Maryland Fines Coal Plants $1 Million For Polluting Potomac, Patuxent

"Maryland is fining the owner of two of the state's largest coal power plants $1 million for dumping too much nitrogen into the Potomac and Patuxent rivers, one of the largest penalties state environmental regulators have levied in years.

The Chalk Point Generating Station in Prince George's County and Dickerson Generation Station in Montgomery County were alleged to have violated the Clean Water Act from 2010 to 2013. As the power plants scrubbed more nitrogen from emissions into the air, they were discharging more of the harmful nutrient in their wastewater, state environmental officials said.

In agreeing to the settlement, the Houston-based NRG Energy Inc., which owns both the Chalk Point and Dickerson plants, did not admit to wrongdoing or liability."

Scott Dance reports for the Baltimore Sun August 30, 2016.