Best Management Practices for Maryland Golf Courses

Maintenance Operations

One of the key principles of pollution prevention is to reduce the unnecessary use of potential pollutants. Over time, the routine discharge of even small amounts of solvents can result in serious environmental and liability consequences because of the accumulation of contaminants in soil or groundwater. Pollution prevention includes the proper storage, handling, and disposal of chemicals, washwater, and wastewater. For example, an equipment-washing facility can be a source of both surface water and groundwater pollution if the washwater generated is not properly handled. In particular, washwater from pesticide application equipment must be managed properly, since it contains pesticide residues. If not contaminated, wastewater can be reused or discharged to a permitted stormwater treatment system. Facilities related to the storage and handling of pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals, especially in their concentrated form, pose the highest potential risk to water sources if accidentally released in quantity. Therefore, anyone storing, mixing, or loading potentially hazardous chemicals should treat all leaks, spills, and fires as emergencies and be prepared to respond to these emergencies promptly and correctly.

Regulatory Considerations

Local regulations may be in place in your location. Early engagement among developers, designers, local community groups, and permitting agencies is essential to designing and constructing a golf maintenance and storage facility that minimizes environmental impact and meets the needs of the approval process. Additionally, local governments may regulate and dictate the required code and methods for backflow prevention.

At a minimum, Maryland regulations ( COMAR 15.05.01 ) require that pesticide storage areas must meet requirements that include the following:

• The storage area must be secured or locked to prevent unauthorized access. • Pesticides must be stored in a separate building or, at a minimum, must be separated by a physical barrier from living and working areas and from food, feed, fertilizer, seed, and safety equipment. • A warning sign approved by MDA must be placed on the exterior of the storage area. • Pesticides must be stored in a dry, ventilated area. • The pesticide storage area must be kept clean. • A supply of absorbent material sufficient enough to absorb a spill equivalent to the capacity of the largest container in storage must be kept in the storage area. • The storage area must contain only pesticide containers that are properly labeled and are free of leaks. • The storage area must have an appropriate fire extinguisher available. • Pesticides must be stored in an area located at least 50 feet from any water well or stored in secondary containment approved by MDA.

In Maryland, all underground fuel storage tanks and 10,000 gallon or larger above-ground storage tanks are regulated by MDE. Local laws and regulations related to the storage of fuel

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