The water issue - Sierra Club
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Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club Spring/Summer 2012
the water issue
How We Got Here The Many Names of Chesapeake Bay Restoration
By Alan Girard—The largest estuary in North America, What Everyone Needs to Know about the Biggest Watershed Restoration
the Chesapeake Bay, was once the most productive in Process Ever Undertaken in the United States
the world. H.L. Menken called it an “immense protein
factory.” But pollution generated by nearly 17 million By Claudia Friedetzky—Call it what you will—Bay basic principles and mechanisms so we can support and
people now living in the 64,000-square-mile watershed pollution diet, Bay total maximum daily load (or advance the cleanup of our waterways.
has left the Bay an ecosystem dangerously out of balance. TMDL), Chesapeake Bay restoration, or watershed
Three decades of attempts to restore the Bay are implementation plan (or WIP)—all these terms describe Where does Restoration take place?
littered with promises broken, and commitments only the most ambitious watershed restoration process ever This might be obvious: in the entire Chesapeake Bay
partially fulfilled. Voluntary measures to clean the Bay undertaken in the United States. watershed. But the geographical area requires some clari-
have not been sufficient. It will stay with us for a long time to come, and fication. There are seven jurisdictions in the Chesapeake
The Clean Water Act of 1972 set a goal of making offers the greatest chance in 40 years to restore the Chesa- Bay watershed: six states and the District of Columbia.
the nation’s waterways “swimmable and fishable” by peake Bay and reduce pollution in local rivers and These states include Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, West
1983. Within just a few years of the law’s passage, the streams. We all appreciate the benefits of clean water, Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania. EPA has directed
process hit snags. States did not meet a 1979 deadline but many of us have been shielded from the cost that all of these states to develop clean water plans (aka wa-
for devising pollution caps called for in the Act for water- dirty water has imposed. The success of the Chesapeake tershed implementation plans or WIPs) that include all
(continued on page 5) Bay restoration depends on activists understanding its (continued on page 6)
Chesapeake 1 Spring/Summer 2012
Explore, enjoy and protect the planet
Contents Letter from the Chair
spring/summer Changes and Challenges
Change is all chapter. He is working closely with members of the chap-
the around
changes in the
us— ter executive committee and staff on many aspects of
the chapter operations and conservation campaigns.
water weather, in poli-
tics, and in many
Chris Hill joined the staff in October, just in time to
help with the Jamboree. Chris is supporting our energy
issue aspects of our per-
sonal lives. We
campaigns, especially offshore wind power and coal plant
retirement (which you will be hearing more about soon!).
meet new people, In December, Vidal Hines began organizing in Prince
2 Letter from the Chair
start new jobs, and George’s County, also focusing on energy issues.
3 What Happened During the 2012
experience Increasing the staff size from two to five in less
Legislative Session?
4 How Our Bills Fared David O’Leary, Chapter Chair changes in our than a year is one indication of the rate of change in the
7 The Hidden Cost of Energy: Water families. Fewer chapter, and it sounds like a lot—and from the “close
8 Patriotism, Agriculture, and Phase II than four years ago, Obama was elected President, and in” view of chapter leadership, it is a lot! But we need
WIPs optimism around the potential for change increased. more—and we especially need more people involved so
10 Loaded Landscapes, Empty Waters Within two years, the rise of the “Tea Party” also her- we can affect even more change in Maryland and be-
11 How Growing Smarter Can Achieve alded a different kind of change, and the next election yond. Five is a tiny number, and our staff can only do
Clean Water Goals is coming up soon. so much compared with the thousands of Sierra Club
12 Watershed Moment for Prince George’s In the Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club, we’ve members across the state. Every one of us is needed to
County Waterways? also seen a lot of changes. Conservation campaigns come meet the great challenges that we face. The role of our
12 Blue Crabs Depend on a Healthy Bay and go and evolve—we win some campaigns, and some staff members is to organize, support, and coordinate—
14 The Future of Good Jobs Looks Green we lose. Some we choose; but some campaigns, espe- but not actually to carry out the campaigns. We need
14 Leaders List cially fighting against particularly egregious proposals people to make phone calls, write letters, conduct re-
16 Tick Talk
and violations, are imposed on us, or at least we are search, participate in community events, conduct tech-
17 Habitat Stewardship Outings
obligated by our mission to respond as we are able. nical analysis and perform a wide variety of other tasks.
28 Get Outdoors
Fortunately, many recent changes in the Maryland Reflect on which issues matter the most to you and con-
29 Outings Schedule
35 Baltimore Inner City Outings (BICO) Chapter help us to be better prepared to respond to the sider how you can help. If you get a phone call or an
35 LNG Update environmental challenges we face. With more staff, we email message, please listen and respond.
have additional capacity to work on a broader range of In addition to our campaigns to Move Maryland
issues. We also have the opportunity to be more proac- Beyond Coal and to restore the Chesapeake Bay and its
tive, advocating in favor of long term solutions and ap- tributaries, you may have heard of our increasing level
proaches, rather than only fighting against the worst of activity around natural gas. Sierra Club members
attacks against the environment and the health of our opposed the construction of the Cove Point Liquified
families and communities. Natural Gas (LNG) import plant in Calvert County in
In January, I accepted the challenge of serving as the early 1970’s. More recent settlement agreements
33 the new Maryland Chapter Chair. After a few months provided the Sierra Club with considerable influence
33 on the job, I continue to feel a mix of excitement and on changes to the facility. As part of a broader strategy
concern. This is a big job, but there are many people around natural gas, we are working to block Dominion’s
34 opinions expressed in this newsletter are
The
helping. If you’ve visited or contacted the chapter office proposal to export LNG from Cove Point, and in West-
in35
general aligned with those of the environ-
mental community in Maryland, but are over the past several months or read the email alerts, ern Maryland, we are fighting fracking.
strictly those of the authors and not necessar- you probably noticed some new faces and names. Our This is only one example of the challenges that we
ily official policy of local, state or national long-term Chapter Coordinator, Laurel Imlay, is always face and our opportunities to make a difference. There
Sierra Club entities. The Sierra Club prides happy to help answer questions. Claudia Friedetzy con- are lots of ways to get involved. Maryland’s environ-
itself on being a grassroots volunteer organi- tinues to coordinate our water resources campaigns— ment and communities need your help, so please read
zation. The concerns and opinions of all its working to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay and through this issue, take a look at the chapter web site,
members are welcome in these pages. our local streams and rivers. The chapter added three (http://maryland.sierraclub.org), and contact your lo-
new staff members in the latter part of 2011. Our new cal group leaders or other campaign leaders for the is-
Chapter Director, Josh Tulkin, joined the chapter staff sues you are most interested in. We’ll help you to find
just before Thanksgiving and hit the ground running. your place in the Sierra Club.
