From Friends of Harford:
Please read the email we received from Chesapeake Bay Foundation against Harford County Bill 13-38:
Dear Friend of the Bay:
On November 5, the Harford County Council will hold a public hearing on Bill 13-38, which would repeal Harford’s Watershed Restoration and Protection Act and put Harford in violation of state law and in danger of losing state and federal funding for polluted runoff problems. Most importantly, Harford would have NO funding to do the planned projects that the County has identified as crucial to improve the County’s rivers, streams and infrastructure. We urge you to lend your voice and tell the Council to vote NO on Bill 13-38!!
Polluted runoff contaminates our local rivers and streams and threatens local drinking water. Water running off of roofs, driveways, lawns and parking lots picks up trash, motor oil, grease, excess lawn fertilizers, pesticides, dog waste and other pollutants and washes them into the streams and rivers flowing through our communities. For example, the Bush River, a favorite crabbing spot for many and historically one of the rivers with the highest water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, is now listed as an “impaired water” under the Clean Water Act, due in large part to polluted runoff. Today, polluted runoff is the only single source of water pollution still on the rise.
The problem of polluted runoff can be solved locally through simple, proven solutions that work by slowing down and absorbing much of the polluted runoff. Some of these solutions include planting trees, planting vegetation around streams, restoring stream beds, and using rain barrels and rain gardens. These solutions not only reduce pollution and improve water quality, but also make our communities more beautiful, reduce flooding, and create jobs.
However, these solutions cost money, which is why the state passed a law requiring the most populated counties and Baltimore City to pass a fee to fund polluted runoff solutions. These funds are collected by the county and remain in the county, paying for in-the-ground projects that are proven to make the water healthier, reduce flooding, and make communities more attractive.
Harford County set their own fee based on what it will cost them to meet their requirements to clean up local waters and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. However, due to some concerns over cost to residents and businesses, the Harford County Council reduced that fee by 90% and set up a Task Force to further examine the costs of cleaning up polluted runoff and to give recommendations by November 2013. Yet, even before the Task Force completes their evaluation and provides recommendations, County Executive David Craig wants to repeal the minimal fee. This is despite the fact that Harford County is relying entirely on the funds raised by the fee to complete their polluted runoff work, and those funds are already listed in the County Budget
Please send a letter or email, or make a call, to your County Councilmembers telling them to vote NO on Bill 13-38!! Come make your voice heard on November 5!!
Email the Council!!
Billy Boniface, Council President – wkboniface@harfordcountymd.gov
Dion F. Guthrie, Council Member – dfguthrie@harfordcountymd.gov
Joseph M. Woods, Council Member – jmwoods@harfordcountymd.gov
James McMahan, Council Member – jvmcmahan@harfordcountymd.gov
Chad Shrodes, Council Member – cshrodes@harfordcountymd.gov
Richard C. Slutzky, Council Member – rcslutzky@harfordcountymd.gov
Mary Ann Lisanti, Council Member – malisanti@harfordcountymd.gov
Attend the Hearing!!
Tuesday, November 5, 6:30 PM
Council Chambers
212 South Bond St.
Bel Air, MD
410-638-3343
Sincerely,
Alison Prost, Esq
Maryland Executive Director
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
6 Herndon Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21403
410-268-8816
Read Friends of Harford’s planned testimony (below) on Tuesday, November 5, against Bill 13-38.
Friends of Harford opposes Bill 13-38, which eliminates the Stormwater Remediation Fee.
We hope everyone recognizes the dangers caused by stormwater runoff — it throws away much-needed water, damages property, and destroys streams and the Chesapeake. The damage has been occurring over many years due to inadequate control of stormwater in the past. The purpose of the Stormwater Remediation Fee is to fix these past mistakes and begin restoring our watersheds – our streams, rivers and the Bay.
In HB 987 Stormwater Management – Watershed Protection and Restoration Program, Maryland directed Harford and 9 other jurisdictions to develop local plans to fix local stormwater problems, and to establish a fee-based fund to pay for the remediation and restoration work. Allow us to respond to some common questions about this Stormwater Remediation Fee.
Question: Why are only 9 counties plus Baltimore City required to impose this fee?
Answer: Because these 10 jurisdictions are the ones that dump the most stormwater into the Bay.
Impervious surfaces — roads, parking areas, roofs, etc — change rain into contaminated, destructive runoff. Impervious surface is proportional to population density. These 10 have the highest population densities, meaning they also have the highest amounts of impervious surface. Therefore they create the most stormwater runoff — which harms the Chesapeake.
The less densely developed counties have more unpaved ground to absorb stormwater and keep it out of streams and the Bay. They, too, may be required to act in the future.
Question: Why should Harford reduce its impact on the Chesapeake when neighboring states aren’t doing their part?
Answer, part 1: They are being forced to do their part, as are we. Just as the EPA assigned requirements to Maryland, so too it has assigned requirements to Pennsylvania, Virginia and New York. There’s no question other states were responsible for much of the past damage to the Chesapeake, and they will have to start fixing their problems too. Since the EPA allows states to decide how best to meet their assigned targets, the approach used by the other states may differ from Maryland’s.
Answer, part 2: To refuse to deal with a problem just because your neighbor won’t is childish and self-destructive. ALL states impacting the Bay will be required to correct their past mistakes and inadequacies, and their people will have to pay for it.
It is wrong to disobey the law because we might get away with it. Would anyone here dump their trash in their neighbor’s yard because they “can get away with it”?
Question: Why don’t all counties have the same fees?
Answer: Each jurisdiction is unique. So instead of ordering all counties to do the same things, Maryland worked with MACo to let each local government choose the most effective and efficient ways to meet their performance requirements. Although there is a great deal of uncertainty at this point about the specific work to be done and what it will cost, the bottom line is that all counties will have to meet their performance objectives.
Mr. Craig understood the magnitude of the problem and estimated that $125 per house per year would be needed to pay for it. We trust that he had a good basis for these proposed fees, and while they deserve scrutiny, they should not be ignored.
Question: Why should Harford County residents pay a fee when Aberdeen, Bel Air, and Havre de Grace don’t?
Answer: The state hasn’t yet ordered small jurisdictions to start because it is focusing on the biggest problems first. All 3 municipalities combined have less than 16% of the population of Harford County. However, in the near future these municipalities will have to develop plans and charge fees.
We believe the county and municipalities should work together, planning for and funding stormwater remediation projects like we do with schools, public water systems and public sewage systems. In fact, we wonder why hasn’t this been done already, since we believe the county and cities are clearly allowed to work together.
Runoff is destructive. We must fix our own past mistakes so they don’t ruin our future.
The Chesapeake Bay is OUR bay. We border both the Chesapeake and the Susquehana River, one of its major water source.s How shameful it would be if Harford were to now turn its back and walk away from our responsibility to protect them.
Friends of Harford applauds this Council for its earlier wisdom and foresight in amending the Executive’s Bill 13-12 which established the program and its fees . Thanks to your efforts, we will discover what work is needed, how much it will cost, and what fees are needed to pay for if. You also created a lockbox to keep monies from being diverted elsewhere, and insuring both fees received and money spent will be transparent to all.
You did the right thing then to protect Harford County. We ask you to do the right thing now by rejecting this bill and letting the program work under this Council’s watchful eye.
Citizens Guide to Bay Restoration. For those who want to play a role in restoring bay health comes the Citizens Guide to Bay Restoration. The new, reader-friendly guide from the Maryland Department of Planning dishes up dozens of strategies for residents, developers, farmers and others interested in helping reduce nitrogen and phosphorus runoff and sediment build-up. Read it on-line (title link), or download it as pdf.
Of course they dont want it repealed. Without more tax dollars they will no longer be able to continue their lavish wasteful lifestyles.
“Dog waste”?
Somebody went full retard with that. Does a bear shit in the woods?
Hey Dagger – Why not call it for what it really is – This is the repeal of the RainTax. Now who wants to support the Rain Tax? Only the same people that forced it upon us – The Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Repeal it NOW.
Dog waste? What about fish poo?
I think the point is totally being missed here. We have a shared responsibility to do the best we can to reduce pollution into the watersheds in Harford County. The rain tax is really a runoff tax and does make some silly assumptions however the underlying point is real. The more roads, culverts and impervious surfaces the less opportunity for water to absorb and filter as it inevitably makes it’s way to the bay. It’s about human encroachment and what has to be described as an overpopulation of humans and all the accessories we bring including dogs. If we continue to shoehorn populations into ever shrinking spaces it will require a like and equal effort to reduce the effects of that population increase or it will result in compromise to clean water. In the millions of years the bay has existed it’s taken a mere 200 to create the current mess – the trajectory on that isn’t good any way you look at it. If people would volunteer to do the responsible thing something as dumb as the “rain tax” wouldn’t be necessary but almost nobody will do anything that doesn’t benefit themselves without financial incentive or coersion. The idea of saving the future for our grandkids apparently fails to connect with anybody whether it’s ruining our environment or spending every penny our system can generate into nearly infinity.
Why should the citizens of the state pay for impervious surfaces? My god a roof, a side walk and a driveway do not compare to how much land has been paved over and over and over by this state. Cut the money from your special projects and leave mine in my pocket! Repeal away!!!
Only Communist speak of sharing burdens
Since the air we breathe and the water we drink basically comes from the same source and is indeed shared it seems ignorant to think you don’t have a shared responsibility. Communism is a government/economic system and has zero to do with taking part in ensuring the bay remains clean.
Brian, You’ll have to forgive me for being a liberal piece of garbage… I was raised in an environment where pissing people off and being negative was the norm and being a polite understanding individual was frowned upon. I live for the opportunity to see others angry and love trolling on their misery. My “handle” says all you really need to know about me which is that I’m a self absorbed A-hole 🙂
Have a blessed day
I honestly don’t think I could have said it better myself. Good Job!
Kindly allow me to repeat myself: according to the University of Maryland, the best thing an individual can do for the Chesapeake Bay is to fertilize his lawn. The lusher the lawn, the less runoff. It’s really not that complicated.
Perhaps you might provide a link supporting the the theory that extra fertilizer makes the bay cleaner. I’d be interested in reading anything that would make that suggestion.
You may contact the UM for it’s study results. I’m merely passing along their recommendation.
I looked at the University of Maryland extension services and what I read is the exact opposite of your assertion, and by the way I found zero scientific support for such a notion. Fact is you won’t provide a link because there is no such study.
I couldn’t find that. Could you perhaps point me in the direction by providing a title and such?
Cdev, Brian, You’ll have to forgive me for being a liberal piece of garbage… I was raised in an environment where pissing people off and being negative was the norm and being a polite understanding individual was frowned upon. I live for the opportunity to see others angry and love trolling on their misery. My “handle” says all you really need to know about me which is that I’m a self absorbed A-hole
Have a blessed day
Sorry – not a liberal at all. In my world you don’t necessarily have to adopt a bunch of spoon fed talking points. It is possible to be both a fiscal and cultural conservative and a conservationist. In your world apparently only knee jerk exists – adoption of “team” means losing the ability to think for yourself. Be careful with that knee for fear you’ll leave a bruise on your own chin.
For some things there is no team needed. Simply put if you think the government should tax people on the amount of impervious surfaces on their PRIVATE property then you are a moron. The government should not only not be allowed to impose such a BS tax as the rain tax but property tax in and of itself is unconsitutional. It is double taxation taken to an exponential level. If they were to tax each year just the increased value on a property that would be legal but taxing the same PRIVATE property each year on its entire value is total crap. The rain tax is a simple kick in the balls on top of all the other liberal garbage.
