By Elizabeth Bonin, Staff Writer

(Feb. 27, 2020) Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-38) addressed two constituent concerns last week – the recent fatal crash south of Berlin and proposed regulations regarding concentrated animal feeding operations.

Sen. Mary Beth Carozza

A traffic signal study is underway the intersection of Routes 113 and 818 just south of Berlin, where Johnnie Derrickson, 73, of Parsonsburg, was killed in a Feb. 6 collision between his pickup truck and a large rollback truck.

Following the crash, residents told Carozza they were concerned about that intersection. That same day, she requested the assessment from the state highway administration.

“I requested an option for safety improvement, which could include a possible variety of options ranging from a traffic signal to a J-turn to flashing warning signs or other signage,” Carozza said.

She also confirmed last Wednesday that initial information showed an average of two accidents per year at the intersection.

“They have a process where they go back and review traffic patterns, prior accidents, and they’ll look at the information to see what type of safety improvement would be warranted based on the study,” Carozza said.

The study should be complete within a couple weeks.

Turning to Annapolis, Senate Bill 928 would mandate that any farmer applying for a concentrated animal feeding operation construction or expansion be required to complete a manure transport plan if they are in a county where more than 30 percent of the acres tested for a fertility index value of 150 or more.

The farmer must then transport the manure to a county than has less than 30 percent of acres tested for that amount. These efforts aim to mitigate the farms’ use of chicken litter as fertilizer, since it can contain high phosphorus levels that may run off and damage water quality.

“My concern and my opposition to the bill is that it creates more regulation on our farmers,” Carozza said. “It’s duplicative. It would cause financial harm to our local farmers who are already required to comply with the nutrient management law.”

She mentioned that the phosphorus management tool Transition Advisory Committee already voted in December to recommend that the Maryland Secretary of Agriculture proceed with the next phase of implementation. The next phase will cover 122,000 acres of land, according to Bob Mitchell, director of environmental programs.

“They’re already required to comply with the nutrient management law,” Carozza said. “They did not opt for delaying the PMT regulation, so let’s let the system work without imposing new regulations on our farmers.”

A study conducted by Salisbury’s Business Economic and Community Outreach Network revealed that the infrastructure and funding needed to remove excess manure is not yet in place.

Carozza said she questioned the need for the legislation since it would affect Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester County farmers during the hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 19 for the Senate Health, Education and Environmental Affairs Committee.

She expects the committee to make a vote in the next couple weeks.