The proposed draft of St. Mary’s County’s Final Phase II Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) has been posted for public review. Since January, County Commissioners and WIP team members have reviewed, discussed and refined the County’s strategy for achieving reductions in Nitrogen, Phosphorous and sediment entering the Bay from land and activities within the county. The draft can be viewed from the forms and documents section of the county website under Land Use and Growth Management or on the county’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/St-Marys-County-Government/276931439017134. Click on the Scribd tab to access the documents.
The documents are a refinement of a Draft WIP (prepared by a team of representatives from agencies and organizations with responsibility and authority to control nutrient and sediment loads) which was previously submitted to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) in November. The goal was to assist Maryland in preparing the statewide Phase II WIP, which was submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in December, 2011. Following the November submission, local jurisdictions across the state were asked to refine their Draft WIP documents, to provide more detail and analysis, to hone proposed 2-year Milestones for implementation, and submit updated plans to MDE by July 2, 2012.
Citizens should be aware that cleanup of the Chesapeake Bay continues to be an ongoing effort requiring commitment by individuals, local, state and federal governments. The county continues to evaluate its implementation progress and develop new 2-year milestone commitments to achieve water quality improvements needed to remove the Chesapeake Bay from the list of impaired waters by 2025.
As commissioners continue to review the plan, residents are encouraged to provide feedback by June 15, 2012. Comments can be submitted to The Board of County Commissioners for St. Mary’s County, P.O. Box 653, Leonardtown, Maryland 20650 or via email at BOCC@stmarysmd.com. Citizens can also address commissioners directly at the next Public Forum, scheduled for Tuesday, June 5 at 6:30 p.m., in the Commissioner’s Meeting Room inside the Chesapeake Building, 41770 Baldridge Street in Leonardtown.
