YACHT CLUBS OF MARYLAND
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS OFFICER report
or
BOATING, WATERWAYS, and the ENVIRONMENT
By Legislative Affairs Officer Janet Yodris
1.
MDE/WASTEWATER DISCHARGE
PERMIT FOR MARINAS
There is still a “Public Participation” Public Listening Session scheduled for Friday, April 29, 2011 at 7:00 pm at the Doubletree Hotel, 210 Holiday Court, Annapolis, MD 21401 at 7 pm
Additionally, concerned recreational boaters may submit questions, comments or concerns directly to
Please read Joe Hellner’s Article concerning the MDE/ Wastewater Discharge Permit in this issue.
2. Department of Natural Resource Report - Website www.dnr.state.md.us
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What is DNR responsible for: March 1, 2011
I thought this was an article worth passing sometimes we just don’t know what an agency’s charge is and why it is there. Therefore, for your information: |
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The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly one-half million acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov Contact: Josh Davidsburg 410-260-8002 office I 410-507-7526 cell jdavidsburg@dnr.state.md.us
3. Heavy Rains, Snowmelt May Affect Chesapeake Bay Health
DNR Continuing to Monitor for Bay Impacts
Annapolis, Md. (March 21, 2011) — Early March runoff into the Susquehanna River watershed from heavy rains and snowmelt has brought a flood of nutrients and sediment-laden freshwater flowing into the Chesapeake Bay. This heavy spring runoff has resulted in record low water clarity for the month of March in many areas of Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay. Continued wet spring weather could extend these high flows that might result in less underwater grasses and an increase in algal blooms. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will continue its comprehensive Chesapeake Bay water quality habitat and living resources monitoring to assess any short- or long-term storm-related impacts.
4. DNR Completes Harford County Dredge Material Placement Site
Ever wonder what is funded by an excise tax – another FYI.
Havre de Grace, Md. (March 1, 2011) — Construction has been completed on the Swan Harbor Farms Dredge Material Placement (DMP) site. The project is a joint effort between the Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Waterway Improvement Program.
Project funding was provided through a DNR Waterway Improvement Fund grant of $775,922. Revenue for the fund comes from the one-time 5 percent excise tax that is paid when a boat is purchased and titled in the State of Maryland. “This project both meets a practical function for the boating public and adds recreation for the community,”
The Swan Harbor DMP will provide a disposal site for several dredging cycles
for the Havre de Grace Marina basin and channel, which is home to 272 boat slips
and a popular boat ramp that provides access to the upper Chesapeake Bay. The
site also features a fenced ADA-accessible walking trail, a wet pond for bird
habitat and an observation platform.
“The site is constructed to hold 100,000 cubic yards of dredged material from
the Havre de Grace Yacht Basin and is designed to maximize the water quality
settling time during dredging projects. The DMP site has a feature that cleans
water as it flows over small waterfalls and into ponds below (see photo).
Through creative engineering and landscaping, the project meets the requirements
of both the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Commission and the Harford County
Critical Area Program.
5. BREAD AND CHEESE CREEK thanks the many volunteers who helped cleaned up on April 2, 2011.tha- Dundalk
6. Hart Miller Island Tour
On Monday, April 25, 2011 9am – 11am 20 seats available – first come, first serve basis
Hart-Miller Island, located at the mouth of Back River, is an example of the beneficial use of dredged material. The island, operated by Maryland Environmental Service on behalf of the Maryland Port Administration, provides a safe and cost-effective placement site for sediment that is routinely cleared from the Baltimore Harbor and surrounding shipping channels.
The upcoming tour will take about 2 hours. Meet at MES landbase at 9:00 am; you’ll tour the island from a bus, making several stops to see first-hand how the island is being developed. We’ll explain the dredging process and take a break at our operations building to view a short video. A visit to the HMI DNR state park, and have you back to landbase around 11:00 am. If you want to see if there are seats available: Go to www.savebackriver.org then scroll down until you see Alliance for the Chesapeake tour for Hart Miller Island and “click the link”.
7. E - News Stream – Dept. of Environmental Protection and Sustainability
Leave No Trace
Be a clean boater and renew your commitment to being environmentally responsible by getting familiar with the basic principles of Leave No Trace (LNT). LNT strives to educate all those who enjoy the outdoors about the impacts of their activities and provide them with techniques to prevent and minimize such impacts. Developed by the U.S.D.A Forest Service in the 1960's, today LNT principles reach millions of people each year, in the United States and beyond.
Leave No Trace is best understood as an educational and ethical program, not as a set of rules and regulations. The seven basic principles of Leave No Trace are:
8. Chesapeake Bay Hotline Call 1-877-224-7229 to report any of the following
· Boating accident or reckless activity
· Fish kill or algal bloom
· Floating debris that poses a hazard to navigation
· Illegal fishing activity
· Public sewer leak or overflow
· Oil or hazardous material spill
· Critical area or wetlands violation