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PRESS RELEASE: Blue Water Baltimore Asks Court to Proceed with Case Against Baltimore City Over Wastewater Treatment Violations

Baltimore, MD – Blue Water Baltimore (BWB), home of the Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper, is proceeding in its federal case against Baltimore City originally filed in December 2021 for excessive pollution and ongoing violations of the federal Clean Water Act at the Patapsco and Back River Wastewater Treatment Plants.   The parties previously agreed to temporarily pause…

Our Water Warriors: The Duo Behind BWB’s Water Quality Program 

Our Water Warriors: The Duo Behind BWB’s Water Quality Program 

Winter or summer, rain or shine our science team is out on the water monitoring the quality of our waterways. Barbara Johnson is BWB’s Water Quality Manager & Cody Matteson is our Senior Coordinator for the Water Quality Program. Together they make the ultimate duo, traversing our streams and harbor to track the progress we’re…

A Year In Review: Restoration 2021
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A Year In Review: Restoration 2021

Oh Boy, What A Year!  As the second year of the pandemic draws to a close, Blue Water Baltimore celebrates the ways in which our community can still come together to achieve our mission of Clean water, Strong communities. We planted over 1,000 trees, removed 11,000 sq feet of impervious surface and gave away over…

A Year in Review: 2021 Water Wins 
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A Year in Review: 2021 Water Wins 

It’s been a whirlwind of a year on all fronts, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. We’ve navigated through many challenges, welcomed new staff members to our BWB family, and we’re working every day to hold polluters accountable. So, what has your Baltimore Waterkeeper team been up to?   Growing our Team of Water Protectors  Our…

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PRESS RELEASE: Blue Water Baltimore Files Lawsuit Against Baltimore City Over Wastewater Treatment Violations

Baltimore, MD – Blue Water Baltimore (BWB), home of the Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper, filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland on Wednesday against Baltimore City for excessive pollution and ongoing violations of the Clean Water Act at the Patapsco and Back River Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs).  BWB is…

PRESS RELEASE: BWB and CBF Take Action Against Short-sighted Stormwater Permits
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PRESS RELEASE: BWB and CBF Take Action Against Short-sighted Stormwater Permits

Baltimore, MD – Blue Water Baltimore (BWB), partnering with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), today filed a petition for judicial review of  the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permits recently issued for Baltimore City and County. These permits, reviewed and re-issued every five years by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), provide requirements for municipalities to address pollution and flooding caused by…

Dirt Mountain: How One Resident Stopped Polluters in Their Tracks
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Dirt Mountain: How One Resident Stopped Polluters in Their Tracks

For the past 12 years, Chris Schulze has lived in the Gwynns Falls watershed one block away from the Maiden Choice Run, a critical waterway. This waterway runs along Southwest Baltimore, feeding into the Gwynns Falls stream. Along the way it passes Chris’ neighborhood, creating a small pocket of wildlife in an otherwise bustling part…

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The Power of One: How One Concerned Citizen Brought the Jones Falls Fish Kill to Light

On a Sunday morning in September, Todd Evans was taking his dog Rue on a walk along the Jones Falls Bike Trail near the Woodberry Woods. As Rue sniffed around the trails’ edge, something caught his eye in the water below. A thick layer of foam had developed on the rapids and the air stank…

Celebrating Black History, Looking Forward to Black Futures
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Celebrating Black History, Looking Forward to Black Futures

Happy Black History Month! There is a lot to celebrate this month, and as an environmental organization, we would like to highlight Black Americans’ long and continued history in the push for environmental equity. The Roots of Environmental Justice   The Environmental Protection Agency recognizes environmental justice as “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of…