chesapeake currents FALL 2014 | CHESAPEAKE the clean water action newsletter maryland Baltimore Officials Lead on Clean Water On September 9, while the U.S. House was voting 262-152 to block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers from fixing the Clean Water Act so small streams and wetlands are once again protected, Baltimore took a strong stand for clean water. Baltimore City Council members voted unani- mously for a resolution supporting EPA’s clean water rule. The Council’s decisive action shows that these local officials, at least, understand that small streams and wetlands are “vital to the health of Baltimore’s drinking water,” says Clean Water Action’s Andy Galli. Once EPA’s proposal is finalized, 835 miles of streams and other surface waters flowing into the Baltimore area will benefit, along with “100 percent of Baltimore residents, who get at least some of their drinking water from sources affected by these streams,” Galli says. Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Also at stake are local tributaries that feed into larger water- ways of the Baltimore watershed, such as the Back River, Gwynn’s Falls, Jones Falls, the Patapsco River and the In- ner Harbor. “Until these Clean Water Act loopholes are closed, large companies and industries remain free to dump their wastes into our water,” explains Galli, “and that has to stop.” TAKE ACTION: To protect clean water for Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay, visit www.ProtectCleanWater.org Patapsco River, Patapsco Valley State Park. 1120 N. Charles Street, Suite 415, Baltimore, MD 21201 | 410.235.8808 | CleanWaterAction.org maryland Tackling Baltimore’s Polluted Runoff The Chesapeake Bay is being choked to death, and the Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund have culprit is polluted runoff. Despite progress tackling many suggested that DPW’s draft plan include ways to reduce other types of pollution afflicting the Bay, the chemicals, trash & litter, increase public participation in environ- pet waste, pesticides, oils and grease flushed off of urban mental efforts city-wide, educational outreach, projects, lawns, streets and other paved programs, partnerships, main- areas during every storm still tenance, and job development, threaten critical tributaries and suggesting nearly sixty projects drinking water sources. through which the groups would New legislation won by Clean work with Baltimore communities Water Action and allies in 2012 on runoff pollution solutions. and successfully defended in the The recommendations include legislature during 2013 and 2014 spending stormwater utility fee is setting the stage for finally revenue around urban waterways reducing and preventing the worst most in need to improvement, polluted runoff problems. The including the Western Branch of measure creates a new “stormwa- the Jones Falls, Patapsco River, ter utility fee” system for Balti- Gwynns Falls and Back River more and Maryland’s nine other watersheds. Clean Water Action largest jurisdictions. Fee revenues spent several weeks this summer are being used to tackle the runoff. touring communities in these Baltimore City’s Department watersheds to identify potential of Public Works (DPW) has begun Urban Environmental Site Design collecting revenues from residents, projects, flooding problem areas, nonprofits, government agencies, A view of the Jones Falls from the litter, public dumping and op- businesses and schools and others 41st Street bridge. portunities for communities to over the past year. Now the de- use grant funding to green their partment is planning how to meet permit requirements neighborhoods. Suggested projects include converting for its Multiple Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4), a Park Heights vacant lots into rain gardens and convert- key part of the solution. The permit calls for Baltimore ing vacant Westport tennis courts into community to deal with runoff from nearly 4,000 acres of paved, gardens. impervious surfaces, but only five percent of that acreage is owned by Baltimore City. To address the remaining TAKE ACTION: Clean Water Action is organizing and ninety-five percent, DPW is turning to area nonprofits, assisting City residents and other stakeholders to sub- community residents, faith communities and the private mit comments to DPW through the city’s website, sector for input and assistance. www.cleanwaterbaltimore.org delaware Protecting Clean Water for Delaware This August 1, Clean Water Action regional director Andrew Fellows and allies met with Delaware’s U.S. Senator Thomas Carper in his Wilmington district office. The topic: finalizing the Obama Administration’s proposed Clean Water Rule to fix the Clean Water Act so small streams, wetlands and drinking water sources are once again protected. Fellows reports that the meeting was a friendly one, finding a great deal of agreement about the rule’s importance to Delaware Bay and other water resources. “Clarifying which upstream and tributary waters are protected under the Clean Water Act will be good for clean water in Delaware,” says