Maryland’s environmental agency collected $5.1 million in pollution penalties from a record number of violators in fiscal 2010, according to the agency’s annual report.
The state’s Department of the Environment penalized more than 3,000 citizens and businesses that violated environmental regulations for the 12 months ending in June 2010.
The violations represent a 6.8 percent increase from fiscal 2009, and a 54 percent increase from fiscal 2007 —when the agency launched a program to ramp up enforcement.
The increases are primarily driven by a spike in radiation safety violations, according to the agency. Maryland is home to roughly 5,000 X-ray machines that the state is required to inspect once every three years.
The agency also reported an increase in water pollution penalties.
The energy department inspected roughly half of its 93,323 permitted sites in fiscal 2010 to determine whether they complied with state regulations.
