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Maryland Code, Environment § 5-101

Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.

(b) “Administration” means the Water and Science Administration.

(c) “Appropriate county governing body” means the county commissioners of any nonchartered county or the county council of any chartered county in which a portion of the watershed is located.

(d) “County” includes Baltimore City unless otherwise indicated.

(e) “Department” means the Department of the Environment.

(f) “Director” means the Director of the Water and Science Administration.

(g) “Person” includes the federal government, the State, any county, municipal corporation, or other political subdivision of the State, or any of their units, or an individual, receiver, trustee, guardian, executor, administrator, fiduciary, or representative of any kind, or any partnership, firm, association, public or private corporation, or any other entity.

(h)(1) “Pollution” means every contamination or other alteration of the physical, chemical, or biological properties of any waters of the State.

(2) “Pollution” includes change in temperature, taste, color, turbidity, or odor of the waters of the State or the discharge or deposit of any organic matter, harmful organism, or liquid, gaseous, solid, radioactive, or other substance into any waters of the State as will render the waters of the State harmful, detrimental, or injurious to public health, safety, or welfare, domestic, commercial, industrial, agricultural, recreational, other legitimate beneficial uses, or livestock, wild animals, birds or fish or other aquatic life.

(i) “Public water system” has the meaning stated in § 9-401 of this article.

(j) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Environment.

(k) “Water management strategy area” means an area designated by the Department in which a specific water resource problem has been identified and for which the Department has adopted specific water use restrictions or criteria for permit approval in order to protect the water resource or existing water users.

(l) “Waters of the State” includes:

(1) Both surface and underground waters within the boundaries of the State subject to its jurisdiction;

(2) That portion of the Atlantic Ocean within the boundaries of the State;

(3) The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries;

(4) All ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, public ditches, tax ditches, and public drainage systems within the State, other than those designed and used to collect, convey, or dispose of sanitary sewage; and

(5) The floodplain of free-flowing waters determined by the Department on the basis of the 100-year flood frequency.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Maryland Code, Environment § 5-101 - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/md/environment/md-code-envir-sect-5-101/

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