Maryland Church Sues Over Utility Denial

Today's Gaithersburg (MD) Gazette reports that a Silver Spring (MD) congregation, Bethel World Outreach Ministries has filed a federal lawsuit against the Montgomery County Council charging racial and religious discrimination in its denial of Bethel's application to run utility service to a rural parcel of land in Germantown. Bethel had planned to build a church with a capacity of 3,000 on the land. The county says that Bethel's proposal violates its rules because pipes would run through nearby properties not eligible for water and sewer service.