Marvin Mandel, Governor                       1901

No. 21
(Senate Joint Resolution 40)

Senate Joint Resolution requesting the Maryland Environmental
Service to develop and implement a program to utilize sewage
sludges to improve soil quality, increase opportunities for desired
land uses and reduce environmental pollution.

Whereas, The improvement of the quality of Maryland's waters
requires high levels of sewage treatment to remove pollutants; and

Whereas, The removed pollutants become residues that are a
serious threat to natural resources and public health if improperly
released to the environment; and

Whereas, The volume of these residue wastes, commonly known
as sewage sludge, is increasing and can be expected to continue to
increase as treatment becomes more efficient; and

Whereas, Usual sludge disposal methods commonly practiced in
the past such as ocean disposal and incineration cause active or
potential air and water pollution and can be very costly; and

Whereas, Sewage sludges contain organics and other materials
which can greatly improve barren and depleted soils and be used
to restore and reclaim land disturbed by the extraction of coal and
other minerals; and

Whereas, The proper application of sewage sludges to poor quality
soils would be of economic value to agriculture, improve wildlife
habitats, and increase land values; and

Whereas, Maryland has large areas of land which could benefit
from such application; and

Whereas, All of the residents of the State would benefit by the
conversion of sewage sludge from a dangerous and costly waste into
a beneficial resource; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the Maryland
Environmental Service develop and implement as rapidly as feasible
a program to utilize sewage sludges to improve soil quality, increase
opportunities for desired land uses, and reduce environmental pollu-
tion; and be it further

Resolved, That the Maryland Environmental Service report to the
Governor and the General Assembly by January 1, 1973 on the ac-
tions it has taken to achieve the objectives of this Resolution; and,
be it further

Resolved, That copies of the legislation be sent to the Governor,
the Secretary of Natural Resources and the Director of the Maryland
Environmental Service.

Approved May 5, 1972.