Navigating Maryland’s New Water Quality Trading Program
Why EcoLogix Group was engaged:
EcoLogix can help you navigate Maryland’s new Water Quality Trading Program (WQT). Our Principal, Robert M. Summers, Ph.D., is one of Maryland’s leading experts in the development and application of Maryland’s new credit trading program. As the former Secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment, Dr. Summers directed the department in the early development of trading and promoted its development as part of Maryland’s first Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP). Relying on this expertise and familiarity with agency practices, EcoLogix can assist clients in registering credits from pollution controls they install themselves or purchasing credits to meet their permit requirements.
What are the benefits to Participating in WQT?:
WQT is an important part of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay restoration effort that helps Maryland more cost- effectively meet its federal Clean Water Act Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements. WQT creates a public market for nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment reduction credits to enhance the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and local waters by reducing the cost and accelerating the pace of nutrient and sediment reduction efforts. Credits can be purchased to meet pollution control requirements for permits at facilities where pollution control measures are infeasible or too expensive.
Outcome:
Credit trading provides a means to ensure pollution controls are implemented in the most cost-effective manner possible. This will lower costs, encourage better compliance with the pollution control requirements and help accelerate Maryland’s water quality restoration efforts for Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
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