Maryland audit: the environment department had a backlog of 120 wastewater permit applications, with 19 facilities on continued permits for 3 to 9 years

An April 2026 Maryland Office of Legislative Audits report on the Maryland Department of the Environment found the department did not review and approve wastewater discharge permits timely. As of April 2025 it had a backlog of 120 permit applications (24 major and 96 minor facilities) whose existing permits were administratively continued; 69 had been continued for more than a year, including 19 facilities for between 3 and 9 years.