Annapolis City Mayor Ellen Moyer served as a panelist in a discussion on how state, federal, academic and local watershed organizations can work together to restore the Chesapeake Bay.
Her panel was part of the recent Chesapeake Watershed Forum at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, W.Va.
Moyer spoke with The Examiner about her experience at the forum.
What is the role of local government in Bay restoration?
Local governments need to … reach out and engage the almost 1,700 cities and towns along the Bay.
The government structures in the different states are all different, and they really kind of ignore the towns and cities being partners.
What are the impediments to local governments trying to implement Bay restoration plans?
The problem is … there is little to no outreach or network of support from the state to your towns and cities.
We need to network and consolidate a meaningful partnership.
Local government in Maryland is defined by counties, and local population centers are the least able to raise revenue.
Why is it important to engage cities along the Bay?
It?s where the people live, and it?s where the action is relative to policies for land use and the environment, yet they?re not engaged. …
Also, a significant percentage of pollutants that go into the water come from paved centers and out of stormwater drains in urban environments.
What can be done to improve the Bay and environment?
There are things that each town and city along the Chesapeake Bay could do that do not cost a lot of money, like planting trees and rain gardens.
The city of Annapolis has been a leader in protecting our tree canopy, mainly by planting 1,000 trees a year.
We have maintained small parcels of open space, and we have an energy conservation plan.
