State officials held public hearings on rules meant to curb the amount of poultry waste that ends up in the Chesapeake Bay. In September, the Maryland Department of the Environment proposed that 200 of the state’s largest chicken farms should be scrutinized for potential fines on how they store and use chicken manure. More than 270-million chickens are raised annually on Maryland farms, generating an estimated one-billion pounds of manure. Under the new rules, the largest 75 to 100 farms would be required to obtain permits meant to ensure that they do not pollute nearby waterways. Farms could be fined up to $1,000 a day for violations