Anne Arundel
Waterway Restoration Alliance

Meeting Notes 2004-08-11

Bob Whitcomb, the AAWRA Acting President, shared a memo from the Governor announcing a list of projects in AA County to be covered in the fiscal year 2005 budget by the State Waterway Improvement Fund. Most of the money will be used to reimburse the County for dredging projects that are already completed. AA County received a third of the Waterway Improvement Funds in the State's budget, which is a significant percentage. However, some members asked whether an even greater percentage of the funds would be justified considering the fact that such a large number of boats are located and purchased in AA County. The source of funding is a 5% excise tax on boat titles. At least 30% of the total funds collected cover operating expenses, such as fire boats and maintaining channel markers.

Bob also shared a memo to Janet Owens from State Delegate Joan Cadden, acknowledged as the "Queen of Dredging," expressing concern that no future funds were allocated by the County for waterway improvement. As Delegate Cadden explained during the meeting, a systematic process to handle dredging projects was developed by the County about 10 years ago after Delegate Cadden got the County, State, and other parties together to overcome long delays in dredging projects within her district. The process, which is now emulated by other Counties, will be put in jeopardy without an ongoing yearly commitment of funds from the County. Delegate Cadden will share the County's response with AAWRA.

Bob reviewed a July 20 article from the Capital which included a dredging priority list submitted by the County to the State DNR. Delegate Cadden, Merril Plait, and Ron Etzel explained that the normal procedure is for the County to submit their project priorities in September, then the State makes its decisions in November. Delegate Cadden urged us to let the County and State decide the project priorities rather than each community attempting to lobby for one project over another. She emphasized that the systematic process implemented by the County and State helps to ensure that the priority list is followed unless a disaster like Hurricane Isabel forces new priorities.

It's a far less political process now than years ago. But the only way to get projects off the list is to obtain the necessary funds for dredging.

Delegate Cadden advised AAWRA to work on justifying and obtaining the funds needed for dredging. We need to write a letter to the Governor to thank him for the funding to date and to request additional funds. We need to make sure that Waterway Improvement Funds are used for their intended purpose and not to balance the budget. We also need to ask for more funding for stream restoration and repairing failed storm water management systems which are a major source of siltation and degraded water quality.

It's important for AAWRA to represent as many communities as possible, so we need our members to help identify contacts from other affected communities. We also should point out to the Governor that residents of other Counties keep boats in AA County, so other jurisdictions are also negatively impacted. In addition, Maryland's fish, crabs, and oysters are hurt when the marine habitat is impaired by silt. Delegates Leopold and Cadden also offered to help us set up a meeting with Chip DiPaula, the State Secretary of Budget & Management.

We also need to write to Janet Owens. Council Member Samorajczyk explained that the AA County budget is driven by the County Executive and the Council cannot add line items. We need to make sure that Ms. Owens is aware of the large number of people affected by dredging issues and that they are upset about not having proper access to our waterways which affects the quality of life in this County. The County needs to leverage its funds in order to obtain matching State funds.

Merril Plait reviewed the four primary funding mechanisms for dredging projects involving DNR funds, including 100% funding by the State (large public access projects), 50/50 or some other percentage of cost sharing between the County and State, the use of a State managed tax district to repay DNR over 25 years, and the use of a County managed Special Community Benefit District (SCBD). He also confirmed that the cost of stream restoration and retrofitting storm water management systems can total up to five times more than the dredging costs. This is not funded by DNR other than through a few small grants from various State agencies. The County must cover the majority of these costs.

Another major issue that was raised is to what extent the State is responsible for dredging a waterway that was silted in because of highway construction, such as Whitehall Creek. Merril said that damage caused by the State is not a consideration when setting dredging priorities since all types of construction and development impact the waterways. However, the State has said it would help to cover dredging costs for Whitehall Creek, but tracking down the funds is proving to be difficult. The County studied that watershed a year ago and submitted the results to the State. Delegate McMillan wants to see the correspondence and reports.

A suggestion was made that the State should post a bond to cover possible construction and runoff damage. Delegate Cadden agreed that the State Highway Administration and the County should work this out. She emphasized the need to lobby for more storm water management funds. Environmental impact studies are now required for road construction projects, such as along Rowe Blvd., which should prevent some problems.

Merril Plait also responded to a concern about whether dredging permits could expire before funding is available. He said it shouldn't be a problem to renew the permits, but that he anticipates funding becoming available before any existing permits expire.

The action items identified during the meeting include:

• All members help to identify contacts from other communities affected by dredging issues to increase AAWRA's representation
• Obtain a copy of the County's dredging process booklet
• Obtain the County's response to Delegate Cadden's memo
• Obtain through Delegate Cadden a breakdown from Bob Gaudette in DNR of how the Waterway Improvement Funds are used
• Review and submit comments on the draft distributed at the meeting of what we'd like the legislators and government officials to do to implement approved dredging projects
• Draft a letter to the Governor (cc Chip DiPaula - the State Secretary of Budget & Management, Bob Gaudette at DNR, and all the State Delegates and Senators)
• Draft a letter to Janet Owens (cc Merril Plait and all members of the County Council)
• Work with Delegates to set up a meeting with Secretary DiPaula
• Meet with Janet Owens
• Send a letter or e-mail to the County Council members to make them aware of AAWRA
• Meet with Council members
• Continue efforts to involve the Riverkeepers in AAWRA
• Request more funding for dredging, stream restoration, and storm water management

The September meeting will focus on AAWRA's strategy and course of action based on what we've learned to date. We may break into subgroups to work on various issues. We are trying to get a meeting place that can be scheduled in advance on a regular basis, so we may meet at a different location.

Joan Bell, Acting Secretary