SB 861

Environment - Stormwater Management for Agritourism

Sponsor: Craig J. Zucker (District 14)Committee: Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentSubject: EnvironmentStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 13 (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring the Department of the Environment to adopt regulations that consider certain best management practices for stormwater management for agritourism; and requiring Montgomery County and the Montgomery Soil Conservation District jointly, in consultation with the Department, to review certain processes for reviewing and approving certain stormwater management plans and submit their findings to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 31,2026.

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Testimony (21)

MGA witness list

FAV 14FavorableFWA 7Favorable with amendments

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Smith, Virginia	IndivisibleHoCoMD	Position only
FAV	Miller, Christopher	Lone Oak Farm	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Palmer, Harrison	Maryland Department of Agriculture	Written (PDF)
FAV	McPherson, Lydia	Maryland Department of Natural Resources	Written (PDF)
FAV	Baker, Jeremy D	Maryland Department of the Environment	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hough, Tylerlobbyist	Maryland Farm Bureau	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hough, Tylerlobbyist	Maryland Farm Bureau	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Zucker, Craig	Maryland State Senate	Written (PDF)
FAV	Luedtke, Dawn	Montgomery County Council District 7	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wenger, Melanie	Montgomery County Government	Written (PDF)
FAV	Harris, David	Song Dog Farm Distillery	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Butz, Robert	Windridge Farm / Windridge Vineyards	Oral
FAV	Senator Zucker, Senator Zuckerlegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Senator Zucker, Senator Zuckerlegislator	Individual	Oral
FWA	Ochsenhirt, Lisalobbyist	Maryland Association of Municipal Wastewater Agencies	Written (PDF)
FWA	Palmer, Harrison	Maryland Department of Agriculture	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	McPherson, Lydia	Maryland Department of Natural Resources	Written (PDF)
FWA	Baker, Jeremy D	Maryland Department of the Environment	Written (PDF)
FWA	Schafer, Zachary	Maryland Department of the Environment	Oral
FWA	Zucker, Craig	Maryland State Senate	Written (PDF)
FWA	Wenger, Melanie	Montgomery County Government	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

IndivisibleHoCoMDFAV 1

Lone Oak FarmFAV 1

Maryland Association of Municipal Wastewater AgenciesFWA 1

Maryland Department of AgricultureFAV 1FWA 1

Maryland Department of Natural ResourcesFAV 1FWA 1

Maryland Department of the EnvironmentFAV 1FWA 2

Maryland Farm BureauFAV 2

Maryland State SenateFAV 1FWA 1

Montgomery County Council District 7FAV 1

Montgomery County GovernmentFAV 1FWA 1

Song Dog Farm DistilleryFAV 1

Windridge Farm / Windridge VineyardsFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVHough, TylerMaryland Farm BureauRegistered for: Maryland Farm Bureau

FWAOchsenhirt, LisaMaryland Association of Municipal Wastewater AgenciesRegistered for: Maryland Association of Municipal Wastewater Agencies; Maryland Municipal Stormwater Association…