,

Take Action for Clean Water in Morgan Creek

,

On October 1, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) will hold a public hearing on the discharge permit for Eastman Specialties Corporation. A subsidiary of Eastman Chemical Company — which produces a variety of materials, chemicals, and fibers used in everyday products — Eastman Specialties is located on Morgan Creek in Chestertown. This permit regulates what the company is allowed to discharge into our waterways, and it is now up for renewal.

Morgan Creek is a treasured waterway for many in our community, providing a place for boating, fishing, and enjoying nature. Unfortunately, ShoreRivers’ monitoring data shows that it also suffers from significant nutrient impairments, likely from runoff. And Morgan Creek is consistently the lowest-performing bacteria site in the Chester River, year after year — in 2025, the site only met the safe swimming standard for bacteria pollution 20% of the time it was tested. 

ShoreRivers also collected samples from Morgan Creek in partnership with Waterkeeper Alliance as part of nation-wide testing for harmful PFAS in local waters. A group of human-made “forever chemicals,” PFAS don’t break down easily in the environment and can build up in our bodies over time. These chemicals are linked to health risks such as cancer, liver damage, and developmental issues, making their presence in local waters a serious concern. Out of eight sites tested within ShoreRivers’ watershed, five results showed levels of concern — including Morgan Creek.

how can i get involved?

These collective findings are a reminder that protecting our rivers and creeks isn’t just about clean water for recreation and wildlife — it’s also about safeguarding the health of our communities. As Eastman Specialties seeks to renew their permit, ShoreRivers is urging MDE to strengthen the permit’s terms by:

  • Requiring a compliance schedule that addresses Eastman’s repeated violations. Eastman has a history of significant noncompliance with its permit, according to ECHO (Enforcement and Compliance History Online, a database and tool managed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). In Maryland, “significant non-compliance” means that a permit holder — such as a facility or business that holds a discharge permit — is seriously violating the terms of that permit. This could include discharging more pollution than allowed by the permit, not reporting required monitoring data, or failing to comply with  rules meant to protect water quality. 

  • Mandating a stronger Quality Assurance and Quality Control plan to ensure operators are properly trained and reporting accurately. When a facility is in significant non-compliance, it signals a major problem that can harm our waterways and communities, and it usually requires stronger enforcement action and oversight from the state.

  • Mandating surface and groundwater testing for PFAS and chemicals listed in Eastman's current permit. Eastman’s current permit does not require PFAS monitoring, despite the fact that Eastman is in one of five industrial sector categories recently identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as most likely to use or manufacture PFAS in its processes. We feel strongly that the state must address this discrepancy in a new discharge permit by requiring a PFAS sampling study plan be developed, approved, and implemented.

  • Requiring groundwater monitoring and sludge disposal activities be reported as part of the new permit. These are the most common pathways for PFAS to accumulate in our environment and in our bodies over time.

The upcoming public hearing is an opportunity for our community to speak up for clean water. It will be held on Tuesday, October 1, at 5pm at the Kent County Public Library in Chestertown. I encourage my neighbors to attend and share their voices. Protecting Morgan Creek and the Chester River is about safeguarding the waterways that sustain our health, our heritage, and our way of life.

For Clean Water,
Annie Richards, Chester Riverkeeper

Request for Proposals: Tree the Shore

Tree the Shore Request for proposals

Issue Date:09/10/25
Submission Date:09/30/25

EMAIL SUBMISSIONS TO: jvaccaro@shorerivers.org

ShoreRivers invites proposals for the installation of trees at locations as specified in the attached list, consistent with the sequence of construction below and attached planting schedule.

ShoreRivers welcomes revisions to the provided sequence of construction and specifications, and will collaborate with the winning bidder on the final sequence of construction.

1) proposal instructions

A. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

i. One copy of the proposal must be submitted on the bid form provided in the solicitation.

ii. Electronically mailed proposals are preferred.

iii. Paper proposals shall be signed and submitted in a sealed envelope clearly identified on the outside of the mailing envelope with the name of the project. If the proposal is submitted electronically, this information shall be clearly identified in the subject line.

iv. Proposals shall include a formal proposal or letter on official company letterhead and qualifications requested in Section D, in addition to the completed bid sheet(s). Proposals submitted without itemized bid sheets will be rejected.

B. DELIVERY OF PROPOSALS

i. Proposals should be either hand-carried to ShoreRivers regional office at 114 South Washington Street in Easton, MD, OR submitted electronically to Jennifer Vaccaro (jvaccaro@shorerivers.org) prior to the submission deadline. Proposals received after said time or delivered to the wrong location will be returned to the Bidder unopened.

ii. It is fully the responsibility of the Bidder to ensure that the proposal is received on time.

C. QUESTIONS/ADDENDUM

i. Proposals are subject to change in the form of an addendum. Questions must be addressed in email form to Jennifer Vaccaro at jvaccaro@shorerivers.org.

ii. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to make sure all addenda are acknowledged in their proposal. Failure to do so could result in the proposal being disqualified.

D. QUALIFICATIONS

i. The Bidder must be in compliance with the laws regarding conducting business in the State of Maryland.

ii. The Bidder shall provide examples of at least two projects performed within the past 10 years involving tree plantings. The following information should be included:

1. Client’s name, point of contact, address, and telephone number and/or email

2. Description and location of related projects and year of completion

3. Key personnel involved

4. Photo documentation of completed planting, if available

iii. The Bidder shall also provide at least three references (name, company, title, address, email, and telephone number) for construction of similar work.

iv. Bidders who received a letter from ShoreRivers within the last year stating that they have been pre-qualified by ShoreRivers for urban tree planting projects are not required to submit references or project examples.

E. EXCEPTIONS

i. Any exceptions to the specifications requested should be marked on the bid form and listed on a separate sheet of paper attached to the proposal.

ii. An exception to the specifications may not necessarily disqualify the proposal. ShoreRivers will determine if the exception is an essential deviation or a minor item.

iii. In the case of a minor deviation, ShoreRivers maintains the option to award to that Bidder if it determines the performance is not adversely affected by the exception.

F. APPROVED EQUALS

i. In all specifications where a material or article is defined by describing a proprietary product or by using the name of a vendor or manufacturer, it can be assumed that an approved equal can be substituted.

ii. The use of a named product is an attempt to set a particular standard of quality and type that is familiar to ShoreRivers. Such references are not intended to be restrictive.

iii. However, ShoreRivers shall decide if a product does in fact meet or exceed the quality of the specifications listed in the solicitation. It shall be the responsibility of the vendor that claims his product is an equal to provide documentation to support such a claim.

G. SALES TAX

i. According to the Office of the Comptroller of Maryland, a Contractor is responsible for paying sales tax on purchases relating to any projects or services and should incorporate it into their bid.

ii. Contractors cannot use ShoreRivers’ tax exemption to buy materials or products.

H. BILLING

i. For contracts that combine project sites with different funders (as outlined on the attached list of project sites) the contractor shall provide ShoreRivers with two separate bills: one for Chesapeake Bay Trust funded project sites and one for Department of Natural Resources funded project sites.

I. DELIVERY

i. All items shall be delivered F.O.B. destination and delivery costs and charges included in the bid unless otherwise stated in the specifications or bid form.

J. INSURANCE

i. The Bidder shall provide ShoreRivers with Certificates of Insurance within 10 days of award notification evidencing the required coverage.

ii. Bidder must provide Certificates of Insurance before commencing work in connection with the contract.

K. PROPOSAL EVALUATION

i. Proposal tabulations will be emailed to all Bidders after the submission deadline.

ii. Bid evaluations typically take a maximum of one–two weeks.

