February 4, 2018

Folks,

 

We need your help and support!!!

 

You may recall that last year a bill was passed in the Maryland Legislature establishing the State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund.  While it was a significant first step to establish the fund, the legislation did not include any dollars.  This year, legislation has been introduced to "fund the fund" so that the 16 state owned lakes in Maryland, including Deep Creek Lake (DCL), can be funded for the protection and restoration of these important resources.  Senate Bill 501 will be heard on February 13^th in the Committee for Education, Health and Environmental Affairs and House Bill 801 will be heard on February 21^st in the Committee on Environment and Transportation.  The goal is to secure each Committee's support in order to advance to votes in the full Senate and House. The POA strongly supports these bills and we encourage our members to join us and let their voices be heard in favor of this legislation.  

 

We ask each of you to take a few minutes to send an email to Members of the Maryland General Assembly expressing your support and asking for theirs.  Below are some talking points that may be used as well as a link to a sample email that one of our members drafted and sent.  Also, below are the email addresses for a few of the key Members we ask that you e-mail.  Taking a few minutes to craft an email to our legislators will make a difference in helping to ensure this critical legislation is passed.  The sample email may be seen here.

 

• The State of Maryland owns and has invested in these 16 lakes and is responsible for protecting and restoring them for the citizens of Maryland that have come to rely on and enjoy them.

• Without protection and restoration, these lakes will deteriorate and ultimately be lost.  Their loss will have a negative economic impact on the surrounding communities and will damage critical recreation and tourism assets.

• DCL is the economic engine for Garrett County.  Its long-term viability is of paramount importance not only to property owners around the lake, but for the entire community of residents and businesses. 

• The State of Maryland allocates enormous resources and funding to water bodies in other parts of the state such as the Chesapeake Bay.  The time has come to invest similarly in the protection and restoration of these state-owned lakes. 

• Annual dedicated funding is necessary to implement and sustain long-term and short-term projects and programs that will improve the health of our state's lakes.

• The Department of Natural Resources, the Maryland Department of the Environment and Garrett County embarked on an exhaustive process to develop a Watershed Management Plan (WMP) in 2013/2014. The Plan was approved in 2016 and in order for it to be effectively implemented, requires funding from the State.   

 

Emails should identify the respective bill numbers (SB 501 and HB 801) and be sent to:

 

1. Joan Carter Conway, Chair of the Senate Committee for Education, Health and Environmental Affairs, [email protected] with a copy to Senator George Edwards at [email protected]  (SB 501)
2. Kumar Barve, Chair of the House Committee on Environment and Transportation, [email protected] with a copy to Delegate Wendell Beitzel at[email protected](HB 801)

 

Bob Hoffmann

President