Fellows, “and that’s what this rule is all about.” Sen. Carper’s role on the influential Senate Environment and Public Works Committee makes him an important voice for all of America’s waters. You can weigh in to support clean water at www.ProtectCleanWater.org virginia Opportunities for Clean Water Voters in Northern Virginia Clean Water Action has endorsed John Foust in his bid to win the Northern Virginia’s 10th Congressional District seat vacancy created by Rep. Frank Wolf’s retirement. While representing the Dranseville District on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and chairing the Fairfax County Environmental Quality Advisory Council’s legislative committee, Foust established “a solid record as an environmental champion,” says Clean Water Action’s Michael Bochynski. Foust’s opponent in this race has been unable to do better than a 49% cumulative environmental score for her votes in the state House of Delegates — well below a failing grade on the issues Clean Water Action cares about most. In contrast, as a County Supervisor, Foust has been a strong advocate for natural resource protection and smarter energy use. He won increased funding from the legislature in the 2008 and 2012 Park bonds, and also secured the County’s rights to incorporate tree cutting restrictions in its new conservation ordinance. Foust was able to secure: ★ Green building policies incorporated as conditions for new public and private development projects ★ Transit-oriented land-use plans around new metro stops in Tyson’s Corner and Herndon, ★ Stream restoration funding for Northern Virginia waterways ★ Improved polluted runoff controls for the I-95/I-395 HOT lanes project Foust has staked out strong positions on clean air, clean water and climate change, and is an advocate for green roofs, permeable surfaces, rain gardens, public transit and biking — all solutions that protect clean air and water and reduce climate change pollution. In Northern Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, Clean Water Action has endorsed Don Beyer to succeed Rep. Jim Moran, who is not seeking reelection. A former Lt. Governor, Don Beyer has long been an effective conservation advocate and leader for Virginia. In the U.S. House of Representatives, Beyer will continue that leadership. He has committed to seeing Congress address climate change and once elected plans to: ★ Introduce and pass legislation to fight climate change ★ Advance funding solutions for Alexandria’s outdated, polluting combined sewer overflow system ★ Serve on the influential Energy and Commerce Committee, where he would tighten controls and enforcement on greenhouse gas pollution and promote renewable energy Through his leadership with the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust and the 2008 Virginia Commission on Climate Change, Beyer has forcefully and effectively worked to limit the built environment’s natural resource impacts and to promote smart growth and transit-oriented solutions for future growth. Contact Clean Water Action to learn more or to volunteer to help elect John Foust, Don Beyer and other pro-environment candidates in Virginia, [email protected] district of columbia D.C. Bans the Foam! The Council of the District of Columbia voted unanimously on July 14 to ban polystyrene foam food containers as part of the D.C. Omnibus Act of 2013, joining Seattle, New York, San Francisco, Amherst, Albany, Portland and other communities across the U.S. who have “banned the foam.” The successful vote came after months of campaigning by Clean Water Action and hundreds of letters from Clean Water Action members to Council members. The ban takes effect in January 2016 and will cover to-go food containers — clamshells, cups, plates, etc. — at grocery stores, restaurants and take-out locations. In 2017 all disposable food Not Yet Fishable, Swimmable. Litter chokes ware items must be recyclable or compostable. stretches of the Anacostia River after Clean Water Action’s campaign helped persuade the Council storms, but restoration efforts received to set an earlier deadline for the ban (originally set for 2018) and a boost with DC’s recently adoped ban on encouraged the provisions on compostable or recyclable materials. disposable food foam ware. The river is the As much as one fourth of the trash polluting the Anacostia River consists of petroleum-based, non-biodegradable polystyrene focus on large-scale restoration efforts (foam ware) containers. DC’s forward-looking ban is “an essential that seek to make the river fishable and step in cleaning up the city’s rivers, wetlands and streams,” says swimmable by 2032. Clean Water Action’s Brittany Garner. CURRENTS is published by Clean Water Action. chesapeake Reproduction in whole or part is permitted with proper credit. © 2014 All rights reserved. currents 1444 Eye Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20005 FALL 2014 Phone 202.895.0420 | Fax 202.895.0438 | [email protected] Washington, DC 20005 DC Washington, 1444 Eye Street, NW, Suite 400 Suite NW, Street, Eye 1444 PERMIT No 51544 No PERMIT BOSTON MA BOSTON PAID U.S.