L. RIGHT TO REJECT

i. ShoreRivers reserves the right to reject any and/or all proposals or to waive any technicality it deems in the best interest of ShoreRivers and/or the landowners.

M. AWARD OF CONTRACT

i. There are five contracts to be awarded through this bid process. Bidders may choose which contracts to bid on at their discretion. ShoreRivers shall award each of these contracts individually to the best, most responsive, and responsible Bidder complying with the terms of the request for proposal. A contract, if awarded, will be based on price, qualifications, experience, and responsiveness.

ii. All contract awards are contingent upon available funding.

iii. ShoreRivers reserves the right to award a bid by individual items, in aggregate, or in combination thereof as deemed necessary to fulfill the anticipated requirements.

2) general conditions

A. QUALIFICATIONS OF BIDDER AND DISQUALIFICATION OF PROPOSALS

i. All Bidders are to be acceptable to ShoreRivers and the landowners and shall be skilled in the class of work for which they bid.

ii. The Bidder shall examine the premises and observe the conditions under which the work will be done, or other circumstances which will affect the contemplated work. No allowance will be made subsequently in this connection for any error or negligence on the Bidder’s part.

iii. The Bidders shall familiarize themselves with the total scope of work avoiding misunderstandings in regard to the nature and character of work to be performed. All work shall be the best of its kind and done in accordance with good standard practice.

iv. The Bidders must adhere strictly to the specifications. Any change or deviation from the specifications, or any detail in which their product or services differ from these specifications, must be examined in detail in a separate letter accompanying their proposal.

B. GUARANTEE

i. The selected Contractor shall furnish the landowners and ShoreRivers with a one-year guarantee of workmanship and materials, dating from time of acceptance of the project and shall make good any defects which may occur during that period.

ii. If any special guarantees in excess of the one-year period are specified by the manufacturer, these guarantees shall take precedence over the one-year period guarantee.

C. TIME FOR COMPLETION

i. The work contemplated under this contract shall be completed no earlier than October 24, 2025, and no later than December 12, 2025. The Contractor must coordinate with ShoreRivers to schedule work for a date that will line up with volunteer planting dates.

ii. The Contractor will generally be allowed to work eight hours per day. Site specific working limitations:

1. Work shall be performed Monday–Friday.

2. Work shall commence no earlier than 8am.

D. CHANGES IN WORK

i. ShoreRivers, without invalidating the contract, may order extra work or make changes by altering or adding to the work, with the contract sum being adjusted accordingly.

ii. All such work shall be executed under the conditions of the original contract.

iii. The value of any such extra work or change shall be determined in one or more of the following ways:

1. By estimate and acceptance of lump sum

2. By unit prices named in the contract or subsequently agreed upon.

E. ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN SPECIFICATIONS

i. Should any detail be omitted from the specifications, or should any errors appear in either, it shall be the duty of the Contractor to notify ShoreRivers’ designated construction inspector.

ii. In no case shall the Contractor proceed with the work without notifying and receiving definite instructions from ShoreRivers. Work wrongly constructed without such notification shall be corrected by the Contractor at their own cost.

F. LICENSES AND PERMITS

i. State, local, and federal permits for the project will be obtained by ShoreRivers.

G. SUPERVISION

i. The Contractor shall maintain, at all times during the progress of work, a competent and experienced supervisor who shall represent the Contractor, and all directions given to him shall be binding. Important decisions and directions shall be confirmed in writing by ShoreRivers.

ii. Supervision by ShoreRivers, the landowners, or another representative, does not relieve the Contractor of responsibility for defective work executed under the direct control of the Contractor. Responsibility for defective work rests upon the Contractor.

H. CLEAN UP

i. Upon completion of the project, the construction area and all other areas occupied by the Contractor during the construction shall be cleaned of all surplus and discarded materials, rubbish, and temporary structures that were placed there by the Contractor.

ii. Disposal of the aforementioned shall be the responsibility of the Contractor.

I. EXAMINATION OF PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, AND SITE

i. Bidders shall make a personal examination of the location of the proposed work and of the surroundings thereof, and shall thoroughly acquaint themselves with the details of the work to be done and all the conditions and obstacles likely to be encountered in the performance and completion of the work.

ii. Bidders shall inform themselves as to the facilities for the transportation, handling, and storage of equipment and materials, and they shall carefully study the plans, relevant specifications, and other conditions under which the work is to be done and as to the character, qualities, and quantities of work to be performed and materials to be furnished, and be prepared to execute a finished job in every particular without extra charge whatsoever, except as may be specifically provided for elsewhere in these contract documents.

iii. No allowance will subsequently be made in this regard for error and/or negligence on the part of the Contractor.

J. WORKMANSHIP

i. First-class work shall be performed. All materials furnished in carrying out the contract shall be of character and quality required by the specifications. Where no standard is specified for such work or materials, they shall be the best of their respective kinds. Any unsatisfactory work done or materials furnished, at whatever time they may be discovered, shall be immediately removed and satisfactorily replaced by the Contractor when notified to do so by ShoreRivers.

ii. The Contractor shall employ only competent labor specifically experienced in the proposed work. Any employee who is careless, incompetent, disorderly, or who uses abusive or profane language shall be discharged or removed from the project on request from ShoreRivers.

iii. The work shall be under the general supervision of ShoreRivers and their duly appointed field representatives, in accordance with a general plan agreed upon by ShoreRivers and the Contractor. The Contractor shall appoint a competent superintendent and/or necessary foreman for the direct supervision of the work. The supervisor shall be on the job at all times that the work is in progress, and shall be available during non-working hours in event of an emergency.

K. PROTECTION OF PROPERTY

i. The Contractor shall take all necessary precautions to protect the existing facilities at the project sites, whether or not shown on the plans.

ii. The Contractor shall be held responsible for any damages and the cost of repairing these damages shall be paid by the Contractor.

3) bid specifications

A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

i. This project is to furnish all labor, materials, and equipment necessary for tree plantings, as indicated on the attached drawings and bid sheet. Please note that in some instances there is a combination of volunteer and contractor plantings. The contractor shall be responsible for:

1. Procuring all materials and supplies for all locations specified on the list, with the exception of the tree diapers, which will be supplied by ShoreRivers.

2. Augering the holes for all trees specified on the list.

3. Planting the trees specified as “contractor planted.”

ii. The contractor is NOT responsible for planting the trees specified on the list as “volunteer planted.”

B. BID ITEMS

i. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to verify material quantities. Bidders shall inform themselves as to the facilities for the transportation, handling, and storage of equipment and materials, and shall carefully study the plans, relevant specifications, and other conditions under which the work is to be done and as to the character, qualities, and quantities of work to be performed and materials to be furnished, and be prepared to execute a finished job in every particular without extra charge.

ii. Bid items are given in the attached bid sheet. The quantities referenced are approximate and are to be used for guidance only. They are not exclusive.

C. NOTES AND SPECIFICATIONS

i. ShoreRivers will flag out exact tree locations prior to the start of construction.

ii. Trees for all sites will be purchased by ShoreRivers. Contractor shall coordinate tree pick up or delivery to project sites.

iii. Tree protection shall consist of:

1. 5-foot, 1”x1”, oak stakes

2. 4-foot wire tree cages, minimum 3.5’ diameter, exact style is at the discretion of the Contractor, but must be approved by ShoreRivers prior to purchase.

iv. Store all packaged materials per manufacturer recommendations.

D. SEQUENCE OF CONSTRUCTION

i. Contractor to contact Miss Utility two weeks prior to planned installation and request utility marking. Contractor shall notify ShoreRivers of any utility conflicts prior to planting.

ii. Contractor and ShoreRivers’ representatives shall have a pre-installation meeting one week before planting.

