Verdict's In: CHESAPEAKE BAY IS TOO POLLUTED FOR CLEANUP!
HONEYpot
dollars for this lost cause!
---------------
"Evaluation of Chesapeake Goals Killed
"EPA Adviser, Others Squashed Review of How Realistic Cleanup
Expectations Are"
By David A. Fahrenthold
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, May 4, 2009
THIS WINTER, a round of bleak news about the Chesapeake Bay spurred
environmental officials to begin asking a radical question: Was it
finally time to lower their expectations?
For weeks, bureaucrats gathered data to determine whether goals
pursued for 25 years -- which call for restoration of the bay to its
former vibrant health -- were "an impossible stretch."
Then the research was killed after President Obama's new bay liaison
and others objected to the effort.
"We were, in effect, diverting energy from the real challenge," said
J. Charles Fox, the liaison, who was named a senior adviser to the
administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "A number
of us had some pretty serious questions about . . . yet another
evaluation of whether the goal posts should be moved."
The cleanup program's questions about its own future, which have not
previously been reported in the news media, reveal the depth of the
problems Fox has inherited. Even after nearly $6 billion in spending,
there is a dissonance between the sparkling Chesapeake local leaders
have promised and the murky, oxygen-starved estuary that exists
today.
This winter should have been a hopeful time for the cleanup effort,
which is a partnership of governments from across the bay's 64,000-
square-mile watershed, led by the EPA. Political stars were aligning:
The governors of Maryland and Virginia had put the bay on their
agendas, and the Obama administration had pledged its support.
But then came bad news from an unusual place: an EPA computer in
Annapolis.
The bay cleanup program uses complex computer models to measure the
impact of various pollution-reduction moves. The old model, from 2002,
had been encouraging. It said that if governments implemented all the
"tributary strategies" they had planned, the bay would be clean enough
to meet their long-held goals.
Then, in November, cleanup leaders got the results from a new version,
which officials say relies on more recent research but is still being
fine-tuned. It showed that all of the cleanup strategies would still
fall well short. The amount of pollution they would still need to
eliminate -- 60 million pounds of nitrogen, a key food for oxygen-
depleting algae -- was equal to the load carried down in one entire
large river.
Unless they could stop the Potomac from flowing into the bay, the
model showed that the cleanup program had much more work to do than
previously thought.
So some in the cleanup effort began to ask: Are the goals just
impossible to meet?
Bill Brannon of the West Virginia Department of Environmental
Protection said that the "tributary strategies" already represented a
plan to do everything feasible that the bay needed, everywhere, by
everybody. "How do you do more of everything, more of everywhere, by
more of everybody?" Brannon asked. It was more than a philosophical
question. The EPA is working on a formal pollution "budget" for the
bay, and Brannon worried that overreaching standards might result in
excessively strict permits for sewage plants or factories in coming
years.
"If it's not realistic to be able to achieve the standards, then you
need to do something," he said.
Officials from Pennsylvania, a state with Chesapeake tributaries that
gets the burden of the cleanup without the benefit of the bay itself,
had similar concerns, according to memos and Pennsylvania officials.
In response, the EPA-led Chesapeake Bay Program set out to "quantify
the 'do-ability' " of the bay's goals, to ask if they are "an
impossible stretch or just a difficult stretch," according to memos
posted on the program's Web site.
Over weeks of conference calls and data gathering, officials turned up
evidence of their effort's struggles:
The program has pushed for farmers to set up fences along stream banks
to prevent cows from loafing there and leaving manure -- a major
source of bay pollution -- in Chesapeake tributaries. In February,
such fences existed on just 11.7 percent of the farmland where they
might be used in the Chesapeake watershed.
And even with all the funding they could hope for, the program
estimated that this figure would rise only to 32 percent. That might
be because some farmers would be unwilling to change their practices,
even if the government would pay them to do it. Environmental
officials also want to upgrade septic tanks so that they remove
nitrogen. A contractor working for the bay program estimated that in
the best-case scenario, 33 percent of landowners might comply.
The current number: zero, according to a presentation given to bay
officials.
Other forecasts were more optimistic: The contractor said 99 percent
of farmers might be induced to adopt better tilling practices, and 100
percent might create antipollution plans.
But they never answered the fundamental question: Is the bay cleanup
bound to fail? High-level officials intervened in March, and the bay
cleanup program never created the document -- called a "use
attainability assessment" -- required for formally lowering some
goals.
Instead, the bay program put out a draft position paper that formally
repudiated the idea. "States' existing Chesapeake Bay water quality
standards should remain unchanged," it said. The paper noted that the
cleanup would seek to meet these goals, "even though we cannot
describe at this time precisely how that may be accomplished."
"We're not there yet. We still hold great promise for bay
restoration," said L. Preston Bryant Jr., Virginia secretary of
natural resources. "It's way too early to be cutting back to half-
speed."
