To inform the state’s decision making process on the leasing and discharge permitting for the Days Cove Rubble Landfill, Gunpowder RIVERKEEPER®, Gunpowder Valley Conservancy, and Mad About Mud co-authored a letter to submit to the Maryland Board of Public Works (BPW) prior to their January 7th 2026 meeting.
As the Maryland BPW had only considered two of the thirty-seven concerns brought before them on the matter, it was deemed vital to continue advocating for a reduced lease period and increased monitoring of discharge from the rubble landfill into the Gunpowder River.
The letter is reproduced below in its entirety.
Dear Members of the Board of Public Works,Thank you to the Office of the Comptroller for inviting public input on the initial proposed lease renewal (63-LL), and to the full Board for your continued consideration of this matter. The undersigned community organizations write to share concerns regarding Action 53-LL, the proposed landlord lease between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Days Cove Reclamation for approximately 113.76 acres within Gunpowder Falls State Park in White Marsh, Maryland. We appreciate the Board of Public Works (BPW) decision on December 17 to withdraw the earlier action (63-LL) from the agenda following significant public engagement. In less than 12 hours, over 200 public comments and extensive written correspondence were submitted to BPW, reflecting strong community interest in ensuring that any future action fully addresses compliance, permitting, and environmental impact concerns, as well as a strict closure timeline. We understand from our recent correspondence with DNR, that the rationale for considering a short-term lease will accomplish two goals: “1) to give MDE time to decide on the [pending] permit so we can ensure that the lease extension is consistent with it, and 2) to give all of us more time to better understand each other’s concerns and how to best move forward together.” In that context, we respectfully request greater transparency regarding what will be accomplished during this interim period as the below community concerns have not yet been addressed by neither DNR nor MDE. In particular, we encourage close coordination between DNR and MDE to provide clarity on the following issues: Discharge permit renewal: Should include a consent decree for current and future violations and a no discharge condition for treated leachate ensuring that discharges will not negatively impact local waterways Lease duration: Consideration of a shorter operating period than the 5 year operating /3 year remediation term as stated in the 63-LL prior to the initiation of closure activities Escrow: Clarification regarding ownership, sufficiency of funds, and the amount required to fully support full closure Rubble recycling: Leadership from the State to advance sustainable and responsible solutions Closure planning: A comprehensive approach that includes environmental assessment, long-term monitoring, and treatment in perpetuity Addressing these areas would help provide certainty, transparency, and confidence that environmental and community protections are being prioritized. We respectfully urge the Board of Public Works to direct DNR and MDE to work collaboratively to address these concerns and to ensure that any lease action includes clear conditions and a defined path toward safe closure, mitigation, monitoring, and eventual reclamation of the site as public parkland. Thank you for your time, leadership, and consideration. We appreciate the opportunity to engage in this process and look forward to continued dialogue.
Sincerely,
Gunpowder Riverkeeper, Gunpowder Valley Conservancy, Mad About Mud