Talbot County:

Are We Making Progress for

Cleaner Local Waters?
Talbot County is preparing a plan to reduce its share of water
pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. All counties in Maryland
are charting a new course; for the first time they are creating
local plans that will lead to clean local rivers and streams
and a healthy Chesapeake Bay. The plans, called Watershed
Implementation Plans (WIP), will create cleaner, safer water
in our communities, and local jobs for our residents, and a
more robust local economy.
How does the plan stack up so far? See the barometer to the
left. we evaluated the County's wlP against three standards:
1. Does it compute? Does the plan provide a measurable
path toward long-term pollution reduction targets?
2. Are there short-term commitments? Does the plan list the
actions the County needs to take in the next two years (2-
year milestones)?
3. Will it be paid for? Does the plan list the funding needed
to oover the looal oosts of reduoing the County's share of
pollution?
Local Action for Local Waters
Overall, the County lays out some clear next steps and
immediate actions, but lacks detailed analysis of the
pollution reduction benefits of those steps or how to fund
them.
The Maryland legislature is considering several funding
sources to help implement these plans. Talbot should work
cooperatively with the state as it moves forward to ensure
sufficient funding exists to put the practices on the ground.
Potential County mechanisms include implementing a ditch
remediation ordinance as part of a stormwater utility, a
mandatory septic system pump-out regulation similar to that
in ueen Anne's County, and implementing best
management practices on County owned land. These are
great examples of aggressive but creative regulations Talbot
County can consider as it moves forward.
Talbot County is off to good start, but there is much work still
to be done. Let's finalize the plan and the funding and take
action to work for cleaner local waters.












A Good Start;
Much Work Remains

Accomplishments
9 The County submitted a draft plan
to MDE.
9 The plan included clear measurable
pollution reductions for existing and
ongoing strategies.
9 The plan listed clear, concrete next
steps that could be taken.
9 The Two-Year Milestones are
meaningful and well documented.
To Do List

The submitted plan did not fully

analyze and document the pollution
reductions from new or needed
actions.

Funding sources are not identified

for future actions, a critical need.







Clean Local Waters:
Within Our Reach

1he Chesapeake Bay and most of Maryland's rivers and streams
are polluted, which endangers public health and damages our
economy. But there is a solution!

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has put Maryland and
five other Bay watershed states, and Washington, D.C., on a
mandatory pollution diet" that involves all the players, has an
end date, and includes proven actions that we know can work. To
oomply with this pollution diet," Maryland and local governments
have drafted new clean water plans to reduce pollution at the
local level.

1he prooess hasn't been simple. But one fact remainsour local streams and rivers are carrying too much
pollution to the Chesapeake Bay. 1hat's not only bad for the Bay and local water quality, it endangers
public health and damages our economy.

Right now, counties and municipalities have an opportunity to meet local needs by figuring out how to
clean local waters with the best local solutions. Working with the state and federal governments, the local
governments will create clean water plans that chart a multi-year course toward community health, a
strong economy, and a high quality of life. These plans will address water pollution loads from septic
systems, wastewater treatment plants, and towns and urban areas. To be effective, these plans should
include measurable results, funding sources, and a clear roadmap for implementation.
More information, including copies of the state and local plans, public hearing dates, and how to comment,
can be found online at www.mde.state.md.us/programs/Water/TMDL/TMDLImplementation/Pages/
DRAFT_PhaseII_WIPDocument_Main.aspx.

A Stream Worth Saving


Talbot County has a long and vibrant history with the water. From commercial fishing to charter fishing,
watermen and retailers alike rely on the water for their livelihood. Families enjoy swimming or boating on the
water, and oatohing orabs and oysters from the dook. Clean water is part of the County's history, oulture, and
eoonomy. we oan't afford the oosts of dirty water, like the shellfish restriotions on the Miles River. lor
families, fishermen, and our oommunities, let's get this job done right.


Why Clean Water Matters to a Talbot County Resident:

ln November, hundreds of people attended Clean Water Week in Easton and heard about the promise of making
the Bay's looal rivers and streams fishable and swimmable in ten years. 1here's definitely an eagerness now about
seeing whether a promise made is a promise kept."
Tom Leigh, Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy, 443-385-0511

Claudia Friedetzky, Maryland Chapter Sierra Club, 917-664-3745
www.cleanmarylandwaters.wordpress.com