DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Martin W.Walsh, Jr., Secretary of the Environment
Thomas C. Andrews, Deputy Secretary

201 W. Preston St.
Baltimore 21201 Telephone: 225-1250

In 1987, the Department of the Environment was created to Improve enforcement of environmental
laws and regulations in Maryland (Senate Bill no. 671). The Department will assist and expedite the
restoration of Chesapeake Bay and her tributaries, and will enhance State efforts to improve air and
water quality and prevent pollution from hazardous and solid waste. The Department also will help lo-
cal governments perform their significant environmental and public health roles.

Within the Department are regulatory programs for water pollution control, air and water quality
control, hazardous and solid waste management, sediment control, and stonnwater management. These
programs formerly were administered by the Office of Environmental Programs of the Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene and by the Water Resources Administration of the Department of Natural
Resources.

The Department of the Environment is responsible for all major environmental programs in Mary-
land. Its purpose is to foster and protect the public health and well-being by providing an environment
free of the uncontrolled release or disposal of toxic, hazardous, or undesirable substances or emissions.

Under the Department are the Air Management Administration, the Waste Management Administra-
tion, the Water Management Administration, and two major support units: the Science and Health Ad-
visory Group, and the Planning, Inspection and Compliance Program. The Department also is responsi-
ble for the Radiation, Nuclear and Noise Programs; the Watershed Protection Program for stormwater
management; and the Resource Protection Program for oil, erosion and sediment control. Additionally,
the Department oversees three licensing boards: the State Board of Environmental Sanitarian Registra-
tion, the State Board of Waterworks and Waste Systems Operators, and the State Board of Well Drill-
ers.

Assisting the Department are the Air Quality Control Advisory Council, the Environmental Noise
Advisory Council, the Controlled Hazardous Substance Advisory Council, and the Radiation Control
Advisory Board. The Department's Science and Health Advisory Group provides staff support for the
Advisory Council on Lead Poisoning and the Council on Toxic Substances.

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

The head of the Department is the Secretary of
the Environment, who is appointed by the Gover-
nor with the advice and consent of the Senate.
The Secretary, with the approval of the Governor,
appoints the Deputy Secretary.

In addition to administrative responsibilities,
the Secretary (or the Secretary's designee) is
authorized to subpoena any person or evidence,
administer oaths and take depositions and other
testimony.

The Secretary is to investigate the influence of
locality, employment, habit, and other conditions
of health, and the causes of diseases and mortality
to the extent that they may relate to environmen-
tal factors. The Secretary also may adopt proce-
dures to obtain information about cancers that are
caused by carcinogens and toxic substances, and
the incidence of these diseases.

RADIATION, NUCLEAR AND NOISE
PROGRAMS

The Radiation, Nuclear and Noise Programs
were formerly under the Office of Environmental
Programs of the Department of Health and