The Chesapeake cleanup has been criticized in the past for focusing
too heavily on theoretical issues. Earlier this decade, officials
spent three years dividing the bay into 78 virtual subsections and
using their models to work out exactly how clean the water needed to
be in each.
At the same time, the real-world Chesapeake was languishing, and
officials had to concede that they would miss a deadline for major
improvements by 2010.
"The question that's before the bay program today . . . is whether or
not they're going to be an environmental implementation agency or
they're going to be a study-and-suggest agency," said Howard R. Ernst,
political science professor at the U.S. Naval Academy. "And the jury's
still out."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/03/AR2009050302063.html
Christ'sCondom
Marylanders say two old friends can't be saved!
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"At Troubled Preakness, a Sobering Attendance Drop"
By Lisa Rein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, May 17, 2009
BALTIMORE -- The future of Maryland's storied horse racing industry
might be a matter of debate, but one thing was clear yesterday at the
yearly race that has been the state's biggest sports event for more
than a century: The Freakness is gone.
The usually crammed infield at the Preakness Stakes, which earned that
nickname because of drunken fighting and other forms of debauchery,
was far from full as post time neared. Gone were the topless women,
and the teens who raced and stumbled across the tops of portable
toilets, pelted with beer cans as they went.
To restore civility to what had become little more than an all-day
party, officials at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore banned
spectators this year from bringing their own beverages, including
beer, onto the infield. The move contributed to a 30 percent drop in
attendance, and it drew plenty of complaints.
"I'm here, but I'm not happy," said Chad Jones, 35, a mortgage broker
from Baltimore. He was among a smattering of fans on an infield that
ordinarily draws 60,000.
Those who stayed home forfeited the chance to see Rachel Alexandra
become the first filly to win the Preakness in 85 years, holding off
Kentucky Derby victor Mine That Bird by one length and Musket Man by
1/2 lengths.
Rachel Alexandra had drawn all the pre-race attention after her
victory in the Kentucky Oaks the day before the Derby, and she did not
disappoint yesterday as she led the all-male field for almost the
whole race, covering the 1 3/16 miles in 1:55.08.
That so few people turned out to see the race was the latest blow to
Pimlico and the Preakness, the second race in the coveted Triple
Crown.
Attendance dropped 7.5 percent last year, to 112,222, and it fell
yesterday to 77,850, track officials said. A referendum legalizing
slot machines in Maryland has produced no money for the state's ailing
horse racing industry. And Magna Entertainment, the Canadian
conglomerate that owns the Preakness, is in financial straits.
The company filed for bankruptcy in March, saying it would put Pimlico
up for auction. It relented only after Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) and
state lawmakers threatened to seize the track by eminent domain.
O'Malley, on a tour of the stables before post time, repeated his
pledge to "do everything we can" to keep the Preakness at Pimlico.
"I look forward to seeing it run for another 134 years," he said in a
nod to the Preakness's first race at Pimlico, in 1873.
Tom Chuckas, president of the Maryland Jockey Club, which operates
Pimlico, said he expected the ban to cut into ticket sales this year
and next. Even so, he said, the infield -- a world away from the
dresses and heels, linen suits and fedoras worn by some in the
grandstand -- needed to change.
"We're trying to elevate the experience for everybody," he said.
"Sometimes a short-term loss turns into a long-term gain."
Beer and black-eyed Susans, the event's signature drink, still could
be had. But thousands of racing fans -- and fans of one of Maryland's
wildest parties -- could not be consoled by a 16-ounce plastic cup of
Budweiser for $3.50.
"We're missing about 30,000 people right now," said Sean Robinson, a
track employee who was checking coolers to ensure that no beverages
were smuggled in.
In an effort to keep the infield crowd, ZZ Top performed, and a bikini
contest was held. An 8-11 a.m. breakfast bash featured $1 drafts of
Bud Light.
None of that was enough to bring back Ryan Goff, 24, a Baltimore
resident who works in media marketing and started one of many Facebook
groups that protested the change. "What's the point of going?" someone
wrote on one of the pages. "As if there's some reason to be there
other than drinking and partying."
Reached by phone, Goff said, "For them to make this change was
ludicrous for a struggling racetrack."
For all the criticism, the new policy also drew some new spectators.
Mark Lennon, 30, who works at the University of Baltimore Law School,
said he had stayed away from the infield for years because of its
rowdy reputation.
"I was hesitant to come," Lennon, of Baltimore, said. "I'd like the
day to be about the actual event, which is horses."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/16/AR2009051602390.html?hpid=topnews
Kyle Schwitters
BAY!
All you wealthy bayfront homeowners whose toilets still flush directly
into the Bay and its tributaries -- it's mostly YOUR fault!
Farmers and their beasts are next on the list of polluters.
-----------------------------
"Bay Is a Threat To Humans, Too"
"Report Cites Pollutants in Chesapeake"
By David A. Fahrenthold
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
THE SAME POLLUTION PROBLEMS that afflict the Chesapeake Bay's fish and
crabs -- high levels of mercury in fish, neon-colored algae blooms and
voracious bacteria -- can also threaten the health of people who fish,
boat and swim in the estuary, according to a new report.
The report, released today by the nonprofit Chesapeake Bay Foundation,
pointed out that the threat of infection from pollutants that wash
into the bay from onshore is great enough that health authorities
recommend not swimming until 48 hours after a significant rain.
It says that many of the Chesapeake's problems have not improved
significantly, despite a government-sponsored "save the bay" effort
now 25 years old. And with climate change apparently warming the water
to a more pathogen-friendly temperature, it says one of the scariest
health threats -- a powerful strain of bacteria called Vibrio -- may
become more common.
"Clean water laws are not being enforced, and this is putting human
health in danger," said William C. Baker, the foundation's president.
Baker said the information about Vibrio was among the report's most
disturbing conclusions: "I was surprised . . . that there are very
real, very severe risks in contact with the waters of Chesapeake
Bay."
Clifford S. Mitchell, director of environmental health coordination,
for Maryland's health department, downplayed the risks to swimmers,
saying, "We're not seeing any kind of indication that it's not safe to
go into the Chesapeake generally." He also said the agency had not
recorded any cases of food poisoning related to Chesapeake shellfish
between 2001 and 2007. He said he did not have the 2008 figures with
him.
Nevertheless, Mitchell acknowledged that swimmers should avoid water
activities after a rain, which can sweep in animal manure and human
waste from older sewage systems and leaky septic tanks. He also warned
that people should not let cuts or open wounds contact the water;
should avoid water that is unusually murky or discolored by algae, and
should check official signs and Web sites for state water-quality
warnings.
"If the water looks good, if there are no postings [warning not to
swim], if they've checked online . . . they should feel pretty
comfortable," Mitchell said.
Maryland officials recommend that would-be bathers download a Google
Earth program that notifies them about beach closures. It can be found
at http://www.marylandhealthybeaches.com. In Virginia, information
about bay beaches can be found at
http://www.vdh.state.va.us/epidemiology/DEE/BeachMonitoring/beachadvisories.
The bay foundation's report highlights several threats stemming from
pollution:
-- Blooms of cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, can cause
liver disease, skin rashes, nausea and vomiting if ingested. The
foundation's study said that, in 31 percent of tests on water
contaminated with the algae, there was enough to make the water unsafe
for children to swim.
-- A protozoan called Cryptosporidium, which washes into the bay in
human and animal waste, can cause diarrhea and sometimes more serious
illnesses if ingested.
-- Mercury, found in the smoke from coal-burning power plants, winds
up in the water and accumulates up the food chain. People who consume
enough of it can suffer neurological damage and an increased risk of
heart disease. Mercury is the reason that state authorities warn
against consuming too much of certain fish from lakes and streams in
this region, and advise diners to limit their consumption of rockfish
from the bay.
-- Vibrio, typically found in warmer waters to the south, seems to
turn up more often now in the Chesapeake, the foundation's report
said. The reason could be climate change and algae blooms that make
the water more inviting for the bacteria. In Virginia, for instance,
the report said, the number of cases of human infection jumped from 12
in 1999 to 30 in 2008. Vibrio can cause vomiting and diarrhea if
ingested, and potentially serious skin infections if it is contracted
through open wounds.
But Mitchell, from the Maryland health department, said that there
were not enough data to know if these infections really are more
common than before.
Among those who have been infected is Ken Smith, vice president of the
Virginia Waterman's Association. Smith said that in June of last year,
he had been removing big "Jimmy" crabs from his pots, then washed up
with a bucket of water from Totuskey Creek, a tributary of the
Rappahannock River.
The next morning, he woke up and saw a bump on his forearm the size of
a mosquito bite.
"Went and drank a cup of coffee, and I looked back down and it was
about the size of an egg," Smith said. In a few minutes, he was
shaking violently, and drove himself to a hospital in Kilmarnock, Va.
Smith said doctors there had seen enough cases to know it was Vibrio.
But even with treatment, he endured several painful days, in which his
infected arm swelled up twice the size of the other one.
"It's got to be something . . . in the water that [Vibrio] likes,"
Smith said. "It's just too much of it happening here."
[Comments: fahrenth...@washpost.com.]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/06/AR2009070602931.html
Lykmi Pusi
dollars to "solve" pollution -- and our politicians meekly go along.
And you political bastards know who you are! Just as we do.
bati...@webtv.net
already high and why do residents have to pay a sewer fee charge which
is usually more than the water you are billed for and a 9% increase to
boot. my water bill is 109.00.
Transition Zone
Let's ignore the hatemonger/public/ngo attorney for a minute - if even
VAGUELY possible and let's remember history - oyster banks in the
chesapeake were once capable of replenishing the entire bay in 3 to 4
days back in the 1800's.
The oyster market is still a behemoth. Let's remember our priorities
for once and for all, OK?