Baltimore DPW Approves Waiver, Withholds Project Details | The Locally Times
A Dec. 30, 2025, waiver for "GAS MAIN Contract No. 19798330" was approved, but city records do not specify the project's scope, beneficiary, or the reason for the exemption.
The Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) approved a stormwater management waiver for a gas main project on December 30, 2025, though the decision was not made public until more than two months later. A public notice posted by the city on March 11, 2026, confirms the approval for an action identified as “Stormwater Management Waiver GAS MAIN Contract No. 19798330.” The notice identifies the DPW’s Office of Research and Environmental Protection, located at 3001 Druid Park Drive, as the processing entity. The waiver was listed alongside other unrelated project notices, including actions for The Bryn Mawr Upper School Science Building and the Westport Waterfront Park. ## Project Details Undisclosed The public notice does not specify the scope, value, or geographic location of the gas main contract. City records also do not identify the contractor that holds the contract and benefits from the waiver. Furthermore, the documentation fails to detail which specific stormwater management requirements were waived. Stormwater regulations are designed to control rainfall runoff to prevent pollution, flooding, and erosion. The available records do not contain a justification for exempting the contract from these rules. ## Approval Process and Rationale Undocumented The process leading to the December 30 approval is not documented in public records. The notice does not specify if the action took place at a public hearing or an internal meeting, and an online search filter provides no information on whether public input was solicited or considered. No supporting documents, such as an application from the contractor, a staff report from the DPW, or an environmental impact assessment, were attached to the public notice. The record does not explain how granting the waiver aligns with Baltimore's environmental goals, including its commitments to reducing pollution in local streams and the Chesapeake Bay. The long-term costs or benefits to the city resulting from this regulatory exception are not quantified in the available documentation.