[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6341978,"mediaKeyId","2256207-c13d825cd5a8762ec27687c217c0766e","parentId",2256207,"title","Delmarva Chicken Association: nine avian-influenza detections, four control areas released; biosecurity and business continuity priorities","audioSeconds",687,"startMs",6524000,"endMs",7211000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2256207-c13d825cd5a8762ec27687c217c0766e&start=6524&end=7211","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2256207-c13d825cd5a8762ec27687c217c0766e/thumbnail_6524000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6341978/Maryland/Delmarva-Chicken-Association-nine-avian-influenza-detections-four-control-areas-released-biosecurity-and-business-continuity-priorities","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6341978-ad4341a0a166025b8c6e8368a42b8cb1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770663227&Signature=Q4Vai7ljDfArnKLWbqCnQRoZpokA4OATbXVYV9nkA3vmr4Sni2ilNJmhZxivsdbmCMccWxhv9t5YfrO82vdyx6d42w9FoLVGq-5TVUUe64ecNZ~2T8ucGGxfiiFELabdxgc0rVd3SNiwQpStvxS0m6MG9GFAdJmT0bkbJv7iisvPNSExuZGVvy6Mruv8Rv0sYcP5yh9fcyQ~ChPbqy3JbuZdbc~4lObbaiXvHbD6eQ-O3XyALMfTXM7cUFEJxpOPwpxpEuDVczkSC0B2gVKodEYId2I4TDLyUbhSGAKKg8fnKze~rGXkkHtInPosWLciSuYAqmOU-NNOgNxo1MnKQg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","MGA - House Other","date","2025-02-07T00:00:00Z","article","The Delmarva Chicken Association (DCA) updated the Eastern Shore delegation Feb. 7 on high-path avian influenza (HPAI) cases and industry response steps, reporting nine commercial detections across Delmarva — five in Maryland — and announcing that four control areas previously under restrictions had been released.

Mary Lou Brown, a Dorchester County farmer and DCA board president, said the region produces billions of pounds of chicken annually and emphasized the industry’s size and local economic importance. Executive Director Holly Porter and DCA staff outlined incident-command coordination among state agriculture departments, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, natural-resources agencies and local emergency-management staff.

DCA said four control-area releases have occurred and that those releases restore the ability for farms inside the 0–10 kilometer control circle to place birds again without additional audits or permits, provided the workstreams for cleaning, depopulation and disinfection are complete. Porter described the unified-command structure that coordinates federal and state response and said, when the response works as intended, releases can occur within weeks of detection: “All 4 of our control areas that have been released so far were within less than 1 month of the detection date,” DCA said.

DCA reiterated biosecurity priorities for growers: restrict farm visitors, maintain house-dedicated footwear and clothing, and keep flocks separated from wild waterfowl. The association told delegates the virus is now circulating in wild birds more visibly than in past years — with waterfowl and other species sometimes dying — and that the higher environmental prevalence increases the need for constant on-farm biosecurity.

DCA also outlined legislative priorities for the 2025 session, including temporary changes to hauling permits to support depopulation and movement needed during outbreaks, science-based climate discussions that consider economic feasibility for farms, careful siting of solar to avoid conversion of prime agricultural land, and a phased approach to PFAS rules that maintains safe, feasible alternatives for agricultural use.

DCA said it is coordinating with state agriculture and natural-resources agencies and that USDA remains a central partner in resourcing response operations. Delegates and senators in the meeting asked about communications to farmers and the public; DCA and farmer representatives said growers are aware of waterfowl risks and that industry and state public information teams are using multiple channels to advise farmers when wild-bird detections occur.

Ending: DCA requested continued legislative attention to permit and policy details as the agency and growers manage ongoing HPAI risks and continuity-of-business needs for the poultry industry.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","EAS Committee Session, 2/7/2025 #1","oneSentenceSummary","The Delmarva Chicken Association told the Eastern Shore delegation on Feb. 7 there have been nine commercial high-path avian influenza detections across Delmarva (five in Maryland), four control areas have been released and industry officials stressed rapid depopulation, cleaning and biosecurity to restore continuity of business.","taxTitle","Eastern Shore, Delegation Committees, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Maryland","taxId",15626,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6341983,"Delmarva Power cites record winter peak, usage as primary driver of high bills; offers customer assistance and outreach",3199,3162000,6361000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2256207-c13d825cd5a8762ec27687c217c0766e&start=3162&end=6361","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2256207-c13d825cd5a8762ec27687c217c0766e/thumbnail_3162000.jpg","/articles/6341983/Maryland/Delmarva-Power-cites-record-winter-peak-usage-as-primary-driver-of-high-bills-offers-customer-assistance-and-outreach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6341983-7ad9bdaf9c0350bb655309f939195e15/orig.mp4?Expires=1770663227&Signature=RHJCFc8ct2m0ryqDgYXOVV4erekiFytym-wFeh45wSZ~x6STwwbPN2O5-uohRkcDdRUdMPP8wzr09Mao3vOenbcEN1wLUArdEJMXHg1Q-ExGmusJH9XLkFHta2NqA9EcmMtP3cTLPrvdrBYO-FIjTjBts4FRUVPoLp0FJzXvN7-c4iubNsKU14XpVWAG6XBu1sRnQm6zP9nZc~O1sBaz2frMcRsSisRwrHMDYeus~7YZ-tHQPM6GBR-dCRKMmvTSA-8DLGI1OJ6OFW2zsmB0vzce1xLQTXGGW0~~GrxfT0~QL4mO2C407IzyxIOPbBeSpkDxl6Ja1B45sEwixDs0dA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Delmarva Power representatives told the Eastern Shore delegation Feb. 7 that unusually cold weather produced a winter electricity usage record and that higher customer usage — rather than newly imposed fees — explained the majority of recent large bills. The utility also described immediate customer-assistance steps and planned outreach events.