Josh brought previous experience in Maryland to the Thanks for your continued support! ■
Chesapeake 2 Spring/Summer 2012Legislative Session
Annapolis Report
What Happened During the 2012 Maryland General Assembly Session?
By David O’Leary and Sarah Peters— tural programs, and other important Bay tion was changed from 2022 to 2020. A the governor will call a special session of
Environmental issues were prominent cleanup efforts. A bill requiring the “Community Renewables” bill, which the General Assembly to renegotiate the
during the General Assembly this year, higher-population counties to collect a would make it easier for groups to invest budget.
including key decisions about the state’s “stormwater utility fee” also passed. Each collectively in and benefit from renew- We decided not to take a position
energy future and efforts to clean up the county is given flexibility to structure the able energy projects like the University on the gasoline sales tax. There was little
Chesapeake Bay. Other big issues received fee. But it must be tied to the amount of Park Solar Co-op did not pass. Chris likelihood that significant funding would
significant attention, including marriage impervious surfaces like pavement and Stoughton from the Montgomery Group be set aside over the long term for public
equality, and, of course, the state budget. roofs, and it must be used for local pro- travelled to Annapolis to lobby and tes- transit. But even if it were, the protec-
In a short ninety-day session, most deci- grams to reduce polluted run-off during tify in support of this bill, along with rep- tion for transit funding would be weak,
sions on these bills came down to the last rain storms, and to repair damage from resentatives from clean-energy groups and as it is for “dedicated” funds in Maryland
week or two—and frequently the last day storm run-off. Although this bill was community groups from across the state. in general. As the proposal was not re-
or the last hour! weakened by not including all counties, A bill to add geothermal heating and cool- ceiving much support, this did not seem
Thanks to the Sierra Club staff and it is still a major step forward. And a bill ing to the state renewable portfolio stan- like the best use of our limited resources.
volunteers who worked on many impor- passed requiring all counties to designate dard passed.
tant bills—lobbying and rallying in An- various tiers of land-use areas with vary- Some recycling bills passed, includ- Card of Thanks
napolis, attending town hall meetings, ing limits on the size and location of sub- ing bills that require higher goals for Governor O’Malley proposed a strong
and calling and sending email messages divisions constructed using only septic county recycling plans and inclusion of package of environmental bills, includ-
to legislators. systems. Although this bill was also weak- plans for recycling in apartment build- ing the offshore wind bill and two of the
ened with amendments on the Senate ings and condominium complexes. Un- key Chesapeake Bay restoration bills.
Offshore Wind floor, we hope that it provides an impor- fortunately, the bill to place a fee on dis- There were many legislators who led the
For more than two years we have advo- tant step forward in recognition of this posable bags once again did not pass this way this year. Delegate Tom Hucker
cated for bills to facilitate the construc- significant source of water pollution and year. Despite local support, a bill that sponsored the stormwater utility fee bill
tion of an offshore wind farm. A large of the issue of externalized costs of pollu- would enable Prince George’s County to and the ban on arsenic in chicken feed,
coalition, including the Sierra Club and tion. establish a local bag fee also did not pass. and was a leader on offshore wind. Del-
other environmental, labor, faith, and egate Heather Mizeur was a leader on the
community groups, worked closely with Fracking Miscellaneous Bills bills dealing with natural gas drilling.
Governor O’Malley’s staff and key legis- Numerous bills addressing regulation and A bill that places a ban on the use of ar- Delegate Dana Stein sponsored the bill
lators to pass the bill this year, but we fees associated with natural gas drilling senic-based products in chicken feed to increase recycling rates in the county
were unsuccessful. The bill passed the were introduced, but only one bill passed, passed, after multiple attempts in recent plans and the community renewables bill.
House, but we were unable to get enough also on the last day of the session. It de- years. Delegate Dereck Davis, as Chairman of
votes in the Senate committee. Given the fines a “presumptive impact area” as one Two bills which increase election the House Economic Matters Commit-
effort involved so far, this was quite a dis- in which the burden of proof is placed transparency by requiring additional dis- tee, provided key support for the offshore
appointment. We are working with our on the gas-drilling company to demon- closure passed, but more meaningful wind bill. Senator Paul Pinsky led the ef-
coalition partners to determine next steps strate that their actions are not respon- campaign finance bills did not receive fort on stormwater, community
toward this goal. sible for water contamination. A bill to committee votes. Cliff Terry once again renewables, recycling in apartments and
establish a fee on mineral rights leases for tracked and testified in support of key condos, and the Prince George’s County
Chesapeake Bay funding the state’s Marcellus Shale Advi- proposals on this issue. bag fee. Senator Brian Frosh sponsored
Three major bills were introduced to re- sory Commission did not pass, and the Reaching agreement in the General bills to regulate natural gas drilling, the
duce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay, implications for the commission are still Assembly on the state budget was a big- state bag fee, and energy efficiency.
and we achieved much greater success being determined. ger problem than usual this year. At the We were disappointed to not have
with these bills, although the outcomes time of this writing, it is still unclear how the support from Senators Anthony Muse
were uncertain until the final days of the Renewables and Recyclables this situation will be resolved. A budget and Catherine Pugh on the offshore wind
session. Other bills relating to renewable energy including significant funding for impor- bill.
A bill passed to double the fee col- met with mixed success. A bill that in- tant environmental programs was passed
lected for the Bay Restoration Fund creases the utilities’ requirement for use before the end of session deadline, but The Work Ahead
(“flush tax”) from $30 per year to $60 of solar energy passed; the date by which many feel that the numerous cuts to state Even with a relatively successful session,
per year. This fund is used to fund waste- electric utilities are required to provide programs in this budget are not accept- we still have a lot of work to do. Work
water treatment plant upgrades, agricul- 2% of our electricity from solar genera- able. As of this writing, it seems likely that (continued on page 4)
Chesapeake 3 Spring/Summer 2012Legislative Session
What Happened During the 2012 Maryland General Assembly Session?
