Getting the burgeoning solid waste crisis under control is the
number one environmental concern of Montgomery County residents,
a county survey released yesterday concludes. The loss of open
space and the quantity and quality of the county's water supply
also rank high in issues raised in a series of town meetings
held in the county. The meetings and the survey are part of the
county commissioners' "environmental agenda for the '90s," a
plan for protecting the environment. The report released
yesterday identifies the public's concerns. A second study, to
be released in September, will outline the efforts under way to
save and manage the environment. A county plan of action, with
specific recommendations, will be prepared in October. A "common
thread" in all the environmental concerns is growth management,
the survey said. "With proper growth management, municipalities
could make better use of available water supply and sewage
disposal systems, protect significant natural areas and open
space, reduce flooding