Preserving Eastern Shore Heritage Through Engaging a New Generation of Land Stewards

ShoreRivers’ first co-hort of Next Generation Land Stewards meets at Wildy Native Flower Farm in July 2023.

Maryland’s Eastern Shore has long been known for its agricultural influence. In fact, 92% of land in Maryland is privately owned. In Kent County, 68% of land (122,050 acres) is considered agricultural lands. To ensure the health of the region’s ecosystem, it is crucial that landowners are engaged in conservation.

A new program by ShoreRivers, Next Generation Land Stewards, has convened its first cohort of new or upcoming agricultural landowners to create a network of peer support. The project is funded by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and was founded by ShoreRivers staff members who are the stewards of family farms in the region. 

Next Generation Land Stewards gather at Hermitage Farm in Centreville in May 2023.

“The goal of this project is to have a rising generation of land stewards who are educated and empowered to manage their land in a way that is profitable for the farm and their business and conscious of the ecosystem that the farm is part of,” said ShoreRivers Agriculture & Outreach Coordinator and Project Lead Laura Wood. “Such a large portion of our landscape here on the Shore is agriculture and is privately owned, so the people who manage that land are managing a large percentage of our landscape and our watershed so we see this project as a really important moment to engage those people.”

For the Eastern Shore, protecting agricultural lands means protecting 3,717 jobs and more than $1 billion in revenue to the state’s economy. Farmland provides food and cover for wildlife, helps control flooding, protects watersheds, and maintains air quality.

Since its inception at the beginning of 2023, the program has hosted workshops with expert partners and explored topics such as conservation easements; habitat management; and conservation incentive programs for buffers and wetlands. Future topics will include equitable leases; succession planning; forest stewardship; and government programs. As the program continues, it will connect participants to existing efforts and resources that will educate and empower the next generation of land stewards to feel confident as they navigate the decisions that will define our landscapes and waterways for years to come.

“As part of a generational Queen Anne’s County farm family, I’ve felt intensely connected to the farm where I grew up, passionate about protecting the land and water, and overwhelmed at the responsibility my generation will shoulder when it’s our turn to take up the mantle of good stewardship,” said Next Generation Land Steward Cohort Member Maria Wood. “The people who are connecting through Next Generation Land Stewards implicitly understand these sorts of questions and are eager—aching, even—to offer and seek wisdom and knowledge, and share the joys and stressors that we have in common while working, caring for, and ideally enjoying the rare and wonderful privilege of land stewardship on the Chesapeake Bay.”

While the grant provided by NFWF is planned to last a year, ShoreRivers plans to continue the program once the funding has run its course.

“We are hoping to—and intend to—continue the program beyond the first year. We are considering this the launching of the program and would love for this to continue on,” Laura Wood said.

To learn more or join the Next Generation Land Stewards Cohort, click here.

Raft-Up Concert Returns to Shaw Bay

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, Sept. 9, from 3–6 pm.

Celebrate the end of summer with ShoreRivers and the Miles-Wye Riverkeeper at the Shaw Bay Raft-Up Concert from 3–6 pm on Saturday, Sept. 9. The Eastport Oyster Boys will be making their 20th appearance and the Wye River Band will be back for their fourth 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. Bring your dinghy, paddle board, kayak, sailboat, or power boat, and join the floating raft up to enjoy live music in Shaw Bay, near the mouth of the Wye River. 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 Eastern Bay. Attendees are asked to use the organization’s pumpout boat services while in Shaw Bay, and throughout the boating season, to help with these efforts.

Since May 2016, the ShoreRivers pumpout boat has removed more than 90,000 gallons of waste from boaters on the Miles and Wye. The pumpout boat is funded by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and operates in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD. The vessel operates Friday–Sunday and on holidays from mid-May through mid-November. Pumpouts may be scheduled on VHF Channel 9 or by contacting Captain Jim at 410.829.4352 or POBcaptainjim@gmail.com.

ShoreRivers is a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education. 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.

Event questions may be directed to Freya Farley at ffarley@shorerivers.org. 

