Educational Forum
for
Anne Arundel County State and Local Candidates
Federal Clean Water Act Challenges Confronting State and Local Government Elected Officials TMDL details The Capital, 10-14-06
This forum was held on Wednesday, October 4, 2006, 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Pascal Center for the Performing Arts Auditorium,
Anne Arundel Community College meeting announcement
Speakers: Jim George, MDE
Ron Bowen, A.A. County Dep’t of Public Works
Dan Nees, Environmental Finance Center (Guest Speaker at our General Meeting on October 16th)
Moderator: Jack Greer, MD Sea Grant Program
Brief Summary:
• Jim George explained the process MDE is required by the Clean Water Act to engage in: Assess all Maryland waterways for pollution (303D list) and establish Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) for each waterway. There are 700 to complete and MDE is able to complete about 20-30 each year. Once a TMDL is completed, the local entity must make a ‘good will effort’ to comply. No funds are made available from MDE for compliance. Clean Water Act requirement: “Protect and restore the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.”
• Ron Bowen made a detailed presentation see presentation in PDF format of waterway degradation and pollution in A.A. County. All 12 watersheds and 324 sub-watersheds are “impaired” for 4-6 different pollutants (nutrients, bacteria, toxics on EPA’s 303d list). The greatest source of pollution is stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces into Creeks and Rivers as land was developed prior to current stormwater regulations. His estimate of need to restore A.A. Creeks and Rivers is $500 million to $1 billion, a problem too big for government to solve without a Citizen, Business and Government partnership.
• Dan Nees, Environmental Finance Center, one of six such Centers around the country established by EPA, whose purpose is to advise governments and citizens on implementation of environmental initiatives. In order to succeed in restoring polluted Creeks and Rivers, funding must be dedicated, sustainable and sufficient. No federal, state funds or grants are available to fulfill the need. The question isn’t who will pay these costs - it will be citizens of this community. Without question, it is cheaper to act today than it is to act tomorrow. “I cannot advocate for a Stormwater Utility, but over 450 such Utilities have been established across the country and many more are in the works. They provide a dedicated, sustained and efficient way of producing funds that are otherwise not available. read complete speaking points
Comment from Jack Greer, MD Seagrant Program: Virginia Beach put in its Stormwater Utility without prior public education and there was a huge public outcry, but they're happy with it now.
It has been suggested that funds could be found in the County’s Capital Budget, but demands on the budget are high and with $50 million in employee retirement benefits, $1.5 billion in School repairs, $55 million in Road Repairs and other items high on the County's Agenda, it could not provide a "dedicated, sufficient, sustained, and efficient" way of paying the $500 million to $1 billion bill to restore A.A. County Waterways through general funds.