(continued from page 3)
will begin this summer to prepare for the
2013 General Assembly session, setting
How Our Bills Fared
priorities and working with legislators on
bills dealing with renewable energy and Bill # and Name House Action Senate Action Final Action
energy efficiency, fracking, and other top- Energy Bills
ics. If you would like to get involved with SB 791 (RPS Standard - Solar Energy Passed Passed Bill Passed
the chapter’s legislative work and our ef- and Solar Water Heating Systems)
forts in Annapolis, please contact Chap- HB 864/SB 595 (Community Energy- Unfavorable vote in No Action Bill Failed
ter Director Josh Tulkin at the chapter Generating Facilities and Net Energy Economic Matters
office at josh.tulkin@mdsierra.org, or Metering) committee
301-277-7111. ■
HB 441/SB 237 (Offshore Wind) Passed No Action Bill Failed - stuck in Senate
Finance Committee
We’re Always Water Bills
HB 987/SB 614 (Stormwater
Management)
Passed Passed Bill Passed
in Session HB 446/SB 240 (Bay Restoration
Fund)
HB 445/SB 236 (Sustainable Growth
Passed
Passed
Passed
Passed (significant
Bill Passed
Bill Passed (significant
and Agricultural Preservation Act ) amendments) amendments)
The legislators have
left Annapolis, but the Fracking Bills
Maryland Chapter of HB 1204/SB 798 (Marcellus Shale Passed No vote in Bill Failed
the Sierra Club is still Safe Drilling Study Fee and Environment
Performance Bond Act) committee
at work protecting our HB 296 (Hydraulic Fracturing Unfavorable Report Not introduced in the Bill Failed
water, our air, our land, Wastewater) Senate
our health, and our HB 1123/SB 636 (Contamination Passed Passed with Bill Passed with
heritage. from shale gas drilling) amendments amendments
Recycling Bills
No matter what your HB 895 (PG County - Authority to Unfavorable vote No Action Bill Failed
interest, be it energy Impose Fees for Use of Disposable in Environmental
conservation or water Bags) Matters committee
quality, recycling or HB 929 (Recycling Rates and Waste Passed Passed Bill Passed
recreation, clean air or Diversion - Statewide Goals)
HB 1247/SB 511 (Community No Action No Action Bill Failed
clean elections, we’re Cleanup and Greening Act – “Bag
on it, and we need fee”)
your help. HB 1/SB 208 (Recycling - Apartment Passed Passed Bill Passed
Buildings and Condominiums)
Contact Josh Tulkin,
Misc Bills
Chapter Director, at HB 167/ SB 207 (Commercial Feed - Passed Passed Bill Passed
301 277-7111, or email Arsenic Prohibition)
josh.tulkin@mdsierra.org
Thanks to Sarah Peters for compiling the chart.
Chesapeake 4 Spring/Summer 2012Water
workers investigating the kills and others. pollution-reduction targets for nitrogen,
How We Got Here Around this time it became clear the phosphorus, and sediment to the Bay
(continued from page 1) early efforts to reduce Bay pollution were states and Washington, DC.
ways impaired with too much pollution. not enough. The states were well short of The six watershed states and the Dis-
During the 1970s a rising popula- the goal set in 1987 to reduce pollution trict then each submitted a watershed
tion around the watershed produced by 40 percent by the turn of the century. implementation plan to put in place con-
more houses, runoff, and wastewater. In 2000, the EPA and the Bay states crete pollution-reduction strategies.
Poor farm stewardship also caused con- signed the Chesapeake 2000 agreement, Counties were encouraged to help the
siderable pollution. Prompted by these which re-affirmed the 40 percent reduc- states achieve a pollution limit under each
concerns in 1976, the late Senator Charles tion goal of 1987, and promised the Bay plan. Those states that did not make rea-
McCurdy Mathias Jr. (R-MD) pushed would be restored by 2010. As in previ- sonable progress over certain timeframes
through Congress a seven-year Environ- ous agreements, however, the Bay states could expect consequences. The settle-
mental Protection Agencyh (EPA) Chesa- were left to achieve the goals voluntarily. ment of CBF’s lawsuit required EPA to
peake Bay study. establish consequences for failure, which
In 1983, EPA released its findings,
documenting systemic declines in water
quality around the Chesapeake. The re-
I fw wee contin
progress, w we
ue to mak
continue makee
e will add tens
of thousands of jobs, to up-
was a major change from the earlier vol-
untary approach.
Even with the challenges of the Bay
port focused not on a single cause but an gr ade sewage and stor
grade mwater
stormwater restoration effort, there has been impor-
accumulation of insults to the Bay based facilities and reduce far m
farm tant success. Bay wide, the states and the
on human pressures. r unoff, and also to suppor t District have already achieved a little more
In December of that year, EPA seaf ood, tour
seafood, ism, and recre-
tourism, than half of the pollution-reduction goal
signed the first Chesapeake Bay Agreement ation industr ies as the Ba
industries y’
y’ss
Bay’ set in 1987.
with Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the health reco
recovver s.
ers. But nature doesn’t accept
District of Columbia. The signatories incompletes on its report card. The Bay’s
strengthened the agreement in 1987 with Individual states did achieve some ecosystem is still severely degraded. The
an additional commitment to reduce ni- success in reducing pollution in subse- protein factory is working at a fraction of
trogen pollution by 40 percent by 2000. quent years. Maryland subsidized the its capacity. Thousands of watermen, and
While important, these efforts pro- planting of winter crops that soak up left- others in the seafood and other industries,
duced only modest improvements in Bay over nutrients and also started upgrading have lost their jobs over the years as a result.
health overall. Underwater grasses re- the state’s 67 largest sewage plants with But now we have a cleanup program
turned to the Potomac around Washing- state-of-the-art nutrient reduction tech- that includes details and a timeline that
ton and to a number of other areas from nology, financed with a new fee shared states must follow or face consequences.
which they had disappeared. Striped bass equally by all Maryland households. That program is on track. If we continue
(rockfish) rebounded strongly as a result In 2007 the states and EPA acknowl- to make progress, we will add tens of
of a fishing moratorium of the late 1980s. edged this lack of sufficient progress, but thousands of jobs, to upgrade sewage and
At the same time, however, oyster stocks offered no new concrete commitments. stormwater facilities and reduce farm run-
in both Maryland and Virginia declined In 2008, frustrated with government’s off, and also to support seafood, tourism,
to historic lows, causing great hardship lack of progress, the Chesapeake Bay Foun- and recreation industries as the Bay’s
in the seafood industry and prompting dation (CBF) and partners initiated a law- health recovers.
dangerous levels of increased fishing pres- suit against EPA for failure to enforce the Making progress will be good for our
sure on blue crabs. Clean Water Act, formally filing a com- future. Saving the Chesapeake Bay and
In 1997, a new threat arose from the plaint Jan. 6, 2009. restoring clean water will not just benefit
toxic microorganism, Pfiesteria piscicida. On May 12, 2009, President Obama us; it will benefit our children and all fu-
Fish kills began that summer in the issued an executive order requiring EPA ture generations. It is important that each
Pocomoke River in Maryland. Later that to lead seven federal agencies in develop- and every one of us gets behind the new
year, they also occurred in Kings Creek, ing a plan within a year to restore the commitment to limit pollution and fin-
a tributary of the Manokin River, and the Chesapeake. ish the job. ■
Chicamacomico Rivers, also in Maryland. In December 2010, EPA announced
The kills were significant, both in loss of pollution limits called the Chesapeake Alan Girard is the Eastern Shore Director
fish and in dramatic illnesses suffered by Bay Total Maximum Daily Load of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
some watermen. They also harmed state (TMDL) and allocated specific numeric
Chesapeake 5 Spring/Summer 2012Water
The Many Names of Chesapeake Bay Restoration to local streams, rivers, and the Bay.
