Next Meeting: TUESDAY, October 13, 2026 at 7:15 p.m.
IN-PERSON AT THE POTOMAC LIBRARY!
SPEAKER: YOU – Bring Your Concerns
Each year we try to devote a meeting to the discussion of issues we are following as well as concerns raised by members and the community. The Potomac Subregion continues to be threatened by the lack of adherence to the Master Plan. In addition to the issues and community alerts discussed in this Newsletter, WMCCA continues to address the proliferation of large Data Centers without appropriate studies into their impact on environmental and public health. Montgomery County has placed an 18-month moratorium on their construction, but continued community input and vigilance is still needed. Another obstacle we all encounter is the steady supply of intentionally false and misinformation spread on-line. A recent example is a viral post that stated: the Travilah Quarry is being converted into a 50-year municipal waste disposal landfill and recycling center. The Quarry is actually being studied for use as a long-term drinking water reservoir, but this remains a project that could take up to 30 years to be implemented.
Please come and bring your issues. Expect updates and lively discussion.
As always, the public is welcome to attend!
Our Work Continues
President’s Letter by Theodora Scarato
Since 1947, WMCCA has worked to protect the quality of life and environment of the Potomac Subregion. For nearly eight decades, we have given residents a strong voice on local issues before county and state agencies and have worked directly with elected officials to make sure community concerns are heard. That work continues today. Our environment is under threat at every level, from federal to local, from irresponsible development and rezoning proposals to data centers, synthetic turf, tree cutting, and bus depots proposed in special protection areas. WMCCA is working to protect our communities, water quality, public health, and environment.
Your support is critical to carrying out this work. Member contributions make it possible for us to successfully address critical issues and protect the Potomac Subregion Master Plan, the “Green Wedge”, and the Agricultural (Ag) Reserve. Please renew today.
Go to our website www.wmcca.org to download a membership form or join using PayPal: Individual: $25 / Family: $50.
General Meetings will continue to be held on Tuesdays, 7:15-9:00 pm at the Potomac Library.
PFAS Contamination Update
Submitted by Theodora Scarato
The most recent 2026 Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) testing confirms that PFAS contamination remains extremely elevated in surface water near the former Public Safety Training Academy and along Great Seneca Highway, where PFAS-containing firefighting foam was historically used for training. Sampling found elevated PFAS in Muddy Branch, a nearby stormwater pond, and smaller tributary streams. PFAS levels exceeded EPA drinking-water benchmarks at all 10 locations tested. Montgomery County is only sampling near the Academy, but scientists have found that decades of PFAS foam use in other states have created underground plumes that migrate several miles.
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), often called “forever chemicals,” do not break down and long-term PFAS exposure has been linked to a range of health effects, including certain cancers, thyroid and liver effects, and reproductive impacts. Montgomery County has issued a water-contact advisory and established a multi-agency task force. The County stopped using PFAS-containing firefighting foam entirely in November 2020, and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue now uses foam that does not contain PFAS. The County states that WSSC Water’s treated drinking water remains in compliance with federal standards. MDE recommends that private well owners have their water tested regularly and include PFAS in that testing. However, concerns have been raised that the PFAS contamination may extend beyond the area currently tested.
Montgomery County has posted the sampling results on-line along with more information at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/sample-results.
Data Centers: County Enacts 18-Month Moratorium
Submitted by Theodora Scarato
After months of countywide community advocacy, the Montgomery County Council unanimously approved an 18-month moratorium on permits for new data centers on July 28, 2026. Bill 19-26 was signed into law on August 10th. This after County Executive Marc Elrich’s 6-month temporary pause on new data center permit applications, issued by executive order on June 12th. Governor Moore said he would sign a data center moratorium if it came to his desk and a statewide coalition is building.
WMCCA submitted a letter to the County Council supporting the moratorium, which will give the County, which currently lacks data center-specific zoning, time to develop strong safeguards addressing concerns such as energy and water use, noise, infrastructure demands, and environmental impacts.
In Oregon, Amazon agreed to a $20.5 million settlement after millions of gallons of data center wastewater contributed to nitrate contamination in groundwater, amid residents’ reports of increased cancers and miscarriages. In New Jersey, the Vineland data center was fined $1.07 million for pollution violations, the largest such fine in state history. In Altoona, Iowa, about 200 gallons of diesel fuel spilled during generator maintenance at Meta’s data center campus. Strong oversight is needed to protect our community, and WMCCA is closely focused on this issue.
Townhouses in Our Future?
Submitted by Ginny Barnes
WMCCA is a member of the Montgomery County Civic Federation (MCCF). In September, County Executive Marc Elrich was the speaker and warned members the Moore administration intends to bring back the Starter and Silver Homes Act in some form. Starter and Silver Homes was a legislative initiative supported by the Governor last session to create more housing density in neighborhoods by limiting local zoning standards governing lot size and setbacks and allowing multiple townhouses on current single-family lots. This year’s bill is expected to include changes that have not yet been finalized. There is no bill yet, and it is not clear how next year’s bill might differ from the 2026 bill. MCCF is monitoring and researching the issues. This would be devastating to low density zoned Master Plans like the Potomac Subregion where environmental protection is key.
Bus Depot in Piney Branch Special Protection Area
Submitted by Ginny Barnes
Our May newsletter reported the County Council approved the Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) budget which included a proposed bus depot on more than 12 acres of prime forest located at the corner of Shady Grove Road and Cavanaugh Drive and part of the upper Piney Branch watershed designated a Special Protection Area (SPA). SPAs are areas of unusually sensitive water resources (i.e., high-quality streams, sensitive wetlands, steep slopes, and soils prone to erosion) and other environmental features where those resources are threatened by land use change. We may still have a chance to eliminate the bus depot proposal through the MCPS budget decision making process.
