"We realize if you really want something to happen, unfortunately, regulation is necessary quite often," says Eric Wargotz, president of the Eastern Shore county's commissioners.
The General Assembly balked at requiring statewide regulation of septic systems in 1999. Instead, four years ago, lawmakers set up a fund to provide grants to upgrade old septic systems to make them less polluting. Only a fraction of eligible homeowners have taken advantage of the grants.
O'Malley administration officials say they're looking at how to get more septic system owners to replace their old, polluting tanks.
And the governor says he will unveil a plan for preserving what he calls the "greenprint" of the state - its forests, wetlands and open land.
"I think we're going to make some great strides in the six years ahead, I do," says O'Malley. "I think we're all going to be proud to look over our shoulders."
Waning commitment?
Still, Harry R. Hughes can't hide his dismay.
As Maryland's governor, he helped launch the bay restoration effort 25 years ago. The public was alarmed by a federal report saying the Chesapeake was dying, and Hughes seized upon the opportunity to act. He boosted funding for bay cleanup efforts and steered a batch of laws through the General Assembly, including the then-pioneering shoreline development restrictions.
By now, "I expected and hoped we'd be further along," the 81-year-old former governor says.
He recalls that back then, people called out at parades urging him to "Save the bay! Save the bay!" Hughes thinks the public today is less engaged in the cause.
"I do think it's waned over the years," he says of the public's commitment to cleaning up the Chesapeake. "It needs to be rejuvenated."
But Hughes says he believes Marylanders still love the bay, and will make sacrifices if their leaders make the case for action.
"If they're convinced whatever help is asked for is going to restore the bay, I think they'll go along," he says.
Baltimore Sun reporter Greg Garland contributed to this article.
cleanup efforts
Here are some key Maryland laws that have been passed as part of the Chesapeake Bay cleanup effort:
