Our Committees Are Working for You

The management of dredged material is complex, and it impacts a lot of different people in and around the communities in which we operate. The DMMP is greatly enhanced by diverse stakeholder involvement that helps ensure the greatest social, environmental, and operational impacts are delivered and sustained over time. Ongoing engagement with stakeholders such as government agencies, local businesses, environmental organizations, and the general public make collaboration possible. 

To support this effort, the DMMP leverages a series of stakeholder oversight and advisory committees that assist in the implementation of the DMMP. The committees listed below anchor that engagement and advise on virtually all elements of what, where, when, and how we do what we do.

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DMMP Committees

Learn more about each committee and its function. Select the Details button for upcoming meetings, past agendas and summaries, membership, and more.

Executive
Committee

The Executive Committee was statutorily established to make decisions regarding the management of dredged material in Maryland. Membership is prescribed by the law, and the Committee is co-chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources.

Management
Committee

The Management Committee coordinates on the development and implementation of the DMMP. This Committee is composed of senior managers from the relevant state and federal regulatory agencies, in addition to representatives from the academic, environmental and local business communities.

Citizens
Advisory
Committee

The Citizens Advisory Committee represents the public and provides advice to Maryland Port Administration (MPA) and its DMMP partners on a wide array of dredging related topics and issues. The Chair of the Citizens Advisory Committee sits on the Management Committee and reports to the Executive Committee.

Cox Creek Citizens Oversight Committee

The Cox Creek Citizens Oversight Committee was statutorily established to oversee the implementation of the Cox Creek Dredged Material Containment Facility and provides advice to MPA regarding the expansion and operation of the facility and the potential impacts it may have on the nearby communities.

Hart-Miller
Island Citizens
Oversight
Committee

The oldest committee, Hart-Miller Island (HMI) Citizens Oversight Committee was statutorily created in 1981 to advise MPA on dredged material placement activities at HMI as well as the monitoring program. Since dredged material placement was ceased at HMI in 2009, the HMI COC has been engaged in the development of the closure plan for the site and is working to create a Friends of Hart-Miller Island volunteer group.

Innovative
Reuse
Committee

The Innovative Reuse Committee provides advice on the development of a strategy for recycling and reusing dredged material from the Baltimore Harbor. The committee issued its initial report to MPA in April 2007 and an update strategy in 2020 and is currently engaged in advising on the implementation of its recommendations.

Masonville
Citizens
Advisory
Committee

The Masonville Citizens Advisory Committee was created in 2008 to provide advice, oversight and support to MPA on the Masonville Dredged Material Containment Facility, which receives material dredged from Baltimore Harbor.

Pearce Creek
Implementation
Committee

The Pearce Creek Implementation Committee provides a forum for citizens, government agencies, elected officials, and any other interested parties to be informed and provide advice regarding the Pearce Creek Dredged Material Containment Facility operations and construction of the community water system.

Bay Enhancement Working Group

The Bay Enhancement Working Group (BEWG) is composed of technical personnel with expertise relevant to environmental issues in the Chesapeake Bay region. BEWG participants represent resource management and regulatory agencies at the federal and state levels, local governments, and stakeholder groups, including environmental interest groups, watermen, and communities. The BEWG’s mission is to advise MPA and its DMMP partners on environmental and social issues related to dredged material placement.

Harbor
Team

MPA is grateful for the support of the Harbor Team for the past twenty years and will continue to welcome their input as part of the Citizens Advisory Committee.

Committee Meetings

Check out our calendar for a full list of scheduled committee meetings - all of which are open to public participation