Clean Water

Environmentalists came to Annapolis dressed in waders, life jackets and even a shark costume to rally for a package of bills moving through the House and Senate that would protect water quality. "There is nothing more important than clean water," said Del. Tom Hucker, a Montgomery County Democrat who pushed legislation in the House for a storm water fee. "We are on the finish line. " This year environmentalists had four legislative goals: Mandate that counties create storm water fees to fund retrofitting impermeable surfaces like paved parking lots, curb sprawl and reduce nitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay by limiting septic systems, increase to the flush tax to fund waste water plant upgrades, and tighten the rules for the types of septic systems allowed.

Maryland is fortunate to have many beautiful parks, rivers and streams, breathtaking views, delicious fish and shellfish and enjoyable recreational opportunities, from our nation's largest estuary to the snow-capped mountains in Western Maryland. Throughout our history, we have not done enough to protect these treasures and the water that links them, allowing them to deteriorate and their ecosystems to suffer. Under Gov.Martin O'Malley's leadership, though, things have started to turn around.

As The Sun's recent editorial rightly points out ("Three wins for the bay," April 16), environmental groups were real winners during the recent, contentious session of the Maryland General Assembly. The Baltimore Harbor, the Patapsco and Back Rivers, and local streams will be cleaner thanks to legislation to reduce pollution from sewage treatment plants, storm water runoff and septic systems. Just as Baltimore plays an enormous role in the Chesapeake Bay's health, our city was key to this success and our residents will reap the rewards.

As The Sun's recent editorial rightly points out ("Three wins for the bay," April 16), environmental groups were real winners during the recent, contentious session of the Maryland General Assembly. The Baltimore Harbor, the Patapsco and Back Rivers, and local streams will be cleaner thanks to legislation to reduce pollution from sewage treatment plants, storm water runoff and septic systems. Just as Baltimore plays an enormous role in the Chesapeake Bay's health, our city was key to this success and our residents will reap the rewards.

WHEN MEMBERS of Congress head home for the November elections, there may be more than health care reform left unfinished. Lack of attention to water pollution may leave public health begging as well.This is the year when Congress is supposed to revise both the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. There is ample reason to toughen both laws. The federal Environmental Protection Agency says that more than a third of our nation's waterways are unsafe for fishing, swimming or other uses.

THE U.S. government is about to announce it is earmarking $970 million to improve access to potable water in developing countries. Meanwhile, this country is the lone holdout in Johannesburg negotiations that would set global targets for providing uncontaminated water to the 1.1 billion people currently without it. The reason for Washington's resistance is its worry about being obligated to cover the high costs. Smart economics, maybe. But politically, that position isolates this country in a way that could have extraordinary political consequences.

WE USED TO treat our nation's waterways with what can be best described as disdain. We viewed rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, estuaries and oceans alike as the nation's waste receptacles.Only 25 years ago, one of the world's great freshwater lakes, Lake Erie, was pronounced dead. Ohio's Cuyahoga River near Cleveland spontaneously burst into flames.Chesapeake cesspoolGrand waters in the nation's history, like Boston Harbor, the Chesapeake Bay and the Hudson, Delaware and Potomac rivers, were cesspools.

WASHINGTON -- In one of his most focused attacks on the new Republican agenda, President Clinton denounced yesterday a House bill altering the Clean Water Act as the "Dirty Water Act" -- and spelled out his threat to veto it."This House bill would put the cleanliness and safety of our water at risk," Mr. Clinton told a group gathered on the picturesque banks of Rock Creek, a place where Theodore Roosevelt loved to hike."Industries in our country use roughly 70,000 pollutants, chemicals and other material that can poison water if they're not controlled properly.

WASHINGTON -- Seeking to save money and improve the nation's water quality, the Clinton administration unveiled a package of clean water proposals yesterday that backers say could significantly help the Chesapeake Bay.The new proposal by the Environmental Protection Agency calls for adding $4 billion to a fund to improve sewage treatment plants; targeting runoff from farms and developments; and reducing air pollution from cars and power plants that affect...

IT TURNS 25 this month, a most impressive offspring of the modern environmental age, yet nowhere near fulfilling its promise.Congress in 1972 passed the federal Clean Water Act over howls and threats from the industrial establishment, amid warnings from New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller that it was a "$3 trillion mistake."Congress passed it again, handily, over President Richard Nixon's veto, and waited for the Supreme Court to strike down his impoundment of $18 billion in the act to help states treat sewage.

