Maryland’s “flush tax” could be used to fill a hole in the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund. Passed in 2004, the Bay Restoration Fee charges each household and septic system $30 a year to help improve water quality in the Bay. An increase to $54 is one option being considered by the advisory committee as a recommendation to the legislature. The fund has a shortfall of $660 million. Other options under consideration include reducing the amount of state funding used to upgrade local wastewater treatment systems, doubling the length of terms of bonds to 30 years, eliminating operating grants for wastewater
