Section: ENV

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.:

Since 1998, his Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment has spent $50 million on environmental efforts, most of them involving the Chesapeake Bay. He's the single largest private...

Slight boost in rockfish numbers

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00

Chesapeake Bay rockfish produced more juvenile fish this year than last year, but the number is still below average, according to state data released yesterday.

Department of Natural Resources biologists use a time-tested technique to measure juvenile fish - they drop a seine net at prescribed spots around the bay and count the fish they catch.

In 2009, they counted an average of 7.9 rockfish, also called striped bass, in each net...

Cardin offers new remedy for ailing bay

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00

With the Chesapeake Bay so sick it's in intensive care, U.S. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin yesterday offered a new prescription: $1.5 billion more in federal spending, a pollution credit-trading program, enforcing clean water laws and setting a deadline for a cure: 2025.

During a chilly news conference at Sandy Point State Park, Cardin didn't shy away from touting his new bill as the once-and-for-all remedy for the bay's woes.

&quo...

Cardin to unveil Chesapeake Restoration bill

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Sen. Ben Cardin plans to officially unveil a Chesapeake Bay restoration bill at Sandy Point State Park outside Annapolis on Monday. Cardin says the bill will give states and local governments new enforcement tools and more than $1.5 billion in grants. It also would create a cap-and-trade pollution trading program that Cardin says is designed to lower compliance costs and provide incentives for farmers.

The federal En...