Emergency Response Guides
Maryland Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide

The purpose of the Guide is to improve preparedness for response and recovery operations following an acute waterway debris incident in coastal Maryland. The term acute waterway debris incident is used to describe an incident—either natural or anthropogenic—that results in the release of large amounts of waterway debris.

This document outlines existing response structures at the local, state, and federal levels to facilitate a coordinated, well-managed, and immediate response to waterway debris incidents impacting coastal areas in the state of Maryland. It highlights individual organizations’ roles and responsibilities and includes an overview of permitting and compliance requirements that must be met before waterway debris removal work begins. While roles and responsibilities can overlap or shift during a response, the Guide seeks to capture the most likely response structure and actions with the understanding that flexibility is an inherent component of an effective response.

This document was most recently updated in November 2023.