ShoreRivers Announces 2023 Photo Contest

A winning submission from the ShoreRivers 2022 photo contest. For a chance to have your photograph featured, submit a picture of your local watershed to the 2023 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 its annual photo contest from August through October, 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. 

Another winning submission from the ShoreRivers 2022 photo contest.

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, and education. We are particularly interested in images of people—show us how you enjoy the places we all love! Shore rivers are your rivers, and we want to see how you engage with the 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.

Schumann Foundation Honored at ShoreRivers Solstice Celebration

ShoreRivers Director of Community Engagement Darran White Tilghman and Board Member Rosemary Ramsey Granillo are pictured with honoree Ford Schumann, who accepted the 2023 Award for Environmental Stewardship on behalf of the Robert F. Schumann Foundation at ShoreRivers’ annual Solstice Celebration on June 24.

ShoreRivers was proud to present its 2023 Award for Environmental Stewardship to the Robert F. Schumann Foundation as part of the organization’s annual Solstice Celebration on Saturday, June 24, at Wilmer Park in Chestertown. 

This award recognizes an individual or entity in the Chesapeake Bay watershed for their transformational accomplishments as a steward of the environment, and the foundation was selected in recognition of its legacy of generosity to ShoreRivers.  

Miles-Wye Riverkeeper Ben Ford, Chester Riverkeeper Annie Richards, and Sassafras Riverkeeper Zack Kelleher are pictured at ShoreRivers’ annual Solstice Celebration.

The Robert F. Schumann Foundation was established by Mr. Robert Schumann out of his belief that the environment is essential to sustain the future of the planet, that education is essential to solve many quality-of-life issues for society, and that arts and cultural programs offer society hope and the ability to dream. The Schumann Foundation has been a central funder of environmental imperatives at ShoreRivers since 2017.

More than 350 guests joined ShoreRivers on June 24 for its Solstice Celebration—a big tent party held annually on the banks of the Chester River.

At the event, remarks on the foundation’s incredible community contributions were provided by Darran White Tilghman, Director of Community Engagement at ShoreRivers; Rosemary Ramsey Granillo, a member of the ShoreRivers Board of Directors; and Terwana Brown, Program Manager for Kent Attainable Housing.

“(The Robert F. Schumann Foundation) has helped leverage over $1.6 million in funding for community restoration projects through ShoreRivers. The landscapes of our communities are transforming because of this work,” said Ramsey Granillo. “I’m especially honored to present this award on behalf of the Board of ShoreRivers because the Schumann family means so much to me and my family. Ford and my mom, Marcy, were founding members of the Chester River Association, so in a real way they are why we’re all here tonight.” 

Accepting on behalf of the foundation created by his father, Ford Schumann was presented with a hand-crafted, locally sourced bird box. The box served to recognize the foundation’s support of native planting projects, which provide habitat and food for threatened species like birds and pollinators. Planting native species is the single most important thing individuals and communities can do for local water quality and habitat value. Native plants are defined as the species that naturally occur in a region, which have co-evolved with other plant and animal species to form the local ecosystem.

In addition to the award presentation, the Solstice Celebration included gourmet fare provided by Hambleton House Catering & Events, live music from Philip Dutton and the Alligators, and a rousing live auction led by Chester Riverkeeper Annie Richards. The crowd of more than 350 supporters helped raise more than $132,000 in support of ShoreRivers’ work for clean rivers. To learn more, visit shorerivers.org.

Millions of Oysters Planted in Eastern Bay

Millions of juvenile oysters were planted in Eastern Bay on June 15, 2023, as part of Operation Build-a-Reef: Eastern Bay, a campaign in support of oyster restoration work. Learn more at shorerivers.org/give/reef.

Eighteen million oysters were planted on a sanctuary near Tilghman Point in Eastern Bay this Thursday as part of Operation Build-a-Reef: Eastern Bay. The planting was the culmination of a two-year fundraising effort by ShoreRivers, in partnership with Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP), and other key supporters. Oysters provide valuable ecosystem services by filtering water and creating vital habitats for other marine species, including Maryland’s iconic blue crab and rockfish.

