While many of us were not paying attention, the “septic bill” has become the law of the land in Maryland. Though questionable, the stated intention of the bill is to reduce nutrient pollution. As an organic farmer and outdoor enthusiast, I can assure you I am very concerned with the health of our bay and the surrounding ecosystems.

I do not believe for a minute that this bill is good for people or the Chesapeake Bay, and I know it will be especially devastating to new farmers and our rural communities.

A Wicomico County report states these new septic systems might reduce the pollution contribution of septics from 4 percent to 2 percent, assuming every septic system in the Chesapeake Bay watershed is converted — an unrealistic and undesirable goal. The costs associated with doing this, $13,000 per system, are unaffordable to the average person. People will be forced to pay this if they are to install a new system or replace an existing one.

Only the most well-to-do citizens will be able to afford to live outside of city limits.

These new nitrogen reduction systems use a lot more electricity compared with the traditional system. The additional electricity consumption from potentially millions of these new systems will require more coal to be burned, creating more air pollution which eventually becomes water pollution through atmospheric deposition. At 27 percent or more of the bay’s total pollution load, air pollution — mostly from coal power plants and tailpipes — contributes significantly more pollution to the bay than septic systems.

Coal smoke is terrible for human health and creates water pollution. It is ironic that the state and supporters of this septic bill have possibly undermined their intentions by forcing a significant increase in air pollution with these new systems.

Unfortunately, the so-called Septic Bill is not even my primary concern. It is a tree — and I am now seeing the forest. A number of laws, regulations and taxes, some new and some old, have severely burdened people’s livelihoods and infringed severely on their property rights. Sometimes the burden is overwhelming, especially as one realizes it will always get worse.

As each year goes by, many laws are passed but few are repealed. What will living in this state be like in five or 10 years?

The best way to make quick progress in saving the bay is to first do away with the septic bill, then repeal or reform other harmful laws.

Let’s start with the state law prohibiting separation of gray-water and septage, and treating them independently with effective and affordable alternative systems. By using these National Sanitation Foundation-approved systems, the same types used in California and other states, we would immediately conserve energy and water, reduce pollution, enhance property rights, improve the economy and save people large sums of money.

Only then could the public afford to install the same award-winning treatment systems that are used by hundreds of employees working at the Annapolis offices of the “eco-friendly” Chesapeake Bay Foundation.