Posted under Chesapeake Bay & Economy
A report released quietly today by the General Assembly’s Office of Policy Analysis details the bleak state of Chesapeake Bay restoration funding. The little noticed report reveals serious problems in some of Maryland’s most high profile efforts to clean up the bay. Among the report’s findings:
1. Disappearing revenue. The 2009 budget included $50 million for the creation of trust fund dedicated to Chesapeake Bay restoration. The funds were to be administered by the new BayStat program to the most cost effective clean up proposals based on hard data. The figure was subsequently reduced by $25 million, and then again by another $5 million, leaving a total available appropriation $20 million. But of that $20 million, only $9.6 million actually materialized from the gas and rental car tax that funds the program.
Out of the available $9.6 million, the report estimates that around $9.5 million was already committed to the Maryland Department of Agriculture to reimburse framers that plant cover crops. So, the Office of Policy Analysis estimated there was just $100,000 left that could be allocated through BayStat. In 2010, the budget estimates there will be $13.1 million in unallocated funds available. But it is unclear how much, if any, will materialize.
2. Less transparency. In previous years, the budget included an appendix which details exactly how much is being spend on Chesapeake Bay restoration (“Appendix Q: Summary of Chesapeake Bay Restoration Expenditures By Agency). That appendix was not included this year, making it difficult to evaluate overall trends in funding.
3. Missing reports. The BayStat program is required by law to release a report each year detailing how it spent their money the previous year and what its plan is for distributing funds in the current year. Those plans were not submitted.
The full report is available here.
It was inevitable that the economic downturn would have some impact on Chesapeake Bay funding. Maryland’s long term economic future, however, depends on restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
There has been a major effort to save the bay for 25 years, with little to show for it. One reason is that we haven’t followed through on our commitments. It’s essential that we start to change that now.
One Response to “New Report Uncovers Serious Problems With Chesapeake Bay Funding”
Ned on 29 Jan 2009 at 10:19 am #
It’s no wonder. MDE is run by incompetent burecrats, not scientists. The MD DNR should be reinstated as the authority on environmental matters.