Operation Build-a-Reef: Eastern Bay's goal was to support oyster restoration efforts by planting millions of these beneficial bivalves in the local watershed. An initial planting of 70 million oysters was completed by ORP in 2022, with funding provided by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Thursday's planting was also conducted by ORP and was fully funded by ShoreRivers' network of supporters who raised the stakes—and the impact—by donating nearly $80,000 for the newest residents of Eastern Bay. Oyster larvae were supplied by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Horn Point Lab in Cambridge.

“The waterways of Eastern Bay, including the Miles and Wye rivers, suffer from excess nitrogen and sediment pollution,” says Miles-Wye Riverkeeper Ben Ford. “Thanks to generous support from many individuals, businesses, and foundations, we’re proud that we’re able to support direct oyster restoration work here on the Shore.”

Oyster Recovery Partnership, the nonprofit expert in Chesapeake Bay oyster restoration, has planted more than 10 billion oysters and recycled 280,000+ bushels of oyster shell since its founding in 1994. ORP began the Build-a-Reef program to encourage community-supported reef building efforts Bay-wide. To date, the Build-a-Reef program has resulted in more than 130 million oysters planted in three Bay tributaries.

“We’re pleased to be working again with our partners at ShoreRivers to rebuild oyster populations here in Eastern Bay.  A lot of our work is focused on large-scale restoration projects in remote areas of the Eastern Shore and we’re happy to be working closer to home and sharing our work with our neighbors.  We’re grateful for all the support we’ve received,” said Ward Slacum, executive director of the Oyster Recovery Partnership.

Operation Build-a-Reef: Eastern Bay benefitted from the support of corporate partners including Bosun’s Marine, who offered to match gifts made by its customers in support of the effort, and Smyth Jewelers who donated 1,000 oysters for every engagement ring sold. Many donors, and staff from Bosun’s, ShoreRivers, and the Oyster Recovery Partnership were on hand to watch the planting.

Maryland Swim for Life Returns June 3

The 32rd Maryland Swim for Life, which is hosted by the District of Columbia Aquatics Club and benefits ShoreRivers and other nonprofits, will be held in the Chester River on Saturday, June 3. Visit shorerivers.org/events to register and for additional details.

Previously held each September, this year’s Maryland Swim for Life on the Chester River has been scheduled for Saturday, June 3.

Hosted by the District of Columbia Aquatics Club and sanctioned by U.S. Masters Swimming, the Maryland Swim for Life is an open water event and community fundraiser held annually at Rolph’s Wharf on the Chester River in Chestertown. Check-in will begin at 7am, followed by safety briefings and swim starts at 8:15 and 9am. A picnic celebration and awards ceremony will be held at noon. Register at shorerivers.org/events for 2.5K, 5K, and 7.5K swims, plus 1.2-mile and 2.4-mile Triathlon challenge swims. DC Aquatics appreciates its sponsors TYR, DC Department of Parks and Recreation, and Columbia Property Management.  

Proceeds from Maryland Swim for Life support four local nonprofits whose mission statements include environmental, medical, health, wellness, and fitness advocacy. ShoreRivers is honored to be a beneficiary again this year. The Chester Riverkeeper is pleased to provide on-the-water safety support as well as water quality and bacteria testing results. ShoreRivers’ swim caps are available for $10, which provide direct support to the Swimmable ShoreRivers’ bacteria monitoring program.

Visit ShoreRivers.org/events for information and to register. Volunteer kayakers to serve as safety support are also needed for the event, please email cocaptain@swimdcac.org if you’re interested and available.

Swimmable ShoreRivers Program Returns, Expands Access to Results

Chester Riverkeeper Annie Richards shows off one of ShoreRivers’ new informational signs at Morgnec Landing on Morgan Creek. Located at 14 sites (and counting) across the Eastern Shore, these signs provide information on bacteria in our waterways and the Swimmable ShoreRivers program, in addition to and showing users where to find weekly test results in both English and Spanish.

ShoreRivers is pleased to announce that not only will its Swimmable ShoreRivers bacteria testing program begin Thursday, May 25, but that weekly results from this annual program will 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.

Choptank Riverkeeper Matt Pluta holds water quality samples. This summer, ShoreRivers and a team of volunteer SwimTesters will monitor bacteria levels at sites around the region, providing a critical public health service for communities and identifying pollution hotspots for future restoration efforts.