Environmentalists came to Annapolis dressed in waders, life jackets and even a shark costume to rally for a package of bills moving through the House and Senate that would protect water quality. "There is nothing more important than clean water," said Del. Tom Hucker, a Montgomery County Democrat who pushed legislation in the House for a storm water fee. "We are on the finish line. " This year environmentalists had four legislative goals: Mandate that counties create storm water fees to fund retrofitting impermeable surfaces like paved parking lots, curb sprawl and reduce nitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay by limiting septic systems, increase to the flush tax to fund waste water plant upgrades, and tighten the rules for the types of septic systems allowed.

The Harford County public and municipal elected officials in Aberdeen, Bel Air and Havre de Grace need to pay particularly close attention three bills on water and sewer issues that are scheduled for hearings before the Harford County Council this Tuesday, March 13, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Though the bills to some degree reflect a move in the general direction of a unified water system for the county, the question whether the county needs such...

There has been a lot of discussion and controversy in the Maryland General Assembly and in the counties about growth-related strategies. Some say they take away private rights; others, that these strategies save money and protect our water. Since we all want to have clean water and save on government expenditures, why not support smart growth initiatives? There is an effort to do this through bills in the legislature, House Bill 445 and Senate Bill 236. Both these measures call for managing growth by limiting sprawl development.

As an African-American and an environmentalist, I went along for a long while with the idea that race and class are irrelevant to the cause of environmental protection. I assumed that the environment itself is connective and bridges the social divide. But I can no longer ignore that a color-blind, class-blind environmental movement is also too often blind to the needs of those with the least access to clean air, water and land. By ignoring the obvious social divisions in society, a relatively non-inclusive green movement has emerged.

I was shocked and very disappointed to see Gov. Martin O'Malley's letter regarding the Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Maryland ("O'Malley butts in," Nov. 21). Mr. O'Malley has been a champion of clean energy and global warming solutions, and he has promoted some sound policies to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, like reducing pollution from septic systems. But when it comes to this lawsuit, I believe the governor is clearly in the wrong. This case is about defending our clean water laws and protecting the Chesapeake Bay. Even more fundamentally, it's about whether poultry companies should be held responsible for water pollution caused by their chickens' manure.

I was pleased to read the Sun's recent editorial regarding the proposals to finance transportation construction projects and upgrade sewage treatment ("Tale of two tax plans," Oct. 30). While it may come as a shock to hear in our current anti-tax, anti-government climate, this is one citizen who wholeheartedly supports an increase in Maryland's Bay Restoration Fund - which is an investment in our economy, in protecting public health, and in cleaning up our rivers and streams, and the Chesapeake Bay. Since it was signed into law in 2004 by Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., the Bay Restoration Fund (BRF)

For millions of disaster victims across South Asia, the danger is far from over. Even those who weren't injured face the threat of deadly infectious diseases, which can spread easily in the chaos caused by the earthquake and tsunamis. As relief workers from around the world head toward the stricken coastal regions, experts say, the threat of epidemic grows daily among weakened, often homeless refugees. Most disaster relief specialists agreed that officials should focus first on providing a steady supply of clean water to victims, who are most vulnerable to waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery and other diarrheal illnesses.

Washington -- Setting up a confrontation with President Bush over spending, the Democratic-controlled House approved a bill yesterday that would increase funding for clean-water projects, such as those aimed at preventing beach pollution. The bill, which would authorize $14 billion over four years, was approved on a 303-108 vote, despite a White House veto threat. It now goes to the Senate. The debate offered a preview of coming budget fights between the White House and the Democratic majority in Congress.

Editor: Patrick McGrady is my neighbor. I have known him for almost 26 years. I'm supporting him for mayor of Aberdeen because I trust him and his family. They are honest, God-fearing, and hard-working. Patrick will work tirelessly to get Aberdeen back to basics: clean water, safe streets and low taxes. Aberdeen will have a bright future if we elect Patrick McGrady. Gisele Knapp Aberdeen

Editor: I am running for Mayor of Aberdeen because I love Aberdeen and I want to see our community thrive. To get there, we are going to need to work together to reduce the heavy burden of property taxes and water bills that keep piling up on our citizens. Aberdeen's citizens deserve taxes and water bills that are predictable, low, and fair. We all understand that some government is necessary, but too much government is costly and inefficient. Aberdeen needs to get back to the basics of providing adequate police protection, delivering clean water to our homes (at the lowest possible rate)