Section: ENV

Military officials continue to test water near Ft. Meade

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00

Just one home in Odenton near Fort George G. Meade has high levels of contaminants in well water, according to test results released yesterday.

Environmental officials from Fort Meade, a private contractor, the county and the state presented updated information about well contamination during two public meetings held in the afternoon and evening.

The military has been testing dozens of homeowners' wells this year in Odenton, j...

Group calls nuclear power expansion a step backward

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00

BALTIMORE - As Maryland closes in on the construction of a third reactor at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Lusby, an environmental organization has released a report calling nuclear power a step backward in the nation's race to reduce pollution. The Environment Maryland Research and Policy Center report, released Tuesday, calls nuclear power "too slow and too expensive," an energy source that makes little economic sense in co...

Ashes to ashes — burial becomes environmentally conscious

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00

WASHINGTON - Norma Hooks described laying her sister, Leona Miller, to rest in the Chesapeake Bay as a "wonderful experience." Miller's cremated remains, combined with an environmentally safe cement mixture, were cast as an artificial "memorial" reef and personalized with Miller's "jewelry and knickknacks," said Hooks, 64, a Finksburg resident.

The memorial reefs, also located off Ocean City, become new hab...

State urges tourism industry to be green

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00

ANNAPOLIS - Maryland's parks, trails and estuarine allure are often what sell the state to tourists. This month, the state unfolded an effort to encourage the tourism industry to more actively safeguard these natural resources.

Launched on the heels of the Maryland Green Registry, Maryland Green Travel is a free and voluntary self-certification program that urges businesses in the tourism industry, starting with the lodging sector, to adher...

Feds cite county for pollution

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00

When it comes to cutting down on pollution fouling area rivers and the Chesapeake Bay, it turns out the county government might not be setting the best example.

The U.S. Environmental Protection agency has cited the county after finding several stormwater pollution control problems at two highway maintenance yards and the county landfill.

The violations were mostly related to shoddy maintenance of drains and stormwater holding pon...

Smarter than average buoy

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00

It only took a look out the window yesterday afternoon at the rainy, windy weather to tell it was not a good day to go out on the water.

Soon, boaters and sailors will be able to get more precise marine weather information with a few clicks on the Internet or by dialing into a special hotline.

A large yellow "smart" buoy is being deployed this week at the mouth of the Severn River. It will record data on weather and water quali...

Report says feds behind in river pollution regs

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — A new report says federal regulations are behind the times in dealing with chemicals making their way into the nation's rivers. And that's important for the Washington area, which draws 90 percent of its drinking water from the Potomac River.

The report was released Wednesday by the Potomac Conservancy. The group says the chemicals include so-called endocrine disruptors, which are being eyed as the possib...

Feds back off on farm and stormwater rules

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00

The federal government is promising to crack down on pollution from factory farms and urban stormwater that harms the Chesapeake Bay - that is, unless the states do it first.

The federal government is offering the wiggle room after Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia government officials complained about potentially far-reaching new regulations on their farmers.

"The states generally believe they have a lot of local knowledge...

Pervious concrete can slow runoff pollution

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00

WASHINGTON - The parking lots of Queen Anne's County's Bloomfield Farm will soon be modeling the latest in a series of efforts by the county to battle stormwater runoff pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. Pervious concrete -- the technology Queen Anne's County will use in Bloomfield Farm's parking lots -- allows water to drain straight through into a reservoir below the pavement where it can subsequently soak into the ground. Most co...

Our Bay: The politics of cleaning the bay

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:00

For years, environmentalists have lamented that the federal government didn't seem to be doing much when it comes to cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay.

In the last year, however, the feds have stepped up their game and made promises to do better. But the steps the federal government is taking can be confusing.

First came President Barack Obama's executive order in May, directing federal agencies to look into a host of ways that they...

Our Bay: This Week's Take: Conowingo Dam: Disaster in waiting

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:00

The Susquehanna is arguably the most important river in the Chesapeake Bay's watershed. Its two branches drain 27,500 square miles of the bay's entire 64,000 square mile watershed.

By the time the river reaches the bay at Havre de Grace, Md., it has traveled 448 miles and will deliver 25 billion gallons of water to the bay on an average day.

But there are no average days.

Water flow ranges from a record 650 billion gallons ...

Our Bay: Chesapeake Calendar

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:00

Want to help the Chesapeake Bay, learn about it or just plain enjoy it? Check out these upcoming bay-related events and meetings.

