What is suburban sprawl?
Suburban sprawl is development of land further away from populated areas and centers of business. Because this construction tends to be located in more rural areas, open space—including farms, forests and wetlands—is often replaced by new housing developments and the infrastructure needed to support these developments (roads, shopping centers, etc.). The accompanying pollution, which comes from septic tanks, vehicle emissions and runoff from the land, can harm water quality in rivers, streams and the Bay. Sprawl also harms wildlife by building on or near their habitat.