(continued from page 1) there directly into a stream. But nitrogen plan that details what strategies they are The current framework for Chesa-
the strategies necessary to reduce water emitted from the tail pipes of motor ve- planning to implement in the upcoming peake Bay restoration addresses this chal-
pollution in local rivers, streams and ul- hicles not only pollutes when it is washed two years. At the end of the two years, EPA lenge because the only way we will be able
timately the Chesapeake Bay. from roads and parking lots; it also gets expects to see reports from Maryland about to restore the Bay is by accounting for
deposited from the air itself. what has been accomplished. And if the and offsetting water pollution that is an-
What kind of pollution? states get little or nothing done . . . ticipated in connection with future pol-
There are several types of water pollution, Reduce But By How Much? lution loads.
and Chesapeake Bay restoration only You may think that surely, we must re- . . . There Will Be Consequences! The state’s Clean Water Plan recom-
deals with nutrient pollution and sedi- duce vast amounts of pollution to restore Indeed. Read it again. C-o-n-s-e-q-u-e- mends using smart-growth approaches to
ment. Nutrient pollution consists of ni- the Chesapeake Bay. Luckily, that’s not n-c-e-s! The era of voluntary and ineffec- limit future pollution loads. There are
trogen and phosphorus. I like to think of the case. We are talking about reducing tive measures is over for now. The Bay several principles underlying smart
nutrient pollution as plant food, because pollution by about one fourth, i.e., 25 pollution diet is a mandate backed up by growth, including mixed-use develop-
runoff of nitrogen and phosphorus into percent nitrogen, 24 percent phosphorus EPA with consequences for the states, if ment in existing urban areas that are con-
our waterways leads to massive and 20 percent sediment. We can do it! they do not follow through on their com- nected to sewer, and walkable neighbor-
overgrowths of algae, which sink to the mitments that they made in their Clean hoods that are accessible by public trans-
bottom of water bodies where they de- Timeframe Water Plans (also known as the watershed portation. By limiting the spread of im-
compose. The process of decomposition All good things take time. implementation plans or WIPs). The EPA pervious surfaces (roads, roofs, parking
uses up oxygen in the water, leading to And the restoration of the Bay will is considering the following actions to en- lots) and reducing the amount of traffic
dead zones where no life can thrive. Sedi- take an especially long time, which pre- courage underperforming states to live up and number of septic systems, smart
ment is another important pollutant, sents a great opportunity for Sierra Club to their commitments: expansion of regu- growth limits three sources of water pol-
making the water too murky for sunlight members who tend to make long-term lation to previously unregulated sources; lution: air deposition, septic and
to penetrate where underwater grasses commitments when they sign up with our requirement of additional pollution re- stormwater pollution.
grow. These grasses provide important organization. Under the current sched- ductions from wastewater treatment Smart growth’s opposite, sprawl
habitat for crabs and fish species. ule, EPA expects Maryland and all of its plants; and attaching additional condi- growth, in addition to all of its negative
In other words, reducing nutrient counties to achieve 60 percent of the pol- tions to EPA grants. impacts on quality of life, is a death knell
pollution is about preventing water bod- lution reduction by 2017 and meet all of So now, you are getting more con- for our rivers. Sprawl growth removes
ies from dying and becoming entirely in- the required pollution reduction goals by vinced that Chesapeake Bay restoration forests and natural areas and replaces
hospitable to marine life and human ac- 2025. will actually be successful. But, since you them with impervious surfaces that do
tivities like swimming and fishing. Let me guess. As you are contem- are an informed and questioning reader, not absorb and filter rain water. Sprawl
plating this schedule, you are having con- you will ask what about . . . growth causes stormwater pollution. It is
What sources of nutrient pollution are cerns. The state has five years until it needs a well-documented fact that the water
we talking about? to complete 60 percent of pollution re- . . . Anticipated Population Growth quality in a river declines precipitously
OK, so we know what types of pollution ductions. That’ll never happen, you and the increase in pollution that comes when impervious surface in the watershed
will be reduced, but where does nutrient think. Well, after decades of unsuccess- from that? You are right! That’s a huge exceeds 10 percent.
pollution come from? There are gener- ful restoration efforts, the EPA has come issue. So smart growth generally is the way
ally four types of nutrient pollution to the same conclusion and introduced a Annually, 170,000 additional people to go. But even smart growth adds to water
sources. Agricultural runoff contains fer- new concept. move into the Chesapeake Bay watershed. pollution, so how do we handle these added
tilizer and animal manure that washes And with every new person who moves pollution loads? Through . . .
