As Maryland Coastal Protection Erodes, So Does Coastline It Was Meant To Protect - B.Sun

[hatrack]

Drew Koslow steers his skiff under the Route 2 bridge near Annapolis and heads up the choppy South River, past the Spanish villas and faux-Victorian mansions that have replaced the cottages that once sat along its banks. Fifteen minutes into the trip, he has already noted a half-dozen violations of the state's pioneering Critical Area Law - or at least of the legislation's intent. On one lot, a property owner knocked down a small house and bulldozed a meadow of native grasses to put up two larger homes closer to the water. Another newcomer removed the marsh grass and fertilized his lawn to the water's edge, all without a permit. And in front of another house, someone has filled a wetland with sand, creating a beach but destroying a habitat for birds and aquatic species.

Nearly 25 years after the General Assembly passed a groundbreaking law to protect Maryland's coastline - and the health of the Chesapeake Bay - the land closest to the water is more developed than environmental advocates ever thought possible. Many say the law is dying the death of a thousand cuts, as hundreds of property owners violate it outright or are given permission by local governments to build driveways and decks or cut down trees to enhance their views.

The law was designed to prevent such incursions into what is often considered the bay's last line of defense. Cutting down shoreline trees causes erosion, and the wetlands and marsh grasses that might look like weeds actually filter out pollution and provide nesting areas for turtles, birds and other wildlife.

Violators are rarely fined, and the amounts are so small that the penalties have little deterrent effect. In the rare cases in which a homeowner is asked to mitigate the damage, the harm to habitat has already been done. Local governments can make a homeowner tear down an offending structure but rarely do so.

EDIT

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bay_environment/bal-te.md.critical21jan21,0,1779024.story

[depakid]

1. "Violators are rarely fined"

Fines will never be enough to deter ignorant wealthy Americans from trashing the commons.

Reliable jail time on the other hand....

[Nihil]

2. Here's to a *really* high tide!

Flood the bastards out, cancel their insurance (as it was aggravated
by their own stupid action) and sue them for the resulting damage
to the infrastructure.

That should start to get the message across!

:toast:

[XemaSab]

3. I'll drink to that!

:toast: