MD Planning to Allow Developers Buy Pollution Indulgences

State considers trade and fee system for pollution controls by developers

The state is considering plans to allow developers to pay for enhanced pollution controls on other land as a way to permit them to build in areas that might be off limits under new sustainable growth rules, environment officials told lawmakers on Wednesday.

Environment Secretary Bob Summers was briefing House and Senate committees on the current state of the proposed sustainable growth regulations requiring developers to offset additional nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment loads from their new projects.

Senate Bill 236 calls for the Department of the Environment to propose regulations for nutrient offset requirements to account residential growth in just tier III areas (large lot developments) by the end of the month. Summers said a proposal for statewide regulations would not be finalized until next September.

Indulgences were one of the old Catholic Church's policy of selling members the right to sin, in advance, as a way of funding the church (mostly to build new churches if my trips to Italy was instructive).  Among other things, they led Martin Luther to rebel against the church and form his own