Motion to Intervene at Ridgely’s Reserve

‍Joppa, MD—Gunpowder Riverkeeper, represented by Chesapeake Legal Alliance, filed a motion to intervene in the Maryland Department of the Environment’s (MDE) enforcement action in Harford County Circuit Court against D.R. Horton, Inc., Forester (USA) Real Estate Group Inc., and Kinsley Construction, LLC.

The state’s complaint follows Gunpowder Riverkeeper’s August 7, 2024 notice to the developers regarding ongoing and continuous Clean Water Act violations at the Ridgely’s Reserve construction site. By intervening, Gunpowder Riverkeeper aims to advocate for the local community, prevent further pollution of Foster Branch, the Gunpowder River, and the Chesapeake Bay, and ensure these waters are protected and restored as part of the long-term effort to maintain a healthy Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.

Gunpowder Riverkeeper is represented by Patrick DeArmey from the Chesapeake Legal Alliance, who stated that “the numerous violations, including repeated failures to adequately maintain erosion and sediment controls and to prevent sediment from leaving the site and entering our waterways, are well-documented by state inspectors and local community members. Our client, many neighbors and concerned community members demand that these violations cease and that their cherished waters are restored.”

Over nearly three years, MDE and Harford County inspection reports have documented ongoing degradation to downstream waterways from the Ridgely’s Reserve construction site and its associated water and sewer line. Massive sediment plumes in the Gunpowder River and Chesapeake Bay, along with localized die-offs of underwater grass beds, are causing serious harm to these ecosystems. These impacts threaten local communities, recreational users, and those who rely on the waterways for their livelihoods, while undermining broader efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay and the Gunpowder River. CLA and Gunpowder Riverkeeper emphasize that illegal activities cannot be allowed to offset or negate these unprecedented restoration efforts.

“It’s imperative that we have a seat at the table to hold the Developer’s accountable for the damage done to the environment and continued failure to comply with state law. We are intervening to provide the first hand knowledge that our communities have about the impact of these violations and to support MDE in developing a solution that will ensure the restoration of Foster Branch and the tidal Gunpowder,” said Theaux Le Gardeur, Gunpowder Riverkeeper.

Theaux Le Gardeur, Executive Director and Riverkeeper, Gunpowder Riverkeeper, (410) 967-3526, gunpowderriverkeeper@gmail.com

Patrick DeArmey, Senior Attorney, Chesapeake Legal Alliance, patrick@chesapeakelegal.org, (410) 216-9441, ext. 207