On October 1, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) will hold a public hearing on the discharge permit for Eastman Specialties Corporation. A subsidiary of Eastman Chemical Company — which produces a variety of materials, chemicals, and fibers used in everyday products — Eastman Specialties is located on Morgan Creek in Chestertown. This permit regulates what the company is allowed to discharge into our waterways, and it is now up for renewal.
Morgan Creek is a treasured waterway for many in our community, providing a place for boating, fishing, and enjoying nature. Unfortunately, ShoreRivers’ monitoring data shows that it also suffers from significant nutrient impairments, likely from runoff. And Morgan Creek is consistently the lowest-performing bacteria site in the Chester River, year after year — in 2025, the site only met the safe swimming standard for bacteria pollution 20% of the time it was tested.
ShoreRivers also collected samples from Morgan Creek in partnership with Waterkeeper Alliance as part of nation-wide testing for harmful PFAS in local waters. A group of human-made “forever chemicals,” PFAS don’t break down easily in the environment and can build up in our bodies over time. These chemicals are linked to health risks such as cancer, liver damage, and developmental issues, making their presence in local waters a serious concern. Out of eight sites tested within ShoreRivers’ watershed, five results showed levels of concern — including Morgan Creek.
how can i get involved?
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Share this webpage, our action alert, or this one pager to friends and neighbors who care about clean water
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At ShoreRivers request, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) is holding a public hearing where community members can share their concerns regarding environmental impacts to Morgan Creek:
Kent County Public Library – 408 High Street, Chestertown, MD
Wednesday, October 1, 5–7pmClick here to learn about a pre-hearing informational webinar you can attend.
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If you can’t attend in person, consider emailing written comments to jonathan.rice@maryland.gov by October 6, 2025.
A sample testimony can be downloaded from here, or you can email Chester Riverkeeper Annie Richards for help with your own.
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You can add your name and support (and your own brief comments) to the letter ShoreRivers will be sending to the Maryland Department of the Environment. Click here to sign on.
These collective findings are a reminder that protecting our rivers and creeks isn’t just about clean water for recreation and wildlife — it’s also about safeguarding the health of our communities. As Eastman Specialties seeks to renew their permit, ShoreRivers is urging MDE to strengthen the permit’s terms by:
Requiring a compliance schedule that addresses Eastman’s repeated violations. Eastman has a history of significant noncompliance with its permit, according to ECHO (Enforcement and Compliance History Online, a database and tool managed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). In Maryland, “significant non-compliance” means that a permit holder — such as a facility or business that holds a discharge permit — is seriously violating the terms of that permit. This could include discharging more pollution than allowed by the permit, not reporting required monitoring data, or failing to comply with rules meant to protect water quality.
Mandating a stronger Quality Assurance and Quality Control plan to ensure operators are properly trained and reporting accurately. When a facility is in significant non-compliance, it signals a major problem that can harm our waterways and communities, and it usually requires stronger enforcement action and oversight from the state.
Mandating surface and groundwater testing for PFAS and chemicals listed in Eastman's current permit. Eastman’s current permit does not require PFAS monitoring, despite the fact that Eastman is in one of five industrial sector categories recently identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as most likely to use or manufacture PFAS in its processes. We feel strongly that the state must address this discrepancy in a new discharge permit by requiring a PFAS sampling study plan be developed, approved, and implemented.
Requiring groundwater monitoring and sludge disposal activities be reported as part of the new permit. These are the most common pathways for PFAS to accumulate in our environment and in our bodies over time.
The upcoming public hearing is an opportunity for our community to speak up for clean water. It will be held on Tuesday, October 1, at 5pm at the Kent County Public Library in Chestertown. I encourage my neighbors to attend and share their voices. Protecting Morgan Creek and the Chester River is about safeguarding the waterways that sustain our health, our heritage, and our way of life.
For Clean Water,
Annie Richards, Chester Riverkeeper