By the way quit talking to yourself it looks bizarre 🙂
Perhaps some other thoughts on this topic would be of benefit in considering the utility of the Stormwater Remediation Fee, AKA “Rain Tax” in Harford County.
The thought that Harford county is in danger of losing State and Federal funds for projects is hardly a threat. Look no further than the state’s decrement to Harford County education and the visible lack of Federal support for the same as a view of the future. As for violating the law, a rather ambiguous case for that. The law that established the Stormwater Remediation Fee did not establish any set amount for that fee. It established an enabling framework for the affected counties to set their own fee, to assist in funding for their WIPs. Each County was left to determine how much to charge and what to use it for. In fact, it could be used for outreach or education programs, not actual construction. If the County decided to charge everybody nothing or 1 penny annually, It would be perfectly legal .
As for the discussion of “polluted runoff”, Mrs./Ms./Miss Prost is not quite accurate in her descriptions. As an attorney, and head of the Maryland Director of Chesapeake Bay, Mrs./Ms./Miss Prost must be well aware that various courts have held that stormwater is not pollution. Additionally, impaired waterways are not necessarily polluted waterways. The most typical application of a designation of impairment is related to biotic index, that is the measure of life in a particular waterway, compared to another waterway. The thought is that if there is insufficient biotic life, of a particular type, then the waterway is impaired, and a probable cause is assigned. When every puddle of water has lake trout living in it, there will be no world hunger.
Attempting to vilify County Executive Craig for proposing to repeal the Stormwater Remediation Fee is shallow at best, but not unexpected from a group openly advertising their mission is to “educate, advocate, litigate”. Given all of the issues surrounding the EPAs efforts in this area, repudiation of those efforts by courts all the way to the Supreme Court, and the fact that various other jurisdictions have withdrawn and reconstructed their WIPs as cost saving measures, it seems quite reasonable for Harford County to repeal its Stormwater Remediation Fee.
Simultaneous with the repeal of the Stormwater Remediation Fee, it would be reasonable Harford County should withdraw and reconstruct its WIP, to more closely resemble reality. Unless that action is undertaken, repealing the fee will place a greater burden on County taxpayers.
John P. Mallamo
They never say what specifically the money is for. What specific projects? Who much specifically for those specific projects. Its never enough to them, they always want more money, they never say what the money is for just “improvements” WHen they get the money, its still not enough. Big ol rat race and everyone wants the peoples cheese.
If it is so necessary, how come all federal, county and local government properties are exempt? As is the local juridictions. I live on 19 acres, have no blacktop drive ways, use on ferterlizers. Explain how any rain on my property is harming the bay? Why is anyone complaining when Baltimore City dumps all the snow they plow into the inner harbor. You can only imagine what the are plowing up off of the streets down there. This is all just another feel good tax by the progressives.
And to think towmhomes were built only a few hundred yards from the former BATA plant. You’d never see me living there…. Ahhhahahaha.
Wonder what steps were taken to clean that up. There’s a report dated 1984 from the state that lists a number of contaminants at the Bata shoe site including solvents and gasoline – some plasticides and ethers. Solvents can cause malformities…just wonder if it was cleaned up at all? Take a wild guess who developed Waters Edge.
REPEAL!!! the RAIN TAX ! Plain and simple call it what it is
Is the fine for not getting health care a fee or a tax?
The problem with the rain tax is that there is no readily available information about how they plan to use the money. I mean detailed info, not info like “education” and “remediation” efforts. I need more than that if you want my support and money.
On that we agree – funds should be specifically designed for cleanup remediation or projects supporting the environment. Taxpayers have the right to know and MD has a history of ill advised, poor use of funds.
So it should be repealed and/or delayed until they publish the appropriate information on how the money will be spent. In all the web search I’ve done, I can only find this:
“It can be spent to build and maintain stream and wetland restoration projects. And, of course, a lot of it will go to “monitoring, inspection, enforcement, review of stormwater management plans and permit applications and mapping of impervious surfaces.”
I see a lot of overpayment of money going to political friends that suddenly open up “environmental” based companies…