into streams after it rains. Similarly, lawn The Two-Year Implementation into the watershed comes new pollution (continued on page 7)
fertilizer also ends up in our rivers and Milestones
streams. The water discharged from Rather than letting years and years pass
wastewater-treatment plants into streams without checking in as to whether the
contains nitrogen and phosphorus; states are meeting their water-pollution Join the Maryland Chapter’s
houses on septic systems pollute at five reduction goals, EPA decided that it
times the rate of homes on sewer systems. would be a good idea to check in more
And finally, stormwater runoff is rainwa- frequently with the goal of catching slack- e-mail action alert list
ter which picks up nitrogen and toxic ers in the act. http://maryland.sierraclub.org/action/
pollutants from roofs, roads and parking Every two years, the state of Mary-
lots as it flows into storm drains and from land and its counties have to submit a
Chesapeake 6 Spring/Summer 2012Water
you use every day just to turn on the lion gallons of fresh water per day for elec-
The Hidden Cost of Energy: Water lights? Everybody has heard about air tricity, and that makes us look good com-
pollution, climate change, and fossil-fuel pared to our neighbors. Pennsylvania and
depletion, but the silent victim of Virginia withdraw approximately 6.98
America’s insatiable energy demand is our billion and 3.85 billion gallons of fresh
water resources. water per day, respectively.4
Energy Generation Uses Enormous The Impact on Maryland
Amounts of Water So what does this mean for our area? A
Almost every stage of the energy cycle uses study published in the Columbia Journal
enormous amounts of water including of Environmental Law in July, 2009 placed
mining [e.g., hydraulic fracturing (aka Maryland’s Montgomery County and
fracking) for natural gas], cleaning, and Calvert County on its list of national elec-
refining. Even after burning, some power tricity-water crisis areas. Given those ar-
plants use water to clean out ash and scrub eas’ predicted electricity demand, popu-
smoke-stacks to reduce air-pollution lation growth, and water resources in
emissions. 2025, the authors estimated that Mont-
Thermoelectric power plants use gomery County would have a 4.45- inch
nuclear power or fossil fuels to boil water annual water deficit and that Calvert
to spin a turbine which drives an electric County would have a 2.25-inch annual
generator. To efficiently drive the turbine water deficit to meet their summertime
Water surrounds the H. A. Wagner Power Plant. Photo by F. R. Sypher
the steam is cooled by heating water water needs in the next decade. Rising
By James McGarry—The American Wa- mately 127,000 gallons of water every
drawn from local bodies of water or demand for water and electricity and a
ter Works Association estimates that the year. That may seem like a lot, but do
through evaporative cooling towers (de- shortage of available supply will mean
average U.S. household uses approxi- you know how much additional water
scribed in more detail later in this article). higher water and electricity prices and
Together these methods use more than costly infrastructure investments.
The Many Names of Chesapeake Bay Restoration four times the amount of water used by
(continued from page 6) tion relies on nutrient trading as an inte- all U.S. residents. Despite the efforts of How the Thermoelectric Water Cycle Works
gral means of accounting for and offset- utilities and system operators to improve To understand how we use so much wa-
Offsetting ting increased pollution loads due to their water-efficiency, our electricity-re- ter, it is important to know how the ther-
Chesapeake Bay restoration requires that population growth in the Bay watershed. lated water use continues to grow and is moelectric water cycle works. Water is
new pollution loads need to be offset. Sierra Club’s national conservation poli- reaching unsustainable heights. used by power plants to produce the
This means that wherever a new pollu- cies indicate a general opposition to pol- Even with the industry squeezing steam used to spin the turbines, but pre-
tion load is introduced, there needs to be lution trading as a way of dealing with more power out of each gallon of water, dominantly for cooling needs. The two
an offsetting reduction in water pollution environmental regulation, and list a num- the absolute water use for thermoelectric main water cooling methods are once-
somewhere else. For example, the state is ber of conditions that need to be in place power plants has steadily increased from through cooling and closed-cycle cooling,
envisioning that farmers will institute to ensure that a pollution trading pro- 14.6 trillion gallons in 1950 to about 100 the latter of which is more common in
practices on their land, such as installing gram is viable. The Chapter is paying trillion gallons in 2007.1,2 With no abate- the water-scarce western United States. In
forest buffers or restoring wetlands, to re- close attention to the evolving offset ment in our current trajectory, the risks once-through cooling, cool water is ex-
duce pollution more than was required policy and the overall nutrient trading we face include rising prices for water and tracted from a nearby water source and
of them under already existing laws and approach EPA and the state of Maryland electricity, reduced water quality (in many run through a series of pipes to cool sur-
regulations. They may then sell the addi- are taking to ensure that we are actually cases caused by heated water), high rates rounding steam before being discharged
tional reduction in pollution to a devel- offsetting new pollution. ■ of fish mortality, and the possibility of back into the water source downstream,
oper, for instance, who needs to offset the billions of dollars of economic damages. about 30 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than
pollution caused by a new development. Claudia Friedetzky is the Conservation In fact, if business-as-usual demand the surrounding body of water.
So now, you are becoming skeptical Representative for water issues for the Mary- growth continues, federal estimates about In closed-cycle cooling, after the
again. It all sounded pretty confidence- land Chapter. the cost of upgrading our water infra- water is extracted and run through the
inspiring. That last part, however, strikes structure range from about $250 billion pipes in the condenser, it gets transferred
you as far-out and raises a lot of ques- to over $1 trillion over a twenty year time to a cooling tower to be re-used for the
tions. Again, you are right. The current span.3 same purpose later. While closed-cycle
framework for Chesapeake Bay restora- Maryland alone withdraws 379 mil- (continued on page 8)
Chesapeake 7 Spring/Summer 2012Water
The Hidden Cost of Energy: Water
(continued from page 7) demand mean more greenhouse gas emis- Patriotism, Agriculture, and Phase II WIPS
cooling systems use a fraction of the wa- sions and increased drought intensity. By Tim Junkin—My father was a pilot the fields, rivers, mountains, animals, sea-
ter needed by once-through systems, they This in turn increases average global tem- who flew off an aircraft carrier in the Pa- sons, the traditions they engender, all part
ultimately deplete more than twice as peratures thus increasing energy demand, cific and fought in every naval air engage- of the place that is intimate to your life.
much through evaporation in the cool- which comes full circle back to water ment from Midway Island to the Second As such, perhaps one of the most
ing towers. depletion. Battle of the Philippine Sea, where the powerful expressions of patriotism is to
We are on a self-destructive trajec- Japanese fleet was destroyed. Seventy-five be willing to fight for the health of such a
Thermal Pollution tory driven by a lack of available water to percent of his original squadron was lost place, for clean water, clean air, for land
The predominant environmental reper- meet a growing energy demand. in that effort. His skipper later published that is not poisoned or degraded. We are,
cussion of the once-through cooling sys- America’s water resources may be vast, but a book with photos taken from the cock- make no mistake, embroiled in such a
tem in the eastern U.S. is thermal pollu- our increasingly energy-intensive pits of Corsairs; aerial pictures of torpe- fight in 2012. For forty years we have
tion. Billions of gallons of heated water economy may soon outstrip nature’s abil- doed destroyers; Japanese carriers on fire; tolerated the gradual deterioration of our
recirculating into rivers, lakes, and streams ity to replenish its resources if we do not and American Hellcats flaming into the magnificent rivers and Bay such that we
contribute to thermal pollution, which start taking water use into consideration sea. As I grew up my father rarely spoke have “dead zones” proliferating around us.