1. At the meeting, Contractor and ShoreRivers representatives will stake out and finalize the planting locations.

iii. ShoreRivers has purchased the plant material. For planting locations marked as “contractor planted,” contractor shall take delivery of plant material.

1. Contractor to evaluate all plant material and shall reject any material that does not meet specifications set forth by the Urban Tree Foundation, outlined below and illustrated in the attached “Guideline Specifications for Nursery Tree Quality” document.

2. ShoreRivers reserves the right to reject trees that do not meet the specifications as set forth in these guidelines. If a particular defect or substandard element or characteristic can be easily corrected, appropriate remedies are encouraged.

3. If destructive inspection of a root ball or balls is to be done, the Contractor and nursery should have a prior agreement as to the time and place of inspection, minimum number of trees to be inspected or percentage of a species or cultivar, and financial responsibility for the inspected trees.

4. Guidelines for nursery stock selection:

a. Crown form and density shall be typical for a young specimen of the species or cultivar. Changes in form caused by wind, pruning practices, pests or other factors shall not substantially alter the form for the species or cultivar.

b. Tree shall have a single, relatively straight central leader. They shall be free of co-dominant stems and vigorous, upright branches that compete with the central leader. If the original leader has been headed, a new leader at least one-half of the diameter of the original leader shall be present.

c. Main branches shall be well distributed along the central leader, not clustered together. They shall form a balanced crown appropriate for the cultivar/species.

d. Branch diameter shall be no larger than two-thirds (one-half is preferred) the diameter of the central leader measured 1 inch above the branch.

e. The attachment of the largest branches (scaffold branches) shall be free of included bark.

f. Temporary branches, unless otherwise specified, should be present along the lower trunk below the lowest main (scaffold) branch, particularly for trees less than 1 inch in caliper. These branches should be no greater than 3/8 inch in diameter. Clear trunk should be no more than 40% of the total height of the tree.

g. The trunk shall be free of wounds (except properly made pruning cuts), sunburned areas, conks (fungal fruiting bodies), wood cracks, bleeding areas, signs of boring insects, galls, cankers and/or lesions.

h. Trunk caliper and taper shall be sufficient so that the tree will remain vertical without a stake.

i. The size, color, and appearance of leaves shall be typical for the time of year and stage of growth of the species or cultivar. Trees shall not show signs of prolonged moisture stress as indicated by wilted, shriveled, or dead leaves.

j. Shoot growth (length and diameter) throughout the crown should be appropriate for the age and size of the species or cultivar. Trees shall not have dead, diseased, broken, distorted, or otherwise injured branches.

k. The uppermost roots or root collar (root crown) shall be within the upper 2 inches of the soil media (substrate).

l. The root collar and the inside portion of the root ball shall be free of defects, including circling, kinked, and stem girdling roots. Soil removal near the root collar may be necessary to inspect the aforementioned root defects.

m. Roots on the periphery and bottom of the root ball shall be less than 1/4 inch in diameter (1/8 inch is preferred.) The maximum acceptable root diameter on the periphery should be indicated.

n. The tree shall be well rooted in the soil media (substrate). Root distribution shall be uniform throughout the container media. Structure and growth shall be appropriate for the species/cultivar. When the container is removed, the root ball shall remain intact. When the trunk is lifted, both the trunk and root system shall move as one.

o. The root system shall be substantially free of injury from biotic (e.g., insects and pathogens) and abiotic (e.g., herbicide toxicity and salt injury) agents. At time of inspection and delivery, the root ball shall be moist throughout. Roots shall not show signs of excess soil moisture conditions as indicated by stunted, discolored, distorted, or dead roots.

p. All plant material shall conform to the American Standard for Nursery Stock (ANSI Z60.1) as approved by the American National Standards Institute Inc. latest editions.

q. Provide plants of sizes, grades, and ball or container sizes complying with ANSI Z60.1 for types and form of plants required. Plants of a larger size may be used if acceptable to ShoreRivers, with a proportionate increase in size of roots or balls.

5. The Contractor shall time the delivery date and plant installation to minimize stress on plant material.

a. Plants shall be installed the same day they are delivered, OR

b. Stored short-term (less than one week) in a cool, shaded area, damp place with root kept systems moist, OR

c. If planting must occur more than a week after plant delivery, the Contractor shall restage plant material on or off the job site to maximize protection from hot sun and drying winds, and shall water material to maintain a stress-free condition.

iv. Auger holes or hand-dig holes as indicated on the relevant attached tree planting specifications. Scarify the sides of the planting holes.

v. Plant trees, per planting schedule and as indicated in the relevant attached planting specifications.

vi. Mulch each tree as indicated in the attached planting specifications.

vii. Stake and cage each tree:

1. Insert the tree stakes at least 12–18 inches.

2. Tree branches should not be constricted by the stake ties. Staking should prevent tree from flexing so much that it is toppled by the wind, but tree should be able to flex naturally.

3. Tree ties should be made of a material that will not break down or stretch out due to exposure to the elements.

4. Secure wire caging around the stakes to minimize damage by vandals, deer, string trimmers, etc.

a. Cage shall be 4’ tall and minimum of 3.5’ in diameter.

b. Use minimum of three oak stakes to hold up the cage.

c. Fasten cage by wrapping the raw wire ends around the other end of the wire caging.

viii. Install the Tree Diaper per the attached manufacturer instructions. Note that:

1. Tree diapers MUST be thoroughly pre-soaked before placing around the tree.

2. Tree diapers must come into direct contact with the soil: mulch should NOT be underneath of the Tree Diaper

ix. Water each tree thoroughly.

Ride for Clean Rivers Returns This Month

Cyclists are invited to participate in the 21st annual Ride for Clean Rivers on Sunday, September 21. Visit shorerivers.org/events to register and for additional details.  Photo by Tom McCall.

Cyclists of all ages and skill levels are invited to participate in the 21st Ride for Clean Rivers on Sunday, September 21 — your chance to ride the beautiful back roads of Talbot and Queen Anne’s counties in support of ShoreRivers’ work for thriving rivers cherished by all Eastern Shore communities. 

Riders can choose from fully supported Metric Century (62-mile), 35-mile, or 20-mile routes. All routes begin and end at Chesapeake College in Wye Mills and include SAG support and rest stops with food and drink.

Staggered group send-offs at 8am and 9am include a police escort across Route 50. Upon returning to the college campus, riders and volunteers will enjoy a catered lunch and beer provided by Ten Eyck Brewery. Participants are also encouraged to join teams and create their own fundraising pages to boost support for their ride from others.

ShoreRivers extends special thanks to the following sponsors and partners: Dean & Nita Goodwin, Chesapeake College, Bike Doctor Kent Island, Ten Eyck Brewing Company, TCR Event Management, as well as volunteers from the Talbot Skipjacks 4-H Club.

A portion of the proceeds from this event support ShoreRivers’ science-based advocacy, restoration, education, and engagement programs. Registration prices will increase as the event nears, so sign up now! To register as a rider or sponsor, visit shorerivers.org/event/rideforcleanrivers2025.

Second Annual Bacteria Blitz Highlights Impact of Stormwater on Local Waterways

Hannah Claggett, ShoreRivers’ Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps Member for 2024–205 shows off a water sample collected in order to be tested for bacteria.

ShoreRivers hosted its second annual Bacteria Blitz last month, engaging community members across the Eastern Shore to collect water samples from their properties or favorite swimming spots. These samples were brought back to our Easton, Chestertown, or Galena offices and tested for Enterococci, a bacteria used to indicate fecal contamination in waterways.

This community-wide effort empowers both ShoreRivers members and non-members to better understand local water quality and provides our Riverkeepers with valuable data from areas not routinely monitored through the Swimmable ShoreRivers program, which sees the testing of nearly 50 sites across our watersheds between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Results from this weekly testing are posted every Friday on social media and at shorerivers.org/swim in an effort to provide the public with the information they need to make educated decisions about their contact with the water.

The timing of this year’s Blitz followed several significant rain events, which likely contributed to the elevated bacteria levels observed. Out of 40 sampling sites, only nine passed the State of Maryland’s recommended standard for safe swimming (less than 104 CFU/100mL of Enterococci), meaning that 78% of the tested sites did not meet safe swimming standards.

Results of ShoreRivers’ annual Bacteria Blitz showed a high fail rate this year, with just nine passing the State of Maryland’s standard for safe swimming.

Of the rivers sampled, the Chester River showed the highest number of passing sites, with six out of 13 locations meeting safe swimming standards. In comparison, the Choptank River had only one passing site out of 16 samples. The Sassafras River and Bayside Creeks had one passing site out of four samples, while the Miles-Wye and Eastern Bay region also had just one passing site out of seven total locations. The lowest colony-forming unit (CFU) reading recorded was less than 10 CFUs and found at two Chester River sampling locations, while the highest readings exceeded 24,196 CFUs, and were found in two Choptank River and one Chester River sample.

"The high rate of failing results from this year's Bacteria Blitz — which represent a common theme on our waterways this summer — are a reminder of how vulnerable our rivers are to pollution triggered by storm events" says Chester Riverkeeper Annie Richards. "When it rains, stormwater flows across roads, farm fields, septic systems, habitats with wildlife scat. These events can significantly raise bacteria counts — especially in areas with aging infrastructure or limited natural buffers like wetlands and forested stream banks.

Pass and fail percentages from this year’s Bacteria Blitz by watershed.

"What is more, excessively warm, turbid waters create ideal conditions for bacteria to thrive and grow. So, while there are acute bacteria pollution sources that need both government action and funding to address, we need those actions to take into account the role climate change is playing to exacerbate the impacts of stormwater runoff."

As always, ShoreRivers recommends the following best practices when recreating in local waterways: rinse off after swimming, avoid swimming for 24–48 hours after a rain event, and stay out of the water with open cuts or wounds to minimize exposure to potentially harmful bacteria.

For more information about ShoreRivers’ water quality monitoring programs or to get involved, visit shorerivers.org/swim. Though the seasonal Swimmable ShoreRivers testing has wrapped up for this year, keep an eye out for a full report on each regularly monitored site in October and ShoreRivers’ ongoing work to protect and restore our local rivers and creeks.

NOW HIRING: Executive Director

ShoreRivers protects Maryland’s Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, education, and engagement. We are seeking a leader who can compassionately support and elevate a team of expert staff, collaboratively engage with the variety of stakeholders in our region, uphold the organization’s excellent reputation and financial stability, and communicate our vision of healthy rivers cherished by all communities. ShoreRivers’ next Executive Director will lead our impactful work by embodying our core values: solutions-oriented, optimistic, community-centered, and trusted.

ShoreRivers is a strong, regional Riverkeeper organization that formed from the merger of three local organizations in 2017. Our core focus is the waterways of the Chester, Choptank, Sassafras, Miles, and Wye rivers, Eastern Bay, and the Bayside Creeks. The Executive Director will be joining a 501c3 nonprofit organization with a 40-year history, $7 million budget, staff of 30+ professionals, and hundreds of volunteers. In 2024, ShoreRivers launched a three-year strategic plan that both honors our grassroots legacy and charts a course for us as a regional leader.

This position offers a competitive benefits package (see more below) and a salary range between $140,000–$170,000, based on experience. Position begins January 2, 2026, or a mutually agreed upon date. Employees work in-person with flexibility in their schedule when appropriate. This fulltime position is exempt salaried and “at-will,” and reports to a Board of Governors. The Executive Director will work out of both the Chestertown and Easton offices and must live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland within the communities we serve. This position requires flexibility to work longer hours, weekends, and travel as needed.

To apply, send your two-page resume and two-page cover letter to Deputy Director of HR & Culture Doug Mayorga at dmayorga@shorerivers.org by October 15, 2025.

In your cover letter, please address the following question: As Executive Director of ShoreRivers, how would you lead to maximize the protection of the Eastern Shore’s waterways at a time when critical protections are being rolled back and financial support from Federal and state sources is more uncertain?

Note: cover letters are run through AI detector technology; take this opportunity to authentically communicate with us in your own words.

ShoreRivers Announces 2025 Photo Contest

Winning submission to ShoreRivers’ 2024 photo contest from Jessica Passwaters. For a chance to have your photograph featured, submit a picture of your local watershed to the 2025 contest. Details and contest rules can be found at  shorerivers.org/photo-contest.

Have you ever been told you have an eye for capturing the moment? Perhaps a passion for photography? Do you love your local waterways and want to promote and protect them? ShoreRivers is running our annual photo contest from through October 31, so snap a picture and send it our way! Your photo could be seen across the Eastern Shore — contest photos are featured in ShoreRivers’ print and digital publications as well as at our events, which collectively reach thousands of people each year. 

Winning submission to ShoreRivers’ 2024 photo contest from Greg Tutino.

We are looking for images that highlight the beauty and resilience of the Eastern Shore waterways that ShoreRivers works to protect and restore through science-based advocacy, restoration, education, and engagement. We are particularly interested in images that exemplify our vision statement: Thriving rivers cherished by all Eastern Shore communities. Shore rivers are your rivers, and we want to see your representation of the beloved natural resources that we all strive to conserve.

Contest winners will be announced December 1 via email and on social media. Winners will be chosen based on how well their images reflect the mission and values of ShoreRivers. There will be four winners for each watershed — Choptank; Miles, Wye, and Eastern Bay; Sassafras and Bayside Creeks; and Chester — for a total of 16 winners. 

Photographers will be credited for their work and may submit up to four photos. Images must be taken in ShoreRivers’ geography. For additional contest rules and details, please visit shorerivers.org/photo-contest.

Raft-Up Concert Returns to Shaw Bay in the Wye River

The Eastport Oyster Boys and the Wye River Band will perform at the annual Shaw Bay Raft-Up Concert near the mouth of the Wye River on Saturday, September 6, from 3–6 pm.

Celebrate the end of summer with ShoreRivers at the Shaw Bay Raft-Up Concert from 3–6 pm on Saturday, September 6. The Eastport Oyster Boys will be making their 22nd appearance and the Wye River Band will be back for their sixth at this free concert, which aims to raise funds and awareness for clean water efforts on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

This annual benefit concert is a must for mariners of all kinds. Boat in to Shaw Bay near the mouth of the Wye River and then join the floating raft up on your dinghy, paddle board, or kayak to enjoy a front row seat to the live concert. Visit shorerivers.org/events to find sponsorship opportunities, a map of nearby locations from which to launch your vessel, and to sign up to receive text updates on the event.

While the concert is free, donations are welcome, with all proceeds helping to promote the clean water initiatives of ShoreRivers on the Miles and Wye rivers and in Eastern Bay. ShoreRivers is grateful for the generous sponsorship of St. Michaels Marina and John & Jill Murray — additional sponsorship opportunities are available. ShoreRivers gratefully recognizes sponsors from $250-$1,000 with benefits including features on the event webpage, and in event emails and social media posts; promotional videos; and an opportunity to hang a flag or sign on the band's boat, which is the focal point for attendees.

ShoreRivers is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting Maryland’s Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, education, and engagement. Our local waterways are polluted by excess nutrients and sediment that run off of urban, suburban, agricultural, and commercial land. ShoreRivers is dedicated to implementing real solutions through programs and projects to improve the health of these waterways. To learn more, please visit shorerivers.org. 

To sign up to receive concert updates, visit shorerivers.org/event/shawbayraftup2025. Event questions may be directed to Courtney Leigh at cleigh@shorerivers.org.

ShoreRivers Gratefully Acknowledges Hardesty's Leadership; Announces Search for New Executive Director

On December 31, 2025, Isabel Hardesty will bid a bittersweet farewell to ShoreRivers which, along with its predecessor organizations, she has served faithfully for 14 years. Following the merger of local Riverkeeper organizations into ShoreRivers in 2018, Isabel served as the Deputy Director, then as the very effective Executive Director of ShoreRivers since 2021. Watch shorerivers.org/jobs for an upcoming job announcement. 

In 2018 ShoreRivers had 21 employees and operated with a $3.5 million budget. Under Hardesty’s leadership, ShoreRivers has grown to 33 employees, six paid interns, and a $7.5 million budget, reflecting the growth of the range and scope of its programs and impact on the Eastern Shore. She has fostered an organizational culture of respect, transparency, collaboration, optimism, and hard work among the staff, helping ShoreRivers gain region-wide recognition as a responsible and impactful advocate for our rivers and become a trusted voice in Annapolis.

“After 14 years of working for our rivers, I am ready for a change and for another chapter in my professional life,” says Hardesty. “I am excited and happy and nostalgic and sad all at once, but mostly energized by the prospect of change and feeling strong in my belief that this is the right step for me, for my family, and for ShoreRivers. Rivers remain my heart, but I am ready to branch out and contribute to other environmental and social nonprofit work.”

She continues: “I am so proud of this organization; we are in an incredible period of stability and impact, which is why I feel confident in stepping away at this time. ShoreRivers is coming from a place of significant strength for conducting this kind of search; we confidently and optimistically look forward to selecting a fantastic new leader.”

Hardesty leaves behind a financially strong, stable organization with an experienced staff. While there remains plenty of environmental work to be done, ShoreRivers has never been the work of one individual, but is the collective work of a dedicated, multi-talented, and resourceful team. ShoreRivers’ Governing Board has formed a search committee that will work with Hardesty and the staff to ensure an orderly transition from one capable leader to the next. ShoreRivers is deeply grateful for Hardesty’s leadership and wishes her well.

Meanwhile, continue to look for ShoreRivers in your communities and on your waterways.  Following our Strategic Plan, we continue to engage our many volunteers and community partners as we advance well-defined goals through water quality testing, restoring beds of submerged aquatic vegetation, installing pollution-reducing projects on farm fields and in towns, educating the next generation of environmental stewards, planting trees, and advocating for the health of our rivers locally and at state and federal levels. We have a great lineup of programs and invite you to join us in celebrating, cherishing, and protecting the beautiful waterways of the Eastern Shore.

McCown Presented with Award for Environmental Stewardship

From left: Heidi Usilton; Ann Swanson, ShoreRivers Governing Board Member; Betsy McCown; Andrew McCown, this year’s winner of the ShoreRivers Award for Environmental Stewardship; Isabel Hardesty, Executive Director of ShoreRivers; Annie Richards, Chester Riverkeeper; and Marian Fry, Chair of ShoreRivers’ Governing Board, are pictured at the organization’s Solstice Celebration on June 28.

On June 28, Captain Andrew R. McCown was named the 2025 recipient of the ShoreRivers Award for Environmental Stewardship as part of the organization’s annual Solstice Celebration. This annual award recognizes an individual or entity in the Chesapeake Bay watershed for their transformational accomplishments as a steward of the environment.

McCown has provided environmental education and astonishment to thousands of students over nearly five decades at Echo Hill Outdoor School and played a pivotal role in forming the Chester River Association in 1986. A teacher, leader, oysterman, musician, and storyteller, he delights in seeing others find wonder in a place he holds so dear. His ability to endear students of all ages to a natural resource — from the small minnows swept into a marsh on a rising tide, to the food chain, economy, culture, and history they sustain — is a testament to the devotion and admiration he has for the Chesapeake.

“[Andrew McCown is] one of the best people I know at connecting people’s hearts to our rivers,” said ShoreRivers’ Executive Director Isabel Hardesty, who fondly noted her own time spent learning from McCown at Echo Hill 30 years ago while presenting the award. “It is because of his unparalleled ability to inspire and connect that he is the recipient of our award this year, and that he is close to all of our hearts at ShoreRivers and for people across the Chesapeake Bay.”  

McCown also embodies the value of optimism ShoreRivers embraces by lifting up success stories and highlighting the abundance of life that exists in the river despite the challenges it faces.

“When I started at Echo Hill Outdoor School, which was five years old at the time, it was 1977. And in the world of environmental education there was a lot of despair… but we decided that we weren’t going to do that. That what we were going to do was promote wonder and find ways to connect people to the environment, to endear them to it,” said McCown.

As part of the presentation, McCown was given a hand-crafted, mosaic buoy adorned with salvaged and unique treasures that recognize his history and connection to the Chesapeake Bay. This bespoke piece of art was created and donated by Ann Swanson, the inaugural winner of the ShoreRivers Award for Environmental Stewardship in 2019, who is also the former executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission and a current governing board member for ShoreRivers.

ShoreRivers — and more than 340 supporters in attendance at the event who provided an emotional standing ovation during the remarks — were proud to have this opportunity to recognize McCown for his lifelong pursuit to share his curiosity and reverence for the Chester River with others. Visit shorerivers.org/leadership to learn more about this award and the organization’s impact on the Eastern Shore.

Celebrate the Summer Solstice with ShoreRivers

Join ShoreRivers on June 28 for the return of its annual Solstice Celebration — a big-tent party on the banks of the Chester River featuring local food and drinks, live music and dancing, and an exciting live auction! Visit shorerivers.org/events to learn more.

Join ShoreRivers this summer for its beloved big-tent party on the banks of the Chester River!  

Scheduled for Saturday, June 28, at Wilmer Park in Chestertown, ShoreRivers’ annual Solstice Celebration includes an open bar with Ten Eyck beer, Crow Vineyards wine, and a signature cocktail and mocktail; hors d’oeuvres and a full buffet dinner and dessert; and live music and dancing. The celebration begins at 6pm and continues through dusk with a rousing live auction where guests will bid on exceptional artwork, trips to enticing destinations, and more.

“It’s our privilege to host this signature annual event to celebrate the start of summer,” says Isabel Hardesty, Executive Director of ShoreRivers. “Coming together at the riverside drives home our mission — and our collective duty — to protect our waterways. This year’s event will be particularly special as we honor Captain Andrew McCown with the ShoreRivers Award for Environmental Stewardship in appreciation for his lifelong pursuit to share his curiosity and reverence for the Chester River with students of all ages.” This custom-designed award is given annually to an individual or entity in the Chesapeake Bay watershed in recognition of their transformational accomplishment as a steward of the environment.

The celebration will feature the culinary talents of Chestertown favorite and friend of ShoreRivers Occasions Catering, who believes in providing food that’s locally sourced, lovingly prepared, and elegantly served. Throughout the evening, guests will enjoy live music by Judd Nielsen and Friends, and admire stunning floral arrangements courtesy of Wildly Native, a family farm in Chestertown, Md., that focuses on hand-selected, in-season flowers that are harvested locally at the peak of bloom. 

Following the live auction, all guests are invited to raise their paddle in support of science-based advocacy, education, restoration, and engagement efforts led by our Riverkeepers. All funds raised during this event will go directly to support ShoreRivers’ work for thriving waterways cherished by all communities. Buy your tickets, secure your table through a sponsorship, and find more information at shorerivers.org/events.

Swimmable ShoreRivers Program Returns for 2025

This summer, ShoreRivers and a team of volunteer SwimTesters will monitor bacteria levels at 54 sites around the region, providing a critical public health service for communities and identifying pollution hotspots for future restoration efforts. To see weekly results and program details, visit shorerivers.org/swim.

ShoreRivers is pleased to announce its Swimmable ShoreRivers bacteria testing program will return for the season on Thursday, May 22, and that weekly results from this annual program will once again be available this year in both English and Spanish.

Every summer, ShoreRivers deploys a team of community scientists to monitor bacteria levels at popular swimming and boating sites to provide important human health risk information to the public. Their samples are then processed, according to standard scientific protocols, in ShoreRivers in-house labs. The program follows the Environmental Protection Agency’s standard protocols for collecting and analyzing samples and makes public the results of that testing to let people know about current bacteria levels as they make their plans for recreating in our waterways. Results are posted every Friday, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, at shorerivers.org/swim and on both the organization’s and its individual Riverkeepers’ social media pages.

A second page, shorerivers.org/swimmable-shorerivers-espanol, is designed to share this program with the Spanish-speaking community, and bilingual signs can be found at public monitoring sites around the Eastern Shore that explain the goals of the Swimmable ShoreRivers program and show users where to find weekly results in both English and Spanish. These signs (and the program at large) are made possible thanks to funding from the Cornell Douglas Foundation.

Weekly results are also shared on theswimguide.org, where descriptions of testing sites are available in both languages. This public service is a true community effort: this summer, nearly 70 SwimTesters will monitor 54 sites on the Choptank, Miles, Wye, Chester, and Sassafras rivers; Eastern Bay; and the Bayside Creeks. Special thanks go to our generous site sponsors, who include towns, marinas, homeowners’ associations, and families.

The Swimmable ShoreRivers program serves our community in a way that no other program, organization, agency, or data set does. In Maryland, if the state or local government designates an area as a swimming beach, then bacteria monitoring and reporting is required. However, a major gap exists on the Eastern Shore as very few areas are designated swimming beaches, and the results from those that are, are rarely posted publicly or in a timely manner.

“We work with our local community every day, and we know they're interacting with our rivers in dozens of locations from Dorchester to Cecil County,” says Matt Pluta, Director of Riverkeeper Programs at ShoreRivers. “It's our goal to make sure those individuals have available to them the information they need to know — namely, whether the water is safe for them to recreate in from a bacteria pollution standpoint. Swimmable ShoreRivers strives to enhance physical access to our local rivers, as well as access to data and information to help our community make informed decisions about how, when, and where we choose to enjoy our incredible natural resources.”

Also returning for the 2025 season is ShoreRivers’ Pumpout Boat. The Pumpout Boat is a free service offered on the Miles and Wye rivers that docks at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels and operates from May to mid-November. Through this service, we’re ensuring that every boater on the Miles and Wye has the means to safely and properly pump out — we can all help to keep marine waste out of our waterways. To schedule a pump out, contact Captain John Carlsson at 410.829.4352, on VHF Channel 9, by emailing POBCaptJohn@shorerivers.org, or by using the form at shorerivers.org/programs/pumpout-boat.

Youth Environmental Action Summit Inspires Local Students

ShoreRivers’ 2025 Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit had over 130 students and 14 teachers in attendance from 10 different schools. Photo by Tom McCall.

Last month, high school students from Kent, Caroline, Queen Anne’s, Talbot, and Dorchester counties gathered at Chesapeake College for ShoreRivers’ fourth annual Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit. More than 130 students were in attendance from 10 different schools. 

Students check out a snake with Maryland State Park Ranger Paul Detrich during the networking breakfast at ShoreRivers’ 2025 Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit. Photo by Tom McCall.

This annual Summit aims to empower future leaders of the environmental movement to take action now. One attendee remarked that, “Being around people who care about our planet is always inspiring and encouraging. It makes me feel like we can do something about all the problems we’ve created, and it motivated me to try to make some change.” ShoreRivers’ work to protect Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, education, and engagement is only strengthened when youth voices are uplifted and students know that they don’t have to wait to get involved on behalf of their local waterways. 

Student leaders, who worked alongside ShoreRivers’ staff to plan the 2025 Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit, are pictured ahead of the day’s keynote address with speaker James Ronayne. From left are Aidan Fisher from ShoreRivers, Paige Dempsey from ShoreRivers, Morgan Cole, Carissa Shue, Allison Davis, Emma Hansley, Victoria MacGlashan, Patty Dongarra, Sofia Stecher-Roberts, Lila Criss, Finn Merrick, Kaylie Dunlap, Lucy Pearce, Ava Brower, Hannah Claggett from ShoreRivers, and speaker James Ronayne. Photo by Tom McCall.

Since its start, ShoreRivers’ Summit has been by students for students. As in past years, a group of student leaders worked with ShoreRivers staff to plan the event, which includes a networking breakfast, a keynote address, workshop sessions, and a closing celebration.  

The networking breakfast was one of the largest so far, with 19 local organizations present to share internship, job, and volunteer opportunities for high school students. Students then heard from keynote speaker James Ronayne, a college student who is also an environmental advocate, photographer, storyteller, and influencer in the Chesapeake Bay region. Ronayne spoke about his passion for our waterways, and inspired students to take action on their behalf. The afternoon workshop sessions covered a wide array of topics from scuba diving to monitor oyster reefs to environmental justice to water quality.  

ShoreRivers is grateful for this year’s Summit sponsors: Dockray Charitable Foundation, The Curtis & Edith Munson Foundation, the Campbell Foundation, The Henry Foundation, Fred Frederick, the Waterfowl Festival, IKEA, Chesapeake College, Rauch Inc., Phillips Wharf Environmental Center, Chesapeake Bay Trust, Easton Dermatology Associates LLC, Hobbs Contractors Inc., and YSI, a Xylem brand.

ShoreRivers Offers Hands-On Expeditions

ShoreRivers is offering a wide variety of expeditions inviting people to get out into their communities and explore their local waterways through things like farm tours, kayak paddles, hands-on activities, and more. For dates and individual event descriptions, visit shorerivers.org/events.

ShoreRivers is inviting the public to get out in their communities and explore their local waterways this year through a series of expeditions around the region.

On the schedule are:

These expeditions are small group experiences, carefully curated to offer a unique and meaningful connection between our community and our watershed. From paddles to tours of restoration sites, to hands-on adventures, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!

“We know that access to our waterways fuels environmental stewardship,” says ShoreRivers’ Membership Manager Courtney Leigh. “It’s our hope that participants in these annual expeditions — in addition to taking in the natural beauty of our rivers, learning from partners who share our vision of thriving communities, and engaging with vibrant team members who lead the charge for clean waterways — will also develop a stronger connection to the bays, rivers, and creeks we all cherish on the Eastern Shore.”

To register, and for individual event details, visit shorerivers.org/events. More expeditions will be added throughout the year.

Riverkeepers to Host Annual State of the Rivers

Join ShoreRivers and your local Riverkeepers at an upcoming State of the Rivers event — free presentations held each spring to inform the public about the current state of our Eastern Shore waterways. Visit shorerivers.org/events to learn more.

ShoreRivers is pleased to announce the return of its highly anticipated State of the Rivers events — a series of free presentations held each spring to inform the public about the current state of our Eastern Shore waterways and what we can all do to protect and restore them. Whether this will be your first or your 15th State of the Rivers, we invite everyone to attend, learn, sip, and savor — and bring a friend, too!

Each year, between April­ and October, ShoreRivers’ professional Riverkeepers conduct weekly tidal sampling of more than 60 sites from Cecilton to Cambridge, then test for multiple scientific water quality parameters including dissolved oxygen, nutrient pollution, chlorophyll, and clarity. These indicators reveal the overall health of our waterways and our progress toward protecting and restoring our local rivers. ShoreRivers, statewide groups, and national agencies use this information to track trends, develop remediation strategies, advocate for stronger laws and enforcement, alert the public of potential health risks, and inform region-wide efforts toward clean water goals.  

The public is invited to learn more about the results of this testing at this year’s State of the Rivers presentations, hosted around the region by the Riverkeepers themselves. Light refreshments, including local oysters, will be provided. ShoreRivers is grateful for continued partnerships with our host venues, as well as Choptank Oyster Company, Orchard Point Oysters, and Ten Eyck Brewing Company.

Please save these dates for this year’s State of the Rivers presentations:

Tuesday, April 22, at Betterton Fire Hall, from 5:30–7pm
State of the Sassafras River & the Bayside Creeks, hosted by Riverkeeper Zack Kelleher

Thursday, April 24, at The Packing House in Cambridge, from 5:30–7pm
State of the Choptank River, hosted by Riverkeeper Matt Pluta

Thursday, May 1, at Cult Classic Brewing in Stevensville, from 5:30–7pm
State of the Chester River, hosted by Riverkeeper Annie Richards

Thursday, May 8, at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, from 5:30–7pm
State of the Miles River, Wye River, and Eastern Bay, hosted by Riverkeeper Ben Ford

In addition to analyzing water quality data and communicating this information to the public, Riverkeepers use their weekly sampling as an opportunity to monitor changes along shorelines, identify potential indications of illegal discharges, and scout submerged aquatic vegetation beds. These observations, coupled with the quantitative data collected throughout the year, paint a holistic and well-informed picture of the health of each river and its tributaries. Riverkeepers work collaboratively with the community and with ShoreRivers’ other departments (including education, agriculture and restoration, and community engagement) to increase awareness of the issues, inspire behavior change, and implement practices for healthier river systems. Information on these efforts, plus data from the popular Swimmable ShoreRivers’ bacteria monitoring program, will also be shared during State of the Rivers presentations.

“Eastern Shore waterways are choked by polluted runoff from residential, commercial, and agricultural properties,” said Matt Pluta, ShoreRivers’ Choptank Riverkeeper & Director of Riverkeeper Programs. “Regular scientific monitoring is a signature component of ShoreRivers’ operations and the only comprehensive testing of our local rivers currently being conducted. Please join us at a State of the Rivers event in your area to learn what’s happening, why it’s happening, and the important ways we can work together to make it better.”   

This event is free — registration is requested but not required. For more, visit shorerivers.org/events.

ShoreRivers Shares 2025 Legislative Priorities

ShoreRivers’ advocacy work is led by its four Riverkeepers: Matt Pluta, Choptank Riverkeeper; Annie Richards, Chester Riverkeeper; Ben Ford, Miles-Wye Riverkeeper; and Zack Kelleher, Sassafras Riverkeeper. Throughout this year’s legislative session, the organization will work to protect our local rivers against the major issues that impact water quality on the Eastern Shore.

Now that the Maryland General Assembly has reconvened for the 447th Legislative Session, ShoreRivers’ advocacy efforts are in full swing. The organization’s advocacy work, which is led by the Riverkeepers, is fundamental to creating system-wide change to protect local rivers against the major issues that impact water quality on the Eastern Shore.

This is a pivotal year for the State of Maryland and all Chesapeake watershed states, as government leaders work with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program to revise and strengthen a new Chesapeake Bay Agreement that will guide restoration work in years to come. ShoreRivers and fellow clean water advocates see 2025 as an opportunity to bolster Maryland’s efforts to implement this new agreement by advocating for strong policies that protect our natural resources and local rivers. Findings from the Chesapeake Bay Program’s CESR Report (A Comprehensive Evaluation of System Response) continue to influence ShoreRivers’ priorities and complement the Bay Agreement’s vision for restoration goals for years to come.

These efforts are no small challenge, as fiscal pressures loom large this session due to a 2+ billion-dollar deficit facing the state coupled with current financial instability at the federal level. This pressure, combined with Maryland’s focus and attention to meet renewable energy goals, means that ShoreRivers and our members will be working harder than ever to shine a spotlight on Eastern Shore water quality — and the policies we need to protect and restore our rivers.

Key efforts this year include the following, though additional bills and legislation are likely to be added to this list as they are introduced and prove to be in line with ShoreRivers’ mission of protecting Maryland’s Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, education, and engagement.

  1. The Nearshore Farming and Finance Act (SB898/HB1175), a bill that will increase nutrient application setbacks and improve incentive programs for nearshore habitat restoration on agricultural operations within the Critical Area. This bill will also establish the state’s first incentive payments for leased land agricultural operators.

  2. The Maryland PFAS & Sewage Sludge bill (SB732/HB909), which will establish testing requirements to identify PFAS concentrations in biosolids and set enforceable limits to prevent further contamination, protecting Maryland’s food and water sources and ensuring a healthier future for all.

  3. A bill to improve On–Site Sewage Disposal Systems in Climate Vulnerable Areas (HB671), which will limit septic siting within the 500 year floodplain, and ensure that low-income households have access to Bay Restoration Funding to make necessary improvements to failing or poor performing units in climate vulnerable areas.

Defending important funding sources through budget advocacy will be another important priority for ShoreRivers this session. With conflicting pressures from the Bay Program’s goals of accelerated restoration work and a budget deficit pressuring Maryland legislators and advocates to “do more with less,” ShoreRivers is committed to defending historically beneficial environmental funds such as the Bay Restoration Fund, the Coastal Trust Fund, the Chesapeake Bay Trust, State Aided institutions, and Program Open Space, and funding appropriated through the Tree Solutions Now Act 2021.

At ShoreRivers, we engage in legislative advocacy because addressing non-point source pollution — or "runoff pollution," the leading contributor of pollutants to our rivers — is often most effective by updating policies that address modern challenges and support restoration goals. By combining locally driven restoration efforts with river-friendly policies, we are encouraging the behavioral changes needed to improve land use practices and better manage the landscapes responsible for nutrient and sediment runoff. ShoreRivers looks forward to a productive legislative session with members of the General Assembly and fellow environmental advocates. Visit shorerivers.org to learn more about this important work.

ShoreRivers Accepting Summer Internship Applications

ShoreRivers’ 2024 summer interns gained hands-on experience in everything from soil sampling in farm fields to processing submerged aquatic vegetation using ShoreRivers’ turbulator. To learn more about what type of projects you’ll take on as a summer intern, visit shorerivers.org/jobs.

ShoreRivers is currently accepting applications from college students and recent graduates for two Easton-based summer internships: its Elizabeth Brown Memorial Internship and a Communications Internship.

The Elizabeth Brown Memorial intern will gain experience in a variety of activities including restoration, scientific water quality monitoring, outreach, and enforcement, while the communications intern will focus on organizational communication, public relations, and event promotion. By the end of these internships, each will have completed a Maryland boater safety certificate, gained experience and training in scientific water quality monitoring equipment and protocols, and developed a variety of other skills and experiences. Visit shorerivers.org/jobs for complete job descriptions.

“As an intern at ShoreRivers, I got to do a little bit of everything. I helped with tree plantings, spoke with and worked alongside community volunteers, assisted with bacteria and water quality monitoring, hosted education programs, and even testified at a county commissioners meeting. There are very few other internships out there that would allow so many different experiences in one summer,” said 2022 intern Maegan White, now ShoreRivers’ Senior Community Engagement Coordinator. “Interning at ShoreRivers gave me clarity and excitement to start my environmental career after graduation. I felt prepared and confident in the field, had hands-on experience, and found a new love for the area.”

The Elizabeth Brown Memorial Internship is supported by the Elizabeth Brown Memorial Fund at ShoreRivers. Elizabeth Brown was ShoreRivers' 2015–2016 Chesapeake Conservation Corps member. She was dedicated to clean water, engaging others with their rivers, and serving as an environmental steward in every way. She brought enthusiasm and joy to every task. Contributions in honor of Elizabeth go toward her legacy of caring for local rivers by supporting the next generation of environmental stewards through this internship program.

Both the Elizabeth Brown Memorial Internship and a Communications Summer Internship run for a minimum of 10 weeks between May and August, and provide a $6,000 stipend. Programmatic work for each will be conducted primarily in the Choptank, Miles, and Wye river watersheds, with some travel throughout the entire ShoreRivers region.

Applicants should be rising college juniors or seniors, or recent college graduates, with majors in appropriate fields. To apply, please email a resume and cover letter to Doug Mayorga, Deputy Director of HR and Culture, by January 31, at dmayorga@shorerivers.org and include in the subject line which internship you are interested in. Interviews will be conducted by Zoom in February and an intern will be selected and notified at the end of the month.

Applicants are encouraged to visit shorerivers.org prior to applying to learn more about the organization’s programs. Internships available specifically for Washington College and University of Delaware students are also available — please visit shorerivers.org/jobs for details on those positions.

ShoreRivers Welcomes New Board Members, Executive Committee

ShoreRivers is pleased to announce the addition of three new members to its Governing Board: Jack Broderick, Ann Swanson, and Loribeth Weinstein. As a grassroots nonprofit organization, the hard work and support of board members is imperative to the organization’s efforts for thriving rivers on the Eastern Shore. ShoreRivers extends deep gratitude for the wise counsel, encouragement, and vision of these exceptional community members. See the full list of Board members at ShoreRivers.org/leadership.

These new voices will bring a wealth of expertise to ShoreRivers, including equal opportunity and civil rights, social and economic justice, grantmaking and local governance, and environmental policy and conservation. Paired with a deep commitment to clean water and healthy Eastern Shore communities, these new members will strengthen the organization’s robust science-based advocacy, restoration, and education efforts.

Jack Broderick is a retired federal manager and long-time community activist and leader on Kent Island who serves on numerous local and state boards and committees, including the Maryland 250 Commission and the Bay Bridge Reconstruction Advisory Group. A former Captain in the U.S. Army, he retired in 2021 as the Director of Equal Opportunity for the National Guard Bureau, U.S. Department of Defense, after 34 years of combined Federal military and civilian service. Broderick lives on Cox Creek and enjoys crabbing, fishing, hunting, and generally spending time on the water. 

The former Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, Ann Swanson, has spent four decades as a leader in Chesapeake Bay restoration and been recognized for her work on a regional, national, and international scale. Swanson was the catalyst for the early formation of the Chester River Association and the Sassafras River Association — two of ShoreRivers’ legacy organizations. In recognition of that, and her tireless efforts on behalf of the Bay, and its landscapes and communities, she was the winner of ShoreRivers’ inaugural Award for Environmental Stewardship in 2019.

Loribeth Weinstein spent her career at the helm of non-profit and philanthropic organizations addressing issues of gender parity and social and economic justice. Now retired, she served for two decades as the CEO of Jewish Women International, an organization committed to protecting the rights of women and girls, and is a founder of the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, a philanthropic organization that has provided more than $16 million in grants to organizations in the Washington D.C. region since 1999. She has a love of Eastern Shore waterways that inspired her to deepen her commitment to environmental stewardship, and is also a Master Gardener.

In addition to its new members, the Board also recently elected its Executive Committee for 2025, which consists of Marian Fry, Chair; Barbara Boyd, Vice Chair; Frank Lewis, Treasurer; Maura Bollinger, Secretary, and Gene Lopez, At-Large.

ShoreRivers also celebrates several long-time Board members whose terms end this year: Meta Boyd, Bruce Abel, Ron Rothman, and Philp Webster. The organization is incredibly grateful to each of them for their years of dedicated service and invaluable contributions.

,

Major Funding Award Highlights Collaborative Efforts to Protect Eastern Shore Waterways

,

Contractors install a water control structure to manage the water table in a Caroline County farm field as part of a recently completed conservation drainage project. ShoreRivers is grateful to have been awarded funding through the State of Maryland’s Clean Water Commerce Account Program to implement six high-impact restoration projects across the Eastern Shore.

ShoreRivers is proud to announce that it has received the largest award in the organization’s history —more than $9 million in grant funding for six high-impact restoration projects across the Eastern Shore — through the State of Maryland’s Clean Water Commerce Account Program, administered by the Maryland Department of the Environment.

Each of the projects selected was designed to add more best management practices to our landscape and to generate large reductions in the amount of nitrogen pollution entering our waterways every year. One of these clean water projects will restore 4,143 feet of stream and 9 acres of associated floodplain wetlands in Queen Anne’s County on an active farm that drains directly into the tidal waters of the Wye River/Eastern Bay. The other five projects focused on drainage water management — the process of managing and treating water discharges from subsurface agricultural drainage systems to achieve water quality and agronomic goals — across the Eastern Shore.

“ShoreRivers works hard to bring in grant funding that is then directly applied to the benefit of our communities,” said Tim Rosen, ShoreRivers’ Director of Agriculture & Restoration. “With projects like these we can help our local farmers achieve production and conservation goals while also accelerating our efforts to clean up our waterways.”

ShoreRivers’ Director of Agriculture & Restoration, Tim Rosen, makes adjustments to a water control structure installed as part of a conservation drainage project on a Talbot County farm field. ShoreRivers is grateful to have been awarded funding through the State of Maryland’s Clean Water Commerce Account Program to implement six high-impact restoration projects across the Eastern Shore.

The process of securing this funding actually began two years ago, when ShoreRivers first applied for project funding made available by the passage of the Clean Water Commerce Act of 2021. This act was passed with the intention of accelerating the Chesapeake Bay cleanup effort by purchasing nitrogen outcomes — at the lowest possible price point — with a focus on projects from the agricultural sector and in communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harm and risks. Two of ShoreRivers’ projects were the only ones that scored a perfect 100 when the applications were reviewed. However, a discrepancy in the act’s implementation at the agency level led to the need for additional legislation during the most recent session of the Maryland General Assembly. As one of the organization’s leadership bills earlier this year, ShoreRivers’ Riverkeepers worked collaboratively with members of its Agriculture & Restoration department, plus other environmental advocates and partners, to ensure the act — a critical funding mechanism to help the state achieve its clean water goals — is executed in ways that support its original intent. 

“It was a true cross-departmental, cross-sector, and cross-industry effort to pass new legislation earlier this year,” said Matt Pluta, ShoreRivers’ Choptank Riverkeeper and the Director of its Riverkeeper Programs. “We’re proud of that success and the impacts that these projects can now have, and we’re grateful to have had bipartisan support from our local delegation to make it happen. When we all work together, it’s our land and waterways that win.”

ShoreRivers has an excellent track record of completing restoration projects, from wetlands and streams on agricultural land to smaller-scale projects for homeowners and neighborhoods. Clear, strong partnerships and dedicated staff help ensure that projects are completed with integrity and that the impact of these projects is communicated and amplified through programming. To learn more about our work to support thriving rivers cherished by all Eastern Shore communities, please visit shorerivers.org.