Transquaking River
| Transquaking River | |
|---|---|
 Transquaking River facing north | |
  Location of the Transquaking River within Maryland | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Maryland |
| County | Dorchester County |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • coordinates | 38°35′42″N75°55′09″W/ 38.5949°N 75.9193°W |
| • elevation | 39 feet (12 m) |
| Mouth | |
• coordinates | 38°22′09″N76°00′04″W/ 38.3692°N 76.0011°W |
• elevation | 0 feet (0 m) |
| Length | 23.2 miles (37.3 km) |
| Basin size | 110.8 square miles (287 km2) |
| Depth | |
| • minimum | 4 inches (10 cm) |
| • maximum | 11.5 feet (3.5 m) |
TheTransquaking Riveris a 23.2-mile-long (37.3 km)[1]river in southernMarylandin theUnited States.It starts in northernDorchester Countyand flows south-southwest ending just outside of theBlackwater National Wildlife Refuge,approximately 2,828 feet (862 m) wide at its mouth on the north bank of theFishing Bay,near theChesapeake Bayto the southwest. The Transquaking River has a watershed area of about 110.8 square miles (287 km2).[2]
2021 pollution incident
[edit]On December 21, 2021, theMaryland Department of the Environment(MDE) ordered Valley Proteins, ananimal rendering and recyclingcompany, to cease operations at their facility inLinkwood, Maryland,after exceeding the local wastewater discharge permit limits.[3][4]The plant had consistently been dumping illegal amounts of fecal bacteria, ammonia, and phosphorus into the Transquaking River.[5]During the summer of 2020, the plant exceededammoniapollution limits in the Transquaking River 25 times.[5]
Maryland attorney generalBrian Froshstated: "Valley Proteins' own reports from 2019 to 2021 show that, on about 40 occasions, wastewater [the plant] discharged contained higher concentrations of ammonia, phosphorus and other pollutants than permitted — in one case about 725 times the limit."[6]
Initially, the MDE offered $13 million in public funds to pay for a private wastewater treatment facility for Valley Proteins. After backlash from the public and several state senators includingSarah ElfrethandPaul Pinsky,the MDE withdrew the funding and stated that they would be imposing penalties on Valley Proteins for their illegal levels of pollution.[5]Michael Smith, the vice chairman of Valley Proteins, stated that "[Valley Proteins is] working cooperatively with MDE to resolve the issue as quickly as possible."[3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Total Maximum Daily Loads of Nitrogen and Phosphorus for the Transquaking River Dorchester, Maryland(PDF).Maryland Department of the Environment.1999. pp. I-0 through I-4.Retrieved30 January2022.
- ^"National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data".U.S. Geological Survey.Retrieved30 January2022.
- ^abWheeler, Timothy B. (December 22, 2021)."Maryland orders chicken rendering plant shut down".Bay Journal.RetrievedJanuary 31,2022.
- ^Malo, Sebastien (2022-02-03)."Maryland AG, enviros sue Valley Proteins weeks after $1.1 bln deal announced".Reuters.Retrieved2022-02-08.
- ^abcPinsky, Paul (January 18, 2022)."Maryland's environmental horror show, zombies included | GUEST COMMENTARY".Baltimore Sun.RetrievedJanuary 31,2022.
- ^Malo, Sebastien (2022-02-03)."Maryland AG, enviros sue Valley Proteins weeks after $1.1 bln deal announced".Reuters.Retrieved2022-02-10.