimore County, Maryland
• TMDL for Chlordane in Lake Roland, Baltimore County, MD
• TMDL for Chlordane in the Baltimore Harbor, Baltimore City, Maryland
• TMDL of Chlordane for Back River, Baltimore County, MD

These analytic reports are also available online for the following:

• Water Quality Analyses for Lead in the Inner Harbor/Northwest Branch and Zinc in the Inner Harbor/Northwest Branch and Bear Creek Portions of Baltimore Harbor in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Maryland
• Water Quality Analyses of Chromium in the Inner Harbor/Northwest Branch and Bear Creek Portions of Baltimore Harbor in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Maryland
• Water Quality Analysis of Zinc for Back River in Baltimore County and Baltimore City, Maryland
• Water Quality Analysis of Copper and Lead for the Jones Falls in Baltimore County and Baltimore City, Maryland
• Water Quality Analyses of Chromium and Lead for the Liberty Reservoir Impoundment in Baltimore and Carroll Counties, Maryland
• Water Quality Analysis of Heavy Metals for the Loch Raven Reservoir Impoundment in Baltimore County, Maryland
• Water Quality Analysis of Heavy Metals for the Prettyboy Reservoir Impoundment in Baltimore County, Maryland
• Water Quality Analysis of Zinc Contamination for the Jones Falls in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Maryland

The information above is accurate as of March 12, 2009.