Updated September 11, 2006
STATEMENTS SUPPORTING a Watershed Restoration Fund
“The homebuilding industry is supportive of a stormwater utility fee for Anne Arundel County. Unlike new residential communities or those about to come online a majority of older neighborhoods in this county have little or no storm water management. Some older communities with under funded Home Owners Associations (HOAs) find themselves ill-prepared to pay for costly repairs and upkeep to their stormwater management facilities as well. Because of the expense of retrofitting older neighborhoods, new development is always asked to mitigate runoff from adjacent communities. That cost is borne by the new home purchaser….”
Susan Stroud Parker
Co-Director, Government Affairs, Home Builders Association of Maryland
BUSINESSES
Lex Birney, The Brick Companies supports the Watershed Restoration Fund because it is the right thing to do. The Company installed a 20,000 s.f. Living Roof and buys Energy made from PA cows’ methane via a VT company.
Walt Petrie, Petrie Ventures, says, “This is a great idea! I’ll be glad to pay fees to restore the Bay.”
Midgett Parker, Linowes & Blocher LLP supports the fund.
Jeff Clement, Clement Hardware, Severna Park, supports the Fund.
Bill Creighton, Daniels Printing, Member Crofton Rotary, supports the Fund.
FURBISH, LLC, In the case of stormwater, we all know the devastating impacts it creates, especially in the Chesapeake Bay shoreline communities like AA County. Historically, we have been unwilling to change the way we design and build structures (i.e. design and build so that stormwater surges are not produced or at least handled on-site) and have tried to manage the resulting problem by building expensive, and doomed-for-failure infrastructures to handle the problem. Our past practices of managing storm water (with culverts, underground pipe systems, retention ponds, etc.) have merely created expensive upkeep of systems that cannot be scaled to address the ever-growing problem. These approaches, by design, did not attempt to solve the problem's root cause, they simplistically and naively attempted to handle the symptoms of shortsighted design. We have in effect shifted the risk/problem to the future. Our "chickens" of the '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s are now coming home to roost. We (developers, lenders, insurers, code officials, public officials, etc.) simply did not apply rigorous effort to addressing the root cause of the problem. Hopefully, we are gaining wisdom from our past actions and will assume our responsibility for being stewards of our communities and environment. I support the notion of a Watershed Restoration Fund. I know this may increase the cost of my doing development in AA County, but it is the right thing to do.
Ron Jordan, Marty’s Bag Works, Edgewater, supports the Fund.
Tyler Hancock Shoreline Canvas.
As a business owner, I support a Fund to resolve the impacts of stormwater runoff in A.A. County.
Lee Hardy, Marine Engines Unlimited, Inc. Galesville, supports the Fund
John Harris, Chesapeake Light Craft, supports the Fund.
George C. Law: As long time resident of Anne Arundel County and owner of Law Bros. Supply in Glen Burnie, I fully support your efforts and firmly agree that a Storm Water Utility is desperately needed to check the further deterioration of our waterways.
Kent McNew, Executive Director of the Board of Eastern Petroleum endorses the Fund.
Richard McClatchy, Realtor, Member Crofton Rotary, supports the Fund
Joe Morotti, Joe’s Seafood, Severna Park, supports the Fund
Jason Stoeser, HomeFirst Mortgage Corp., Member Crofton Rotary, supports the Fund
Jason Trotman, Brainstorm Multimedia, Member Crofton Rotary, supports the Fund
Dick Franyo, Boatyard Bar and Grill, supports the Fund, “without the economic asset of Clean Creeks, Rivers, and the Bay, this County will lose residents and businesses.”
ORGANIZATIONS
Chris Fick, MaryPirg, “Anne Arundel needs to follow in the steps of Montgomery County, and others to establish a Stormwater Utility, a critical step in improving the conditions of our waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. Eliminating urban stormwater runoff is of paramount importance if we are going to truly restore creeks, streams, and ponds to their natural state and will significantly reduce the amount of pollution that flows into the bay. We support this initiative 100%.”
Caroline Taylor, For A Rural Montgomery, “We endorse your effort to protect our cherished waterways!”
Weems Creek Conservancy supports a Watershed Restoration Fund.
Generals Highway Council of Civic Associations voted enthusiastically to endorse the Fund.
Annapolis Neck Peninsula Federation voted to endorse the Fund
Belle Grove Improvement Association voted to endorse the Fund.
Long Point Improvement Association Board voted a letter of support for the Fund.
Cottage Grove Homeowners Association voted a letter of support for the Fund.
South Arundel Citizens for Responsible Development voted to endorse the Fund.
Chesapeake Ecology Center supports the Fund.
Corinne Irwin, Annapolis Environmental Commission, “In 2003, the City of Annapolis enacted an ordinance requiring the creation of a Stormwater Utility Fund. The funds collected by the city are used to retrofit outdated stormwater systems which help to improve Chesapeake Bay and tributary water quality and to meet federal regulations under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II . The Annapolis Environmental Commission wholeheartedly supports the creation of a similar county-wide fund to help protect and restore all of Anne Arundel County's waterways.”
