Saturday, February 11, 2012

Home

Cars

Jobs

Real Estate

Academy professor steps up fight for Chesapeake

New book calls for tougher laws, 'dark green' dedication

By PAMELA WOOD, Staff Writer

Capital Gazette Communications

Published 09/30/09

In 2003, Howard Ernst shook up the Chesapeake Bay restoration movement with his scathing book, "Chesapeake Bay Blues."

J. Henson — The Capital Naval Academy professor and author Howard Ernst is out with his second book on the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort. Ernst, shown here on the banks of the Severn River, argues it’s time for environmentalists and politicians to step up their efforts.

Find Us On Facebook

AP VIDEO more>>

Now he's back with another book, this one a call to action for people who want to rescue the bay's health once and for all.

" 'Chesapeake Bay Blues' was a kick in the pants" for environmentalists and politicians, Ernst said. "This is a compass for them."

The new book, "Fight for the Bay: Why a Dark Green Environmental Awakening is Needed to Save the Chesapeake Bay," comes out in mid October.

It's a short book, at just about 130 pages, but...

This story has expired!
You can purchase the full text in our news archives.

YOUR COMMENTS

RULES OF PARTICIPATION

If you encounter other problems, please email nlundskow@capitalgazette.com and include your name, username, and any errors or messages that are displayed. The more information you can provide, the better able we will be to assist you.

In order to post or vote on a comment, you must be signed in with a hometownannapolis account.

Take a look at a summary of Commenting Guidelines.

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0 0

Draconian Rugulation Needed - 2009-10-03 14:17:03

The only thing that is going to save the Bay are new laws that will reduce toxic runoff in the watershed. That means upgraded sewage systems, banning the use to lawn fertilizers and pesticides, and cracking down on cattle operations. Nothing less will work.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Pasquale Z. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

Oh, Lara PLEASE! - 2009-10-03 07:37:58

You must be watching too much network news, and even worse, you actually believe that nonsense. I'm tired of my tax money being wasted on a bunch of junk science theories. You want us to stop eating meat to save the Bay? You illustrate perfectly the twisted thought process of the environmentalist. Farm runoff is a problem so eat less meat....farms also produce those important veggies for non-meat eaters. Do we stop eating vegetables AND meat to save the Bay, oh, and since we can't fish or crab in the Bay, exactly what do we eat? Your post actually proved my point quite well.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Lola H. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Good

RE "Liberal Junk", "At what cost" - 2009-10-02 12:41:01

True, what has been done so far has not succeeded in improving the health of the Bay -that's why MORE and DIFFERENT is in order. There is so much ignorance, still, getting in the way -Lola H. - Climate change has NOT been debunked - the information is out there --The U.S. Global Change Research Program (formerly U.S. Climate Change Science Program) issued a report in June that states: "Observations show that warming of the climate is unequivocal. The global warming observed over the past 50 years is due primarily to human-induced emissions of heat-trapping gases. These emissions come mainly from the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas), with important contributions from the clearing of forests, agricultural practices, and other activities." Numerous Fed. Depts. & Agencies (even DoD!) are part of this program. Priorities? If, as Lola says, "the health of the Bay is important", then it needs real attention, right? We have to significantly change the way we live, farm, do business, or the Bay will die -it's that simple. Farm runoff IS a huge factor - waste and nutrients need to be managed better, but we are all part of the problem- if we all ATE LESS MEAT, for example, it would make a huge difference -for the Bay and for our own health. DRIVING LESS & DRIVING MORE FUEL-EFFICIENT VEHICLES would help, too - aside from the CO2 problem, nitrogen washes out of the air and into the water. We should also STOP dumping FERTILIZER AND PESTICIDES on our lawns (talk about something that is NOT worth killing the Bay for!), many of which are too close to as it is. As far as I'm concerned, if the Bay dies, it will be nothing short of tragedy. Do we care enough to do what's necessary to save it?

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Lara B. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

shuddup and do sumthing - 2009-10-01 11:44:48

Stop with the complaining and the million dollar studies and the ridiculous book writing and DO SOMETHING ALREADY. It is time for a radical activist group to take part in a awareness campaign that involves stink bombs and golf course "rearangement" .

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Fred Shubbie - , - Karma: Terrible

Cry, "Foul!" to end the Political D - 2009-10-01 10:38:49

"Dark Green" citizens of the Bay should get ready to end the Bay clean-up ruse by telling your State governments their Plans "have no clothes."

A new report* by the Environmental Working Group focuses on the largest source of pollution to the Bay - unintended farm runoff. We conclude because there's never been enough money to fund all the farm practices needed to clean up the ag portion of pollution and because existing state & federal ag regulations are inadequate, the Bay States are backed into a corner by the upcoming TMDL pollution budget policy.

Without a slew of new money or new fair and sensible ag regulations, the States will be forced to submit "phony" Implementation Plans pretending they have the resources and the regs to achieve the upcoming TMDL pollution budgets.

If you care about restoring the Bay, cry "Foul!" and don't let your State governments get away with any more promises they can't keep.

*http://www.ewg.org/conservation/chesapeake-bay-pollution/report

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Michelle P. - Washington, DC - Karma: Neutral

Before it is too late - 2009-09-30 20:54:03

The restoration of Chesapeake Bay is a huge job that can only be done if citizens take responsibility. It can't be done by politicians or by environmentalists alone. It will never be done by whiners. Marylanders cannot thrive on poisoned waters.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

John Norton - , - Karma: Neutral

Liberal Junk - 2009-09-30 18:12:08

Here we go again digging into the working man and woman's pockets for something that will fail over and over again for years to come.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Walter N. - Delmar, MD - Karma: Neutral

At what cost.... - 2009-09-30 15:48:38

As a lifelong Annapolitan, of course the health of the Bay is important, but some of this environmentalist crap has gone too far. Climate change has been debunked time and time again as junk science. They even had to change the name from global warming because they looked so stupid protesting in April snow storms. Let's get our priorities in order - the EPA has cost consumers way too much money due to their restrictions and rules.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Lola H. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Good