303 d Campaign for a Clean River
River Guardian - $1,303
River Steward - $303
River Friend - $103
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SMRWA Vows to Clean Up River
Have it Removed From EPA's List
The St. Mary’s River is on the Environmental Protection Agency's impaired rivers list. Section 303 d. of the Clean Water Act empowers EPA to list rivers that are significantly degraded. The St. Mary's River is listed for failing in three areas: 1) water clarity, 2) chlorophyll, and 3) dissolved oxygen.
"It means that the river is polluted," said SMRWA Executive Director Bob Lewis. "It is still safe to swim and fish in most areas, but the river is not very healthy. The deep waters in the middle of the river are dead due to a lack of oxygen—nothing can live there."
It will take an enormous effort on the part of all watershed residents and public officials, as well as key funders for restoration projects, to get the St. Mary's River removed from the 303 d. list.
"We're going to make a strong appeal to our members and donors asking each and every one to commit to this campaign," said SMRWA President Joe Anderson. "Every major donation will make a difference."
The Association is launching it's Circle of Clean River Guardians. To join the effort and be included in this celebrated circle of river stewards, send your contribution today.
The law dictates that the entire Bay be cleaned up, although it is widely acknowledged that it will take several decades. New rules for reducing the amount of pollutants entering the waterways come with severe penalties for missing recurring two-year deadlines for reductions. By the fall of 2012 municipalities that cannot meet these new reduced pollutant loads are likely to face a loss of Federal and State dollars, denied development permits, and Federal or State takeover of reduction plans and restoration projects.
The Association is going to need a fairly sizable infrastructure and operations in order to lead major restoration projects and to seek big grants to pay for them. County leadership has shown no signs of caring about the river. They refused to help fund an action plan to clean up the river. Recent mapping of areas to be protected did not include areas deemed vital to stopping the outward spread of the Lexington Park Development District. It did not included any part of the county's 2nd District, much of which forms the headwaters for the St. Mary's River. Additionally, large developments with hard surfaces that do not allow water to penetrate into the ground are being approved without adequate protections to our environment. Many new site design techniques that would severely limit impacts to the environment are being avoided by developers who cite higher costs. What the developer is saving today, the public will pay later -- with the additional expenses of retrofitting these development, which can cost more than ten times what developers would have paid to do it right to begin with.
"That's why it's important that our members and supporters come through with sizable gifts of $303 or $1,303," said Anderson. That money will build the organization so that we can be succesful—we can take a multi pronged approach educating developers, educating our public officials, and implementing restoration projects."
"It's do-able—St. Mary's River is not as bad off as many Chesapeake tributaries," said Lewis. "We're going to launch a ten-year plan, with the hopes of rising to the standards of EPA section 303 d. in about 5 or 6 years."
The river has to remain healthy for a few years in order to be removed from the list.
303 d Campaign for a Clean River
River Guardian - $1,303
River Steward - $303
River Friend - $103
Donors to this program are recognized above in the left-hand column and will be recognized in the Association's annual report and newsletters.
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