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Selected Environmental Information for MD Military Base Communities: NWC, Indian Head
This series of maps depicts various environmental features and opportunities in and around the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head, Charles County, Maryland. These environmental features are primarily monitored and/or regulated by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and often in cooperation with a federal partner (e.g. the Environmental Protection Agency or Army Corps of Engineers). Features are either naturally occurring or man-made. Examples of opportunities represented include: Map 2 - potential brownfields redevelopment sites and water/sewer/solid waste facility availability; Map 3 - avoidance of flood hazard areas; Map 4 - water quality restoration opportunities; Map 5 - protection of high-quality waters; Map 6 - early identification of state regulated wetlands. In addition, at the bottom is a useful reference to aid decision-making that involves air quality “conformity” considerations. Regarding wetlands, early-stage planning that takes into account the location of existing wetlands (especially those of high value) and/or opportunities for wetland restoration can be critical to overall project success. Water quality impairments represent opportunities because, depending on the specific situation, redevelopment of existing sites may have quantifiable beneficial impacts within the watershed and can be an aid in restoring water quality negatively impacted by poor or inappropriate land use practices of the past.
Information on other natural resources as well as useful socio-economic information on each base is available at: Department of Natural Resources (DNR) - http://www.dnr.state.md.us/ and Department of Planning - http://www.mdp.state.md.us/.
Map 1 - U.S. Naval Warfare Center Facility Location
Map 1 - U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center Facility Location
Map 1 depicts general site information by showing the location of the facility in relation to the surrounding community. Along with the facility's boundary, the map shows various general features including municipal boundaries, town locations, roads, eight digit watersheds, ZIP codes, and larger natural/wildlife management areas for easy reference. The aerial imagery is in natural color and has a pixel size of 0.75 meters. Many of the general features found here are also depicted on the other maps.
Map 2 - MDE Permitted Facilities
Map 2 depicts various Maryland permitted facilities. Facilities included come under various MDE regulations for pollution control, mitigation, and restoration. (Stormwater permits are not shown but available upon request.)
Map 3 - FEMA Floodplain Zones and Storm Surge Inundation Areas
Map 3 - FEMA Floodplain Zones and Storm Surge Inundation Areas
Map 3 depicts the Federal Emergency Management Administration's Floodplain Zones. WMA is the State coordinating agency for the national flood insurance program. Also shown is the storm surge monitoring stations and inundation areas.
Map 4 - Impaired Watersheds and Water Quality Monitoring Stations
Map 4 - Impaired Watersheds and Water Quality Monitoring Stations
Map 4 depicts the State’s federal Section 303(d) list of impaired watersheds along with water quality monitoring stations administered by MDE, through its Science Services Administration (SSA formerly TARSA) and the members of the Maryland Water Monitoring Council. Information collected from these stations is used to determine the impacts to water quality in each of these watersheds. SSA provides technical advice to WMA regarding “total maximum daily loads” (TMDLs) that may be permitted within the listed impaired watersheds. For specific information relating to the 303(d) list and TMDL's for each of Maryland's 24 jurisdictions (i.e. 23 counties and the City of Baltimore) go to Maps and Water Resources Aid to Local Planning .
Map 5 - High-Quality Waters
Map 5 The Clean Water Act requires that States adopt an anti-degradation policy that maintains existing high-quality or Tier II waters so that these waters aren't allowed to degrade to minimum standards (Tier 1). Maryland's Tier II waters are designated in State regulations that comprise the State's water quality standards. Additional designations may be added over time. Maryland’s anti-degradation policy has been promulgated in three regulations: COMAR 26.08.02.04 sets out the policy itself, COMAR 26.08.02.04-1 provides for implementation of anti-degradation policy as it applies to Tier II waters, and COMAR 26.08.02.04-2 describes Tier III (Outstanding National Resource Waters or ONRW), the highest quality waters. At this time, no Tier III waters are designated in Maryland. Tier II anti-degradation implementation has the greatest immediate effect on local government planning functions. For relevant information, go to Maryland's High Quality Waters (Tier II)
Map 6 - State Regulated Wetlands
Map 6 depicts existing wetlands and wetlands of special State concern as used by WMA in its wetland and waterways permitting activity, a regulatory program jointly administered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Regulated impacts include development on or near, removal of, or the creation of new State wetlands.
Air Quality “Conformity” Considerations - " General conformity” is a consideration in the siting of new development/redevelopment projects that have federal funding or need federal permits. Transportation conformity, a similar review process, frequently comes into play during the environmental review of major road projects in Maryland. Conformity ensures that federal actions do not undermine air quality improvement efforts at the state level. Most activities at federal facilities that are expected to involve emissions that impact surface air quality, including defense activities, such as air ground operations,and flight landings and takeoffs may need a conformity review.
Additional environmental regulatory and related information may also be found on the web at www.mde.state.md.us .
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