Anne Clace, senior manager for state legislative affairs at Delmarva Power, introduced the company team and said the utility was “committed to continuing to assist you as you work with your constituents and our customers.” Marcus Beal, Delmarva’s director of external affairs, told the delegation the company had established a series of immediate measures to help customers: waiving late-payment fees for January and February, suspending disconnections for nonpayment in February, waiving deposits for customers restoring service, extending call-center hours (including Saturdays), updating web pages with one-click access to assistance materials, and holding in-person customer-assistance events such as a Feb. 12 session at Kent Island Library.

Delmarva said an all-time winter demand record was set in the region on Jan. 23 at 4,106 megawatts, slightly above the previous winter peak. Marcus Beal said the company’s analysis of individual bills shows usage — particularly sustained very cold temperatures and inefficient heat-pump performance below freezing — explains most of the increases. In response to questions from Delegates and Senators, company representatives said a recent redesign of the bill to separate “supply” and “delivery” components increased customer visibility into charges and prompted questions, but the delivery component itself was not a new fee introduced in November; it had been bundled previously under an “electric service” line.

Company leaders also provided tools for customers to check usage and manage bills: an online “my account” portal with hourly usage data and alerts, budget-billing options that spread costs across months, and one-on-one bill clinics where customers can bring statements and work with representatives to review charges and available assistance.

Delegation concerns: multiple members asked for concrete breakdowns to present to constituents. Delegate Hartman and others requested a mock “apples-to-apples” bill showing the January 2023–2025 components and the portion attributable to usage versus rate or policy changes. Marcus Beal and Anne Clace said Delmarva would provide historic rate-change information and a mock bill for public distribution and that corporate communications intended to publish an itemized mock bill online in the coming week.

On regulatory and policy questions, Delmarva representatives said the utility procures supply through regional markets (PJM) and does not own generation; supply is a pass-through cost set by market conditions. Delmarva said some upward pressure on bills stems from limited generation in the market and from higher materials and operating costs, but that most of the recent bill increases the company analyzed were usage-driven. The company noted that investor-owned utilities are regulated by the Maryland Public Service Commission and that the PSC reviews earnings, rates and expenditures through periodic filings and public proceedings.

Customer outreach and follow-up: Delmarva said it will continue town-hall events, maintain expanded call-center hours and provide requested materials to the delegation (mock bills and historic rate-change summaries). The company also offered to meet with poultry producers and other industry stakeholders concerned about high energy costs and potential reliability issues.

Ending: Delegation leadership thanked Delmarva Power for the briefing and asked the company to provide the requested mock-bill and rate-history materials for public distribution and for lawmakers’ use.","Delmarva Power told the Eastern Shore delegation on Feb. 7 that unusually cold weather produced a winter usage record and that higher customer usage — not a new delivery charge — accounted for most recent bill increases. The company announced fee waivers, suspended disconnections for February and scheduled community assistance events.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6341988,"DLS: Eastern Shore counties to receive about $900 million in state aid under governor's budget; counties face proposed cost shifts",2162,83000,2245000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2256207-c13d825cd5a8762ec27687c217c0766e&start=83&end=2245","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2256207-c13d825cd5a8762ec27687c217c0766e/thumbnail_83000.jpg","/articles/6341988/Maryland/DLS-Eastern-Shore-counties-to-receive-about-900-million-in-state-aid-under-governors-budget-counties-face-proposed-cost-shifts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6341988-471face64891cdddff3956398f1cbb54/orig.mp4?Expires=1770663227&Signature=FKsCGtwanWe7x3EZERK-o55WDOIniYirHXeMj~FfNda4ZnSrtU46znUH5GxJgr7MRiRXumzbfZMLZgeL8b27Y1eMt77XAGpZYLjxfKE71IPBoQcU8ICikt5ylxqkwpSHaImUAU21-N33JI7FTgZ5tJAjA-VFzy7AScyKdGJZbg4UZKL-6z93xigPfg08nVWzPngUf3QCGvEbtmmm-qItygq2lpex1YsYHOjJvtbHmdIVXghKvY6doMAr-s1HtaI58R3Rz4nzcgHu0iFtNosv2TZfxDZTwUApYvw1QaRDLF7BQmwqAmY3V-krzJsBjro5XsxMgoJUlnbu0Ol8J09vBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Delegates and senators in the Eastern Shore delegation heard a Feb. 7 briefing from the Maryland Department of Legislative Services (DLS) that placed combined state aid to the region at about $900 million for fiscal 2026, and flagged proposed budget changes that would shift some costs to county governments.