Potomac River Reopens; New Pipes Installed After Historic Sewage Spill
Submitted by Carol Van Dam Falk
On September 19, 2026 DC Water, the company responsible for the January Potomac Interceptor rupture which caused hundreds of thousands of gallons of wastewater to flow directly into the Potomac River, began using the second of two tunnel boring machines to help build a 5.5-mile Potomac River Tunnel. DC Water allowed the local community to tour the project site and step inside the tunnel. The machine, dubbed ‘Emily,’ joins another machine underground dubbed ‘Mary’ to build a tunnel that is expected to reduce combined sewer overflows into the Potomac River by 93%.
On July 31, 2026 the Potomac River was cleared for recreational use by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. The affected area was located between Lock 11 and the downstream shoreline surrounding Minnie’s Island in Cabin John. DC Water stopped daily water quality monitoring in August, switching to weekly testing. DC Water is responsible for the environmental remediation for the Potomac Interceptor sewage spill and overflow that contaminated the river.
Katie Blackman of the Potomac Conservancy said she is encouraged by the improved water quality test results for harmful bacteria but told the Cabin John Village News “we are still seeing spikes outside of historic baselines.” An alliance of environmental advocacy groups called CLEAR Potomac has a pending request that regular monitoring continue through at least the end of the recreation season.” The alliance submitted a letter in July to DC Water requesting daily testing continue through September 30th.
The emergency repair work on the ruptured pipe along the C&O Canal has triggered work on other vulnerable spots along decades old Potomac Interceptor. DC Water identified four additional emergency repair locations for the 54-mile sewage pipe: Dulles Airport (completed), Broad Run in Loudoun County (preparation work underway), Pennyfield Lock in Potomac (underway), and the Clara Barton Parkway at the MD-DC line outside Bethesda (temporary bypass pumping system under construction). Longer term work at the Cabin John site is expected to continue through February 2027. Crews are building a temporary bypass pumping system to move wastewater safely around the repair area. Crews are busy installing new pipe inside the old line, called slip lining, to create a stronger pipe that resists corrosion. Upon completion, DC Water must follow National Park Service standards to restore the C&O Canal’s clay lining and lock structures; replant native plants and trees, and restore the natural hydrology of impacted wetlands. For more about the Potomac Interceptor, check the website for DC Water.
Montgomery County Planning Board Green Lights Modified Cabin John Development
Submitted by Carol Van Dam Falk
On June 25, 2026 the Montgomery County Planning Board approved a modified 5-unit residential live/work project at the corner of 77th Street and MacArthur Boulevard in Cabin John despite local push-back, mainly because the final proposal was submitted as a “by-right” development under existing zoning laws. When a project meets the legal criteria of local zoning rules, the Planning Board’s authority changes from discretionary to regulatory. The developer initially proposed five attached townhouses, which would have required special exceptions, variances, and zoning deviations. Recognizing the community’s significant opposition, OPaL revised the layout to a by-right plan featuring one single-family home and four ‘live/work’ units. Because this configuration fits within the property’s existing commercial/residential zoning limits, the Board had no legal grounds to deny it as long as it met standard technical metrics.
Neighbors voiced strong concern at local community meetings over losing one of the few active commercial parcels in the area. Residents noted that local businesses like Level Fitness, the Post Office, and neighborhood restaurants define the small-town identity of Cabin John. Replacing a fitness center with high-end housing reduces the neighborhood’s walkable commercial diversity. The units are showing on Zillow available for sale next year at a base price of $2.47 million dollars. Neighbors also expressed worries over parking. Parking restriction rules ban vehicles from parking along MacArthur Boulevard and nearby private townhouse communities. Residents said visitors or residents from the new development would overwhelm 77th Street and adjacent side streets, which are already narrow and crowded.
While the developer modified its plan with detached live/work units to fit within existing “by-right” zoning rules, the structural shift from commercial space to multi-million dollar residential spaces remains a point of friction with the community.
MoCo conducts The National Community Survey™
Submitted by Barbara Hoover
Montgomery County is inviting residents to complete its 2026 Community Survey. It asks about County services and quality of life – issues that affect every neighborhood. The responses can help County officials understand what is working and where residents see a need for improvement. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and share the link with members of your association. The more neighborhoods that participate, the fuller the picture the County will receive.
Survey Submission Deadline is Monday, October 19, 2026
REMINDER: IT’S TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP FOR 2026-2027!
Please renew or become a new member of WMCCA – our membership year runs from October 1st to September 30th. Go to our website www.wmcca.org to download a membership form or join using PayPal: Individual: $25 / Family: $50. We encourage donations to our Legal Fund. While we strive for positive results without litigation, sometimes it is unavoidable and highly effective. If you have any issues or concerns in your neighborhood, please contact WMCCA. We appreciate the input from our neighbors.
Thank you for your support !!
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Mark Your Calendars for October 17, 2026 – POTOMAC DAY!
Visit our WMCCA Booth #38 and enjoy a treat from the Ag Reserve!
IN-PERSON WMCCA Meeting October 13, 2026 – 7:15 p.m.
West Montgomery County Citizens Association Newsletter
P.O. Box 59335, Potomac, MD 20854-9335
President – Theodora Scarato President@WMCCA.org
Website: www.WMCCA.org – Thomas Fahey
Newsletter Editor – Nancy Madden
