Builders and environmentalists are at odds over Mud Busters, a new program that encourages residents to photograph construction sites, which may be violating environmental law.
“Construction sites are not inspected regularly enough, and they are not up to snuff,” said Lee Epstein, director of the lands program at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the nonprofit that created the program, which advocates for the Bay and its watersheds.
However, “this smacks to me of a vigilante approach to environmental regulations,” said John Kortecamp, executive vice president of the Maryland Home Builders Association.
Residents send their photos to the foundation, which determines if runoff is occurring and reports violations to county regulatory agencies.
Information is available on the foundation?s Web site at www.cbf.org. Runoff can cause a nutrient problem in the water, depleting oxygen levels for animals, Epstein said.
State law mandates soil enforcement and sediment control on construction sites, and the counties must enforce regulations.
In Howard County, about 30 trained construction site inspectors oversee development with eight specializing in sediment control, said James Irvin, director of the Howard County Board of Public Works.
Residents can call the Board of Public Works if they see unacceptable construction practices.
Since most of the development in Howard County is near developed land, the most typical complaint is muddy water from construction sites seeping onto another people?s property, he said.