DLS analyst Hiram said, “the 9 counties on the Eastern Shore, when you add up their funding, it will total around $900,000,000 in FY '26.” The presentation described how most state aid is targeted by formula and distributed based on local wealth, population and program-specific measures.

The briefing summarized property-tax and income-tax bases across the nine Eastern Shore counties and detailed program-by-program state support. DLS analyst Valerie Monroe said the county revenue outlook “provides a snapshot of the fiscal health of county governments in Maryland” and noted that the report uses adopted budgets and projections for FY24–FY25. DLS staff highlighted that per-capita assessable bases and local tax rates vary widely across the region: Queen Anne’s, Talbot and Worcester counties have the highest per-capita property bases, while Somerset and several others have much lower per-capita net taxable income and therefore qualify for disparity grants.

Why it matters: state aid and local tax bases determine how much money counties and school systems can provide for public safety, transportation and schools. Delegates questioned DLS staff about county-by-county differences and about the budget’s proposed reductions and cost shifts.

Major figures and programs shown by DLS:
- Total FY2026 state aid for the nine Eastern Shore counties: about $900 million, with roughly $826 million going directly to local governments and about $77 million going to retirement payments, DLS said.
- County and municipal aid: approximately $84 million for FY2026 (about $3 million more than the prior year).
- Education: DLS reported local school systems on the Eastern Shore would receive roughly $675 million in direct state school aid in 2026, an increase of about $35 million over the prior year; DLS noted that roughly 75% of state aid is for public schools.
- Program highlights: enhanced police aid (partly driven by population density and violent-crime weighting), fire and rescue aid (statutory minimum 2% share per county), local health grants (DLS estimated roughly $28.1 million for the Eastern Shore), local highway user revenues (municipal components are significant across the Shore), disparity grants targeted to lower net-taxable-income counties, and targeted Blueprint for Education enhancements (concentration-of-poverty grants and 4-day pre-K components).

Proposed reductions and cost shifts. DLS staff pointed to elements in the governor’s proposed budget that would reduce state aid and shift costs to counties and local school systems: DLS said the governor proposed a $262 million reduction in state aid in the administration bill, and that the total fiscal impact described in DLS materials was about $283 million. The presentation explained that of the local fiscal impact shown, counties would pick up about $143 million in additional costs. DLS staff described two prominent shifts:
- Teachers’ and community-college retirement: DLS staff said the governor’s proposal would raise the local share of retirement costs (DLS illustrated, for example, the specific amounts counties such as Caroline and others would face).
- Property-assessment cost split: the current split pays 50% by the state and 50% by local governments; the governor’s proposal would shift the share toward local governments (DLS said the proposal would make local governments pick up 90% with the state covering 10%, creating an additional statewide local cost of about $20 million).

DLS also noted the timing of local highway-user revenue changes: enhancements in FY25–FY27 would revert to a lower share in FY28 (from 20% in FY25–FY27 back to 15.6% in FY28), creating a future reduction in that source of local revenue.

Questions from delegation members focused on the distributional details (for example, why Kent County ranks high on local wealth measures but also shows relatively high free-and-reduced-meal shares) and on which specific programs would be affected by proposed reductions. DLS staff explained the distinction between measuring wealth on a per-capita tax-base basis and per-pupil measures and said the nonpublic-placement special-education costs would be shifted modestly (DLS cited examples showing small dollar impacts for individual Eastern Shore counties).

What the delegation asked DLS to follow up on: members requested county-level breakout calculations for the teacher retirement and property-assessment shifts; DLS agreed to provide additional detail and to make underlying exhibits available from its web portal.

Ending: DLS staff closed by showing the website locations for the county revenue outlook report and state-aid data downloads; DLS said session materials will be updated after the legislative appropriation process. The briefing moved to audience questions before the meeting shifted to invited utility and industry guests.","Department of Legislative Services briefed the Eastern Shore delegation Feb. 7 on FY2026 county revenue outlook and state aid. The nine-county region would receive roughly $900 million in state aid under the governor's budget, while proposed shifts would move portions of retirement and property assessment costs to counties.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Delmarva Chicken Association: nine avian-influenza detections, four control areas released; biosecurity and business continuity priorities

Delmarva Power cites record winter peak, usage as primary driver of high bills; offers customer assistance and outreach

DLS: Eastern Shore counties to receive about $900 million in state aid under governor's budget; counties face proposed cost shifts