Attempts To Clean Up Chesapeake Hampered By Population & Economic Growth - Richmond Times-Dispatch

[hatrack]

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State governments in the region agreed in 2000 to take steps to remove the bay and its tributaries from a federal dirty waters list by 2010. The bay-program report reiterated the conclusion by governors in the region late last year that the deadline will be missed. "Not only do we need major actions to accelerate implementation, but we also must grow smarter and greener" to restore the bay, said bay program director Jeff Lape, in prepared remarks.

The report highlighted how population growth and development is thwarting the cleanup. The population of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed has jumped from 8 million in 1950 to almost 17 million, with associated roads, buildings and other "impervious surfaces" growing even faster. About 130,000 people are added to the region every year, the report said. During the 1990s, the population climbed 8 percent, while impervious surfaces jumped 41 percent.

That means more rainwater runoff from suburbia carrying pet wastes, seepage from septic tanks and lawn fertilizers and other pollutants. Dennison said sewage treatment improvements and better farm management have reduced farm and sewage-treatment-plant pollution, but pollution from streets and yards is increasing.

"The problem we haven't grappled with yet is urban and suburban stormwater," Dennison said. Dennison said he remains optimistic the bay can be restored. For the second year in a row, water quality has improved near the head of the bay, spurring dense growth of environmentally important submerged grasses. "There are more fish, more waterfowl and more crabs" on Maryland's Susquehanna Flats, he said.

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http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-04-03-0280.html