ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Eastern Shore lawmakers and bay protesters are angry about the current agreement with Exelon and the Conowingo Dam.
The federal license expired for the dam in 2014 and since then Exelon has fought for a new long-term agreement.
The state rescinded its ability to enforce a water quality agreement. Debris and sediment have now reached its capacity at the dam and when it rains,
All the buildup washes into the Susquehanna River and the bay adversely effecting wild life and water quality.
Lawmakers said the settlement also provides grossly insufficient funds to deal with the risks that the dam's operations pose to the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay.
“The current settlement agreement requires Exelon to pay 1% of what they need to contribute to adequately address the problem and without the bill Marylander’s will be on the hook for billions of dollars of clean up support,” Delegate Vaughn Stewart of Montgomery Co.
The emergency bill would prevent Maryland from waiving a critical water quality certification.
Lawmakers have been frustrated for many years at the lack of support from state that contribute to the problem and support from Exelon.
