Dorchester, MD
Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology. This is a different measure than the EJ Screening score for this county, which ranks it by percentile against other tracked counties rather than against these fixed caps.
Environmental data for Dorchester in Maryland · Population: 32,612
TRI sites such as Darling Ingredients Inc.- Linkwood Facility; Vienna Generating Station; Protenergy Natural Foods Inc.; SDWIS systems such as CITY OF CAMBRIDGE WATER; TOWN OF HURLOCK; TOWN OF SECRETARY anchor Dorchester, MD's EPA extract. Derived burden score 33/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.
Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Dorchester include TOWN OF HURLOCK; BONNIE BROOK; LODGECLIFFE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, while Darling Ingredients Inc.- Linkwood Facility leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 40 / peak 108 in 2024.
Burden score 33/100 (Moderate Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Dorchester -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.
Release-over-release change
What changed for Dorchester, MD: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
-38.2%
5 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
-38.2%
1.9 million lb → 1.2 million lb, every facility that filed
- Dorchester, MD's total reported releases fell from 1.9 million lb in 2022 to 1.2 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Dorchester, MD's off-site transfers rose from 1.6 thousand lb in 2022 to 6.0 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Dorchester, MD's water releases fell from 30 lb in 2022 to 12 lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Dorchester, MD's land releases fell from 1.9 million lb in 2022 to 1.1 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
Air Quality History (2020–2024)
EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy (SG) | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 294 (80%) | 71 | 1 | 108 |
| 2023 | 268 (73%) | 90 | 4 | 179 |
| 2022 | 274 (75%) | 91 | 0 | 93 |
| 2021 | 287 (79%) | 77 | 1 | 105 |
| 2020 | 339 (93%) | 26 | 0 | 84 |
Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)
For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in Maryland, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.
Water Systems (8)
| System | System pop (SDWIS) | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| CITY OF CAMBRIDGE WATER | 15,000 | 0 |
| TOWN OF HURLOCK | 2,150 | 2 |
| TOWN OF SECRETARY | 535 | 0 |
| TOWN OF VIENNA | 460 | 0 |
| TOWN OF EAST NEW MARKET | 400 | 0 |
| BONNIE BROOK | 390 | 2 |
| LODGECLIFFE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM | 300 | 1 |
| HERITAGE MOBILE HOME PARK | 80 | 0 |
TRI Facilities (5)
| # | Facility | Total Releases |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darling Ingredients Inc.- Linkwood Facility | 9.1M lbs |
| 2 | Vienna Generating Station | 12 lbs |
| 3 | Protenergy Natural Foods Inc. | 0 lbs |
| 4 | Amick Farms LLC | 0 lbs |
| 5 | Perdue Foods LLC - Hurlock Hatchery Feedmill & Granary | 0 lbs |
Cities in Dorchester (6)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in Dorchester, Maryland? ▼
Are there Superfund sites in Dorchester? ▼
How many toxic release facilities are in Dorchester? ▼
What is the air quality in Dorchester? ▼
Is the drinking water safe in Dorchester? ▼
What environmental agencies cover Dorchester? ▼
What does this county environmental profile show?
This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.