decreases the amount of dissolved oxygen when citing and building new power of that time. Once or twice, though, with All of us are inculpated in this catastro-
in the water, even while increasing the plants. the power that only such an experience phe and all of us, at least those who wish
demand for oxygen in aquatic animals. can bestow, he’d quietly talk about pa- to bear the mantle of patriot, must now
And like eutrophication, in which an in- What We Can Do triotism, about love of country. take on the challenge of this fight.
flux of nutrients such as nitrogen and Actions we can take today include in-
phosphorus alters the water chemistry, creased research and development and Growing up during the eras of civil rights, Recently, a local non-profit, Environment
thermal pollution may stimulate the commercial deployment for alternative Vietnam, the seemingly endless world Maryland, published a scientific study on
growth and decay of simple plants such cooling technologies; rapid deployment population growth, and its effects on our chicken manure, demonstrating how it
as algae and plankton. Accelerated growth of solar photovoltaics and wind energy environment, I’ve often wrestled with contains excess amounts of phosphorus
and decay further deplete dissolved oxy- generation systems that do not rely on those words, patriotism and love of coun- which has been poisoning our soils. When
gen, reduce water quality, can collapse cooling technology; and more investment try, trying to understand better what they a farmer fertilizes his corn with chicken
ecosystems, and complicate the water in efficiency and demand-side energy really mean. waste, the report detailed, in order to pro-
treatment process. A study conducted by management. For example, when the
Oklahoma State University found that 1,250 megawatt plant Yates in Georgia Patriotism is a love of the land, of the place where
eutrophication in U.S. freshwater costs added cooling towers in 2007, it cut wa- you call home. It means a love for the fields, rivers,
$2.2 billion annually in the losses in rec- ter withdrawals by 93%. When new ther- mountains, animals, seasons, the traditions they
reational water usage, waterfront real es- moelectric power generation is unavoid- engender, all part of the place that is intimate to
tate, spending on recovery of threatened able, give preference to low-water power
and endangered species, and drinking plant design.
your life.
water. Using existing technology, we can Patriotism is certainly not love of a vide the needed amount of nitrogen, he
The repercussions of the electricity sustainably meet our energy needs with- political candidate or even a president. If must put enough waste on his field that
sector’s water dependence are not a dis- out compromising the ability of future it were, few patriots my age would be left. it leaves as much as four times more phos-
tant threat. North Carolina residents may generations to meet theirs. A failure to It is not even the admiration for a politi- phorus in the ground than the crops can
remember blackouts in the summer of act now will impose greater costs later on. cal system. After all, as Churchill once uptake. This excess phosphorus over the
2007, when Duke Energy had to cut the Instead, let’s invest in a future that can quipped, “Democracy is the worst form decades has saturated our soils and is pol-
output of its C.G. Allen and Riverbend both meet energy needs and protect our of government . . . except all the others luting our rivers. The report raised the
coal plants on the Catawba River. In Ala- water systems. ■ that have been tried.” Moreover, if it were ire of certain segments of the agricultural
bama, the Browns Ferry nuclear power simply loyalty to a form of government, community. A poultry industry represen-
plant has had to drastically reduce its out- James McGarry holds a Master’s degree in how would one explain the love of Nelson tative called it a “misguided effort in an
put to avoid exceeding temperature lim- public policy from the University of Mary- Mandela for South Africa even while im- on-going series of attacks upon the
its on its discharge water and killing fish land. prisoned for decades by his white oppres- Delmarva Peninsula’s chicken industry
in the Tennessee River. Climate change sors? and farmers…”
means higher water levels in some areas Endnotes appear on page 35. Part of patriotism certainly is a love Maryland farmers rightly point out
of the country, but it also means longer for your people. But in equal measure the that they have been doing a great deal to
and more intense periods of drought in word means a love of the land, of the place improve their agricultural practices so as
others. More fossil fuels to meet energy where you call home. It means a love for (continued on page 9)
Chesapeake 8 Spring/Summer 2012Water
Patriotism, Agriculture, and Phase II WIPS
(continued from page 8) following 13 years to ensure that all their Interestingly, as the various jurisdictions must insist that our legislative leaders up-
to reduce pollution. We are all grateful waterways meet the TMDLs. The Bay have been developing their WIPs, there grade our wastewater treatment plants. All
for this and commend them for this ef- states submitted their draft watershed has been a wider appreciation of the fact of them. We must curtail septic sprawl
fort. But many of our Eastern Shore riv- implementation plans to the U.S. Envi- that the cost of reducing pollution (think and septic pollution.
ers, above the tidal influence—watersheds ronmental Protection Agency on Decem- in terms of a pound of nitrogen) is sig- For three hundred years, through-
surrounded by agriculture—continue to ber 15. (Maryland’s 23 counties and Bal- nificantly less for agriculturally sourced out the environmental history of the
become more polluted. The better re- timore City, for example, each developed pollution than for any other. The cost, Chesapeake, legislative leaders have failed
sponse to the Environment Maryland re- draft WIPs to reduce nitrogen, phospho- for example, of eliminating a pound of to have the courage and political will to
search paper might have been to acknowl- rus, and sediment pollution. These nitrogen pollution by upgrading septic insist that watershed protection be a pri-
edge its conclusions, and to appreciate county WIPs were then combined to systems is exponentially higher than the ority. And so, because of their failings,
and articulate that ways must be found form Maryland’s state-wide plan to clean cost of eliminating that same pound of we have nearly lost our country’s greatest
to better manage the 500,000 tons of up the Bay.) Final Maryland county plans nitrogen through the use of cover crops estuary, and we are faced with the crisis
chicken waste that is spread on Maryland are due at the end of June this year. or a targeted buffer on a farm field. Thus, that confronts us in 2012.
fields each year. The agricultural component of these many of the Bay states are developing
nutrient trading plans. The idea is that For all of us who love this land, the time
Ther
here e has b een a wider ap
been pr
appr ecia
precia tion of the fac
eciation factt farms could install pollution reduction is now to make our voices known—at
tha practices efficiently, taking their pollution home in the county in which we live, in
thatt the ccost
ost of rreducing
educing p ollution (think in tter
pollution er ms
erms
loads way below the baselines required of Annapolis and Baltimore, wherever you
of a p ound of nitr
pound nitroogen) is significan tly less ffor
significantly or them, qualifying for credits. The farm live, and in Washington, DC. Let us en-
agr icultur
agricultur ally sour
iculturally sourc ced p ollution than ffor
pollution or an
anyy other
other.. could then trade those excess credits for gage in this vitally important fight with
cash to concerns where pollution reduc- the same courage and intensity that our
According to recent statistics from plans has been delegated to local Soil tion is cost prohibitive. Like all of these parents displayed a generation ago and
the EPA and Maryland’s Bay Stat Pro- Conservation Districts (SCDs). Meeting plans, nutrient trading must be closely that our men and women in uniform dis-
gram, agriculture remains the largest con- with farmers, environmentalists, and monitored and regulated if it is to become play today. Let us all reflect on the spirit
tributing source of pollution to the other stakeholders, the SCDs have been a successful tool in the effort to restore of sacrifice that true patriotism requires.