Saturday

West/Rhode Riverkeeper needs help at stream cleanup. Meet at corner of Owensville Road and Muddy Creek Road, behind High's at 8:30 a.m. Info.: www.westrhoderiverkeeper.org.

Programs at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary incl...

Our Bay: DNR Rail

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:00

ASK AN EXPERT

How many species of fish live in Maryland's freshwater streams?

Historically, about 100 species of freshwater fish were known to occur in Maryland. The statewide Maryland Biological Stream Survey, conducted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources since 1994, has collected 85 species.

The five most abundant species are eastern blacknose dace, eastern mudminnow, Blue Ridge sculpin, bluntnose minnow ...

Bay goals downgraded

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00

The federal government is putting the Chesapeake Bay on a pollution diet, but officials say it can be a little less strict than in the past.

Instead of counting calories, officials count pounds of harmful nutrients that cause the bay's infamous, oxygen-deprived "dead zone."

Federal officials announced yesterday that the bay can be allowed to have 200 million pounds of nitrogen pollution and 15 million pounds of phosp...

Experts fear McDonnell win could hurt bay cooperation

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00

WASHINGTON - Republican Robert McDonnell's win Tuesday in the Virginia gubernatorial elections could roll back gains in that state's cooperation with Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay and other policy issues, experts warned Wednesday.

Outgoing Democratic Gov. Timothy Kaine has had "a very cooperative, positive relationship" with Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, said Mark Rozell, a professor of public polic...

Volunteers, businesses team up to clean up

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00

Volunteers with the Spa Creek Conservancy have launched a new effort to get businesses involved in cleaning up the creek.

Called the "Spa Creek Stewardship Program," the effort pairs up the conservancy's experts with business owners to come up with plans to help the environment.

Businesses who register for $50 will get an assessment of their property and operations, with suggestions on how to reduce pollution and sto...

West River study points to future fixes

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00

The West and Rhode rivers suffer from similar degradation as the rest of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, according to a new study.

While not pointing to specific polluters, the analysis by an independent watershed group released earlier this month lays out a game plan to start turning things around.

The Center for Watershed Protection unveiled its assessment of the West River watershed at the West/Rhode Riverkeeper's f...

Climate change poses rising threat to marshland

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00

BLACKWATER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE - Tens of thousands of migrating waterfowl, one of the nation's largest populations of breeding bald eagles and the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel all call Cambridge's Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge home. And all are vulnerable to the rising sea levels that threaten coastal marshland.

The Chesapeake Bay is experiencing sea level rise at a rate twice the global average, and the thin ribbons of m...

Search for endangered Maryland darter unsuccessful

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00

HAVRE DE GRACE - Biologists from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources stood knee deep in cold water Friday afternoon, pawing through the contents of a seine net, searching for a species of fish that many believe could be extinct.

They tossed brightly colored leaves unceremoniously back into the stream at Susquehanna State Park in Havre de Grace, but each tiny fish was inspected. There were plenty of them -- many of...

Our Bay: Protection for an ancient fish

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00

Few people ever see an Atlantic sturgeon.

The bottom-dwelling, prehistoric-looking fish lives at the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers, out of sight and out of mind for most boaters, anglers and swimmers.

Now there's an effort to raise the fish's visibility and have it listed as one of the nation's endangered species.

"Sturgeon, as a family, have had a rough time in modern times," said Brad Sewell, a...

Our Bay: This Week's Take: Gibson Island school: Synergy at work

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00

Recently the Magothy River Association participated as one of 11 river organizations in the Marylanders Grow Oysters program.

Marylanders Grow Oysters was sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources and the Oyster Recovery Partnership.

More than 700 oyster cages were distributed on the Magothy River alone. These logistics were well beyond the talents of the lone association volunteer coordinator, so special thanks goes to Tim Decker...

Our Bay: Bay Digest

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00

Kratovil battles invasive nutria

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Frank Kratovil is joining forces with a Louisiana congressman to fight nutria, a plant-gobbling, orange-toothed marsh rodent.

Nutria have devastated wetlands and marshes on Maryland's Eastern Shore, most notably at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge near Cambridge. Nutria are nonnative species from South America that originally were brought here for the fur trade.<...

Our Bay: Chesapeake Calendar

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00

Want to help the Chesapeake Bay, learn about it or just plain enjoy it? Check out these upcoming bay-related events and meetings.

Saturday

Learn about hawks, eagles and falcons at 1 p.m at Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. For ages 10 and older. $5. Info.: www.serc.si.edu or 443-482-2300.

City of Annapolis fall GreenScape. Info.: