What is the ECB?

The Environmental Control Board (ECB) is an independent, administrative hearing board where persons or entities can contest environmental citations issued by other Baltimore City agencies. Hearing officers preside over the hearings. The hearing officers are barred attorneys that are in good standing with the State of Maryland.

The ECB also hears water bill disputes and Water-4-All denials.

Separate from the hearings, the ECB is also home to BMORE Beautiful, a grassroots beautification program. 

The Purpose of the ECB

The Environmental Control Board (ECB) is responsible for the adjudication of citations issued by other agencies that affect sanitation, environmental, health, safety, and other quality of life issues.

Environmental citations can be issued by the following City agencies:

• The Department of Housing and Community Development
• The Health Department
• The Department of Transportation
• The Fire Department
• The Department of Public Works
• The Department of Recreations and Parks
• The Police Department

The Mission of the ECB 

The ECB's goal is to provide an experience that highlights the beauty of Baltimore, from providing a fair, impartial and educational hearing process to cultivating opportunities for our constituents through BMORE Beautiful.  On a daily basis, the ECB strives to fulfill the following objectives:

• Provide an equitable hearing process,
• Educate residents, businesses, and property owners,
• Encourage changed behavior,
• Support community beautification efforts, and
• Strengthen relationships between government agencies and the community