Chesapeake Bay. For the State of Mary- trying to develop realistic and meaning- our Chesapeake. Be an advocate in the fight for clean
land, for example, agriculture is respon- ful plans to reduce farm pollution both Agriculture is only one piece of the water! ■
sible for 40 – 50% of the nitrogen, phos- on county levels and in a basin-wide con- equation. We must all be concerned about
phorus, and sediment that is over-enrich- text. For all of this to be successful, it is the pollution caused by the tendency to Timothy Junkin is the Executive Director of
ing and polluting our rivers and Bay. Farm essential that these plans establish bench- over-fertilize lawns. Lawn fertilizer use is Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy
animal pollution is responsible for ap- marks that are accountable and that will a large though vaguely documented com- (www.midshoreriverkeeper.org)
proximately half of this. To successfully lead to the pollution reduction goals that ponent of waterway pollution. And we
reach the pollution reduction goals that have been established.
will ensure a healthy Bay, we must find Ensuring the universal use of best
ways to effectively reduce pollution from management practices (BMPs) on farm
these sources. We must, of course, do so fields is essential in this effort. Universal
in a way that supports our agricultural participation in cover crops, the require-
base and our farmers. ment for targeted buffers to trap and treat
In this regard, the EPA-directed plan surface runoff, the use of precision farm
to clean up the Chesapeake Bay by 2025 methods such as Greenseeker and
is under way. A Bay-wide TMDL (total Subsurfer technology to ensure that pre-
maximum daily load) was issued by the cision fertilization rates are used and that
EPA in January, 2011, with over 90 sub- organic fertilizer is knifed into the soil,
watersheds assigned TMDLs as well. A and the conversion of all county and state-
TMDL defines the amount of a particu- owned agricultural land to model projects
lar pollutant a watershed can handle and utilizing all such practices are just some
remain healthy. The EPA has asked the of the steps that must be undertaken to
Bay states to submit detailed watershed ensure that our state agricultural goals are
implementation plans (WIPs) to describe met.
how they will reduce pollution over the
Chesapeake 9 Spring/Summer 2012Water
Loaded Landscapes—Empty Waters
This spring marks two disquieting mile- like crabs plucking fish that succumbed spongy forest floor, twice as much ero- shed serve as a perfect example. The Bay’s
stones in our flight from sustainability. to wounds or breeding stress; and hunt- sive stormwater gushes into streams. Road most productive nursery for migratory
First, anglers in Maryland are now pro- ers like the herons, ospreys, eagles, otters, salts create a chemical “dam” that repels fish is now in decline as a consequence of
hibited from keeping their catch of river and bears that fished ankle-deep streams river herring from spawning in their na- rampant development in its watershed,
herring. The moratorium follows one ini- for the swirling masses. Even forest plants tal streams. Streams no longer nurture the according to studies by Maryland’s De-
tiated in 1982 for their cousins, the were nourished by fish-enriched guano. base of the foodchain, and instead deliver partment to Natural Resources (DNR).
American and hickory shad. Then, the Most of the watershed lies in Charles
Atlantic sturgeon was granted federally County, which presently is in the throes
endangered status, a grim step that ech- of a battle for its soul as big money,
oes the shortnose sturgeon’s declaration pushing for business-as-usual in the
decades ago. All are migratory fish that county’s comprehensive plan revision,
once were plentiful in Chesapeake Bay is undoing beneficial elements in the
waters. But none more than river her- current draft. The DNR has said in a
ring, which with the shad once surged major new report that this plan revision
in unimaginable numbers from the ocean is probably the last chance to save
to spawn each spring in our local rivers Mattawoman. (For insights into the
and streams, and fed alike wildlife and battle, see the article by Claudia
people, from Native Americans to recent Friedetzky, page 11)
generations. Meanwhile, we continue to pass
Two centuries after the Native Left: Spawning River Herring swarm in the late 90’s in a Mattawoman Creek tributary draining Chapman Forest. milestones marking our march into the
Americans were driven from the tidal Right: Excerpt of a sign posted at a Mattawoman fishing hole announcing the new moratorium on River Herring in Anthropocene geologic epoch. Consid-
Potomac basin, John Chapman, one in a response to years of severe decline along the eastern seaboard. The decline is due in part to habitat degradation. In ering the loss of habitat for a decimated
fact, spawning numbers in the nontidal Mattawoman have fallen a hundredfold in just a decade, linked to
long line of proprietors of his family’s fish- but spunky marine fish reveals how it hap-
impervious surface surpassing ~10% of the watershed land area. In a telling indictment of political will and
ery at what is now Chapman State Park, societal values, this same high-quality stream would be degraded by an inappropriately sited Tech Park proposed pens, and what is at stake. To turn things
could recall that “seine hauls on the shore for its steeply sloped and forested headwaters, when in the same area previously built Tech Parks languish for lack around, we must use all tools, including
piled the herring up from the water’s edge of tenants, and redevelopment opportunities abound. permits, legislation, the law, and efforts
12 or 15 feet landward. The men waded like the Bay’s pollution diet. But none will
knee deep among them, thrusting in their While news articles report the con- mud to choked estuaries. Water tables, work without public support and ever
arms to find and select out shad, and al- tinuing depletion of the world’s oceans sealed by roads, roofs, and parking lots, greater public participation. As
lowed the herring to float off at high tide.” in an unbalanced age, river herring bring decline and fail to maintain stream flow Baltimore’s sage H.L. Mencken quipped,
In living memory, many people of our word to our very backyards. For after between storms. Add the pollutants and “The cure for the evils of democracy is
region, including the economically maturing in the Atlantic, these fish can the elevated temperature of urbanized more democracy.” Here Sierra Club
stressed, augmented their food supply struggle into remarkably small streams to stormwater, and the loss of aquatic members and their allies are at the front
with salted or frozen river herring, which spawn the next generation (see figure). biodiversity is a given. lines, and must continue to educate many
could be taken with nets from small They return again to the sea, to be joined The fundamental solution requires more lest milestones continue to lead to
streams. not a year later by their adolescent off- thoughtful land-use decisions, for the a bleak and impoverished future. ■
Anglers came to measure their catch spring who summer in estuarine nurser- landscape is densely penetrated by a net-
in 5-gallon buckets, while commercial ies, in what was once a vibrant circula- work of first-order perennial streams, so This article was provided by the
enterprise measured abundance in tens of tion of life between oceanic and inland called because they are the first to collect Mattawoman Watershed Society.