Robert vom Saal, President, “Severn River Association enthusiastically endorses the implementation of a Watershed Restoration Fund by the Anne Arundel County Council. Such a dedicated Enterprise Fund fills a critical void. Allowing stormwater to be piped into waterways has caused severe erosion that has left the Severn River with a degraded watershed and very few dollars to restore the damage to it's first order streams. This fund, like sewer, drinking water and garbage allows us each to pay for the impacts we have caused with the hope of restoring the significant problems that impair the River.”
Claudia Donegan , Tributary Team Coordinator, Lower Western Shore
“The Lower Western Shore Tributary Team, a governor appointed group of individuals representing local, state, federal government, business, non-profits, the Agricultural community and citizens, enthusiastically supports the proposed Watershed Restoration Fund for A. A. County. One of the Team’s major recommendations to ensure recovery of the Chesapeake Bay is Stormwater Utilities.”
Tom Filip, Patapsco Back River Tributary Team, “We support the Watershed Restoration Fee.”
Zora Lathan, Chesapeake Ecology Center, “I support a Watershed Restoration Fund to mitigate the numerous harmful impacts of stormwater runoff and insure the economic and environmental health of Anne Arundel County.”
Kincey Potter, President, South River Federation, “South River Federation strongly endorses a Watershed Restoration Fund for A.A. County. In order to make real progress in cleaning up and restoring the South River, this inundation of stormwater runoff must be addressed….fees are fair and will provide needed monies.”
Earl Bradley, “The Sierra Club strongly supports the Watershed Restoration Fund.”
Alderman Josh Cohen, to County Council Members: “I want to commend you for your consideration of a Watershed Restoration Fund. The City of Annapolis implemented a similar fund in 2003. As you know, taxpayers are highly skeptical of a general tax increase. However, most taxpayers support this targeted fee because they know it can be used only for the positive purpose of improving stormwater management. This was an important selling point for the fund. The city created it is an Enterprise Fund which meant that all moneys collected could be used only for its stated purpose.”
Arnold Preservation Council, 100% Endorsement.
Anne Arundel Waterway Restoration Alliance Board of Directors, a County-wide group of twenty associations representing over 6,000 households, has endorsed the concept.
Severn River Commission, Chaired by Lina Vlavianos is sending “a letter to the County Council and County Executive supporting establishment of legislation for creation of a dedicated Watershed Restoration Fund.”
Maryland Aquatic Resources Coalition endorses the Fund.
Paul Spadaro, Magothy River Association endorses the Fund.
Rockview Beach Riviera Isles Improvement Association, Susan Bloomfield President, full endorsement.
Fred Lebert, Chelsea Beach Residents Assoc. “I strongly support this, there is clearly not enough money to do what’s needed.”
Holland Point Citizens Assoc, Ed Conaway, “We strongly support this effort. Without it, we will not restore our rivers and the Bay.”
Chesapeake Bay Foundation testified before the County Council in support of the Fund.
CITIZENS:
Robert Gallagher, Citizen, Shadyside, Maryland
My family has lived on the West River for 10 years. During that time, and particularly the past two years, we have witnessed significant degradation in water quality associated with storm water runoff. We urge the Council to support a Watershed Restoration Fund.
Denis L. Murray, Sr. “I support the stormwater utility fee discussed in the Capitol recently. I was born here and see all the degradation of water quality from more people living here. Having more people is part of thriving and is a good thing; my kids and grandkids love it here. I would be willing to pay a fee to help remedy the harm. “
Randall Foote, “I support the fee because the silt and muck in Beards Creek is horrendous and getting worse. We need more restoration of the kind Mr. Underwood accomplished for Warehouse Creek.”
Howard Ernst, Author, Chesapeake Bay Blues is an enthusiastic supporter.
Stanley Watkins, Oncologist, “We need clean water so people can swim without fear.”
And over 500 other individuals, including Torrey Brown, retired DNR Secretary, Roger Granum, Wayne Adamson, Stephen James
CHURCHES:
Chris Holmes, Superintendent of the Untied Methodist Church, “Stewardship of the environment is a responsibility that begins in Genesis and does not end with us…’”
Maryland Episcopal Diocese issued an advisory letter to its A.A. Churches asking support for our cause.
United Methodist Diocese will establish STORMWATER as their local issue at their Sept. 7/05 meeting.
Met with the following who are keenly appreciative of our work especially with regard to their mandate for stewardship of God’s Creation.
Reverend Denise Millett, Parkwood United Methodist Church 410- 956-2510 distributed copies of our flyer to her Congregation.
Reverend Hagerman, Ste. Stephen’s Episcopal Church 410-721-288, sponsoring St. Francis Day in October.
Reverend Angela Shepard, St. Philip’s Episcopal Church 410-841-6717. We are working with her to help fund a raingarden where she will hold services.
Reverend Henry Green, Heritage Baptist Church 410-263-6680, a dedicated supporter.
Pastor David Thayer of St. Andrew’s Church, installed a raingarden in their parking lot, will distribute information to the Congregation, arranged for me to speak to South County Rotary.
Reverend Betty Dunlop, Mayo United Methodist, 1005 Old Turkey Pt Rd, distributed our flyer and arranged for me to present at their Church Picnic (6-5-05). Will install a raingarden as a Sanctuary.
Davidsonville Methodist Church Trustees invited us to present information at their annual picnic.
Corinne Irwin is working with Calvary Methodist Church and United Unitarian Universalist Church.
