LEGISLATION UPDATE

COUNCIL CONSIDERS DAF STORAGE BILLS

On September 6 the County Council held a meeting to consider three versions of a bill to prohibit or restrict the open-air storage of DAF. The meeting was well attended and the crowd (mostly NAG supporters) spilled out of the council chambers into the hall. The Dispatch ran a fairly accurate description of the night you can go to their website and read it. "Wicomico County Introduces Ban on DAF Storage Tanks."

It was a long meeting and the discussion of the three bills was spirited at times. Unfortunately, some speakers were confused about the bills before them and thought the Council was looking to restrict chicken houses or end the "Right to Farm" act. In the end, after hearing from many concerned citizens, pro and con on DAF storage restrictions, the Council voted to select the DAF-Prohibition Bill 2022-10.

This bill is NOT a prohibition bill and is more or less nothing different than what exists now. I encourage everyone to read the short bill, and pay close attention to this part:

THE PROHIBITION STATED HEREIN SHALL NOT APPLY TO LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZER OR SOIL AMENDMENT STORED BY A FARMER OR FARMING BUSINESS ON LAND IN THE AGRICULTURAL-RURAL-A-i DISTRICT, OR OWNED OR LEASED BY SAID FARMER OR FARMING BUSINESS FOR USE ONLY ON LAND OWNED OR TITLED BY SAID FARMER OR FARMING BUSINESS.

Once again, NAG is calling on all Wicomico County citizens who don’t want to live next to a putrid DAF storage facility to contact their Council member and tell them so! The Council Directory is found on the right sidebar of this blog for your convenience. 

Finally, NAG greatly appreciates their supporters, especially those who have attended Council meetings. The public should keep in mind NAG is working for you, not just those of us who make up the group. We are not overestimating the problems you will face if a DAF storage facility comes to your neighborhood, nor are we anti-farmers or anti-poultry. This is about DAF open-air storage. Period.