Exelon Conowingo Suit Nixed by Judge

Baltimore judge rejects Exelon lawsuit over Conowingo Dam cleanup, but other appeals still pending

A Baltimore Circuit Court judge has rejected a lawsuit filed by Conowingo Dam owner Exelon Corp. against the state of Maryland, saying the company was premature in suing environmental regulators over demands that it do more to reduce pollution flowing into the Chesapeake Bay from the Susquehanna River.

The company can’t go to court to fight permit requirements imposed by the state until it has exhausted its options under Maryland’s administrative appeals statute, Judge Pamela J. White ruled.

An Exelon appeal to the Maryland Department of the Environment is still pending. So is a companion lawsuit that the Chicago-based company filed in federal court at the same time as the Circuit Court lawsuit.

It still annoys me that the current owners of Conowingo Dam are supposed to be responsible for the conditions at the head of the Bay reverting to the natural situation where there is no obstacle to all the crap running down the Susquehanna into the Bay.

I think if I were in charge of Exelon, I'd threaten to walk away from the dam and let New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland clean up their own dam mess.