millions of pounds. But the planet’s mea- waters. water. A filigree of capillaries, these
sure was a maelstrom of life, infusing our Aquatic organisms fundamentally streams convey what is happening on the
landscape with energy. These brilliantly require unpolluted habitat to survive. But landscape to second and higher-order
reflecting fish were messengers of sun- a sprawling human presence is muscling streams, thence to rivers and estuaries, and
light, having converted oceanic plankton in, hacking away forest in the Bay water- finally to the Bay. Thus, to restore the
to the protein and fat they carried to our shed at 100 acres per day, and then seal- Bay, it is critical that we begin at the local
landscape during the spring run. In ad- ing much of this land with impervious level—through our master and compre-
dition to people, and the fish themselves, surface—at five times the rate of popula- hensive plans that serve as blueprints for
beneficiaries included estuarine predators tion growth! The results? Absent tran- where and how we grow.
like striped bass and bluefish; scavengers spiring leaves of the forest canopy and a Mattawoman Creek and its water-
Chesapeake 10 Spring/Summer 2012Water
The Example of Charles County
How Growing Smarter Can Achieve Clean Water Goals
By Claudia Friedetzky—There are some tershed, sadly recognized by the Chesa- population increased by 22 percent since hicle through which the counties can
basic truths about what type of land use peake Bay Foundation as the Washing- 2000, and it will continue to grow. Un- limit future sprawl development to pro-
is beneficial for water quality and what ton, DC area’s greatest source of toxic der the state’s Clean Water Plan (water- tect our waterways. In its Clean Water
type of land use will lead to a decline of pollution to the Chesapeake Bay. Ampli- shed implementation plan or WIP), pol- Plan, Maryland recommends that coun-
our rivers and streams. Forests are the best fying the problem, Mattawoman is also lution caused by future growth will have ties use their planning processes, includ-
land use for water quality. The roots of slated for loss of half its rapidly dimin- to be accounted for and offset. If we fail ing the comprehensive plan process, to
trees absorb large amounts of rain water, ishing forest cover. to account for pollution as a result of ex- limit increases in pollution loads. The
and the forest floor filters the remaining state recommends that counties pursue
water until it is discharged into under- smart growth approaches to limit pollu-
ground streams and seeps that empty into tion from stormwater and septic systems.
larger streams, and, eventually, into an While other counties decided to in-
estuary like the Chesapeake Bay or into tegrate their comprehensive plan revisions
the ocean. Forests are equipped to handle and the development of their clean water
a wide range of storm events, from gentle plans, Charles County is shunning that
to severe. Forests slow down and cool the route, contrary to recommendations from
runoff from storms so it does not disturb the state of Maryland.
sensitive aquatic ecosystems. As a result, an important educational
Roads, roofs and parking lots are the opportunity was lost in Charles County.
worst land use for water quality. These During the public input period of the
impervious surfaces don’t absorb rain comprehensive plan, consultants charged
water at all. Rain water that hits impervi- with managing the process presented the
ous surfaces picks up pollutants and tox- land-use options to the public as if noth-
ins, and then flows unfiltered—at high Mattawoman Creek ing were at stake, as if we weren’t rapidly
speeds, high temperatures, and in large The C ost of S
Cost pr
Spr awl
prawl pected population growth, we would fail losing our most precious rivers and
volumes—into storm drains. From there Partly because of sprawl development, our once again to meet our Chesapeake Bay streams to pollution caused by sprawl
the water flows directly into streams, rivers, streams, and estuaries have been restoration goals and any ground gained development. No one presented to the
where the accumulated pollutants and deteriorating so much that cleanup and in the quest for clean water in Maryland public the costs of sprawl in loss of water
toxins degrade water quality and disrupt restoration costs are becoming stunningly would be lost. quality and associated cleanup costs, or
aquatic ecosystems. When there is a big expensive. Charles County’s share of the the many benefits of smart growth. This
storm and a lot of sediment present, the costs for Chesapeake Bay restoration, a Smar
martt GGrrowth lost opportunity has contributed to the
sudden and massive flow of water into historic and comprehensive process to One of the most effective ways to limit traction gained by a vocal growth-ori-
streams gouges out the streambeds, lead- restore clean water in the Chesapeake Bay pollution from future growth is to pur- ented faction that is bent on continuing
ing to dangerous levels of erosion. and its watershed, will amount to about sue smart growth approaches to planning failed land- use policies at the expense of
one billion dollars. Between now and and development. Smart growth limits quality of life for county residents.
The E ffects of S
Effects tor
Stor mwater R
tormwater unoff
Runoff 2025, when we expect to reach our Chesa- the spread of impervious surface and new At the final meeting of the public
Mattawoman Creek in Charles County peake Bay cleanup goals, we will be pay- septic systems, which are associated with input process, attendees at the compre-
is a perfect example of the deleterious ef- ing dearly for past mistakes in land use. much higher pollution loads than devel- hensive planning meetings were told that
fects of stormwater runoff. Considered But this will not—and this is important opment on sewer systems, presuming that compromise between the differing visions
Maryland’s most productive fish nursery to understand—address all the pollution our wastewater treatment plants function among the public was necessary. We were
to the Chesapeake Bay, Mattawoman that we will have to account for under properly (which is not always the case). told that we would get some protection
Creek is now showing signs of serious the “pollution diet” mandated by Chesa- In Maryland, counties have power of natural resources and some growth. A
decline linked to urbanization. It is a tes- peake Bay restoration. And these costs do over land use. Through the comprehen- more appropriate approach would have
tament to recent research demonstrating not include pollution associated with fu- sive plan process, counties largely deter- been to point out to the public that all
that a stream degrades seriously when ture population growth in Maryland. mine the location and extent of housing but one of the rivers in Charles County
impervious surfaces cover 10 percent of Many of Maryland’s counties are developments, shopping areas, roads, and are degraded, and, unless we wanted to
its watershed. Yet Mattawoman is slated expected to have substantial increases in schools, and where farmland and natural become the next Prince George’s County,
for impervious cover (23 percent) com- population. Charles County has been the resources will be protected. with all of its rivers highly polluted, and
parable to that of the Anacostia River wa- fastest growing county in the state. Its The comprehensive plan is the ve- (continued on page 13)
Chesapeake 11 Spring/Summer 2012You can also read
