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MARYLAND COASTAL BAYS IR 2002
Citation:
Maryland Coastal Bays. MARYLAND COASTAL BAYS IR 2002. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
Description:
The Maryland Coastal Bays Program Implementation Review (IR) summarizes the progress and challenges ahead for the Program through examination of its activities in relation to the CCMP. During the CCMP planning phase the stakeholders prioritized the actions and determined the implementation schedule. As a result 63% of the CCMP Challenges were initiated during Year 1. The Foundation Board discussed and prioritized the Year 2 actions assigned to MCBP, and assigned top priority status to eight challenges from Years 1 and 2. The CAC, IC, and Policy Committee have all agreed to focus attention on the following areas: Reduce failure rate and inefficiency of on-site wastewater treatment, Reduce water quality impacts from stormwater discharges, Seagrass protection and expansion, Conservation of wetland resources, Reduce resource impacts from water-based recreational activities, Increase public awareness of resource protection needs, Enhance natural disaster planning, Enhance the buffering capacity of the watershed's tidal and non-tidal shoreline area. Initiatives include: a wetlands Committee to assess strengths and weaknesses of wetland programs (especially non-tidal wetlands) and develop recommendations for pilot program; promote and develop incentives for alternative systems for pre-treatment and nutrient reduction of septic systems; investigate adequacy of wastewater systems and encourage spray irrigation; Existing emergency management plans will be updated and strengthened; innovative stormwater management plans for local activities to be brought into compliance with new state guidelines; review Forest Conservation Program and establish priorities for forest retention and open areas to be reforested; Boating Safety Education programs to inform boaters of safety issues and resource protection problems, Minority Participation, develop a policy and plan to improve Harmful Algal Blooms to include monitoring and education about HAB's, and smart growth.