A second page, shorerivers.org/swimmable-shorerivers-espanol, has been set up to share this program with the Spanish-speaking community, and 14 signs can be found at public 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 were made possible thanks to funding from the Cornell Douglas Foundation, and ShoreRivers’ Riverkeepers will continue working throughout the season with local county officials to install more. Want to see one at your favorite local landing? Reach out to your Riverkeeper about adding a site, and talk to your county officials about installing one of these free and informative signs.

Weekly results are also shared on theswimguide.org, where descriptions of testing sites have also been added in both languages.

“At ShoreRivers, we believe that access to clean water is an essential right for all of our communities,” said Chester Riverkeeper Annie Richards. “It was important to us to be able to offer informational access to more of our community, and we hope to continue expanding this access in the future.”

This public service provided by ShoreRivers truly is a community effort: this summer, 61 SwimTesters will monitor 46 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, homeowner’s associations, and families.

Bacteria levels in our rivers and tributaries vary based on location, land use, and weather—making systematic, scientific analysis of local water quality vital. Major rain events are almost always connected to spikes in bacteria levels, and outgoing tides have a higher probability of carrying bacteria pollution. Potential chronic sources of bacteria include failing septic systems, overflows or leaks from wastewater treatment plants, waste from animal farms, or manure fertilizer.

Also returning for the 2023 season is ShoreRivers’ Pumpout Boat, which begins running during Memorial Day weekend. 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-October. With your help, this boat will help prevent more than 20,000 gallons of concentrated marine waste from entering our waters annually. To schedule a pump-out, contact Captain Jim Freeman at 410-829-4352, on VHF Channel 9, email POBCaptJim@gmail.com, or by using the form at shorerivers.org/programs/pumpout-boat.

Celebrate the Summer Solstice with ShoreRivers

Join ShoreRivers on June 24 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 24, at Wilmer Park in Chestertown, ShoreRivers’ annual Solstice Celebration includes an open bar with Ten Eyck beer, Crow Vineyards wine, and a signature cocktail; hors d’oeuvres and a full buffet dinner with 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.

This year’s celebration features local, sustainable food creations from award-winning and classically French trained Chef Jordan Lloyd. Lloyd, formerly of the Bartlett Pear Inn, has worked alongside the country's premier Four-Star Chefs, and is a James Beard Foundation chef as well as an alumnus of the James Beard Foundation Chef’s Boot Camp for Policy and Change. He and his wife, Alice, cofounded Hambleton House, a catering and events company committed to building a healthier, more delicious and sustainable food culture. ShoreRivers is thrilled to be partnering with them as one of this year’s sponsors of the event.

“The solstice indicates the start to summer when so many people flock to the river,” says Isabel Hardesty, Executive Director of ShoreRivers. “We love being able to celebrate the season with the stunning backdrop of the Chester, and it’s important to gather our supporters together to enjoy what our waterways bring to our communities. We look forward to this opportunity to see our long-time members and to welcome new friends to ShoreRivers!”

During the event, the Robert F. Schumann Foundation will be presented with the 2023 Award for Environmental Stewardship in recognition of its legacy of generosity to ShoreRivers. The award recognizes an individual or entity in the Chesapeake Bay watershed for their transformational accomplishments as a steward of the environment. The Robert F. Schumann Foundation was established by Mr. Schumann out of his belief that the environment is essential to sustain the future of the planet, that education is essential to solve many quality-of-life issues for society, and that arts and cultural programs offer society hope and the ability to dream. The Schumann Foundation has been a central funder of environmental imperatives at ShoreRivers since 2017.

All funds raised during this event will go directly to support ShoreRivers’ work for clean rivers. Many thanks go to our generous event sponsors: Hambleton House Events & Catering, Wildly Native Flower Farm, Rosin Creek Collaborative, Brandon Hoy & Brook Schumann, Eastern Shore Tents and Events, Ed Hatcher & Angie Cannon, Unity Nursery, Chesapeake Bay and Trust Company, Ten Eyck Brewing Company, National Aquarium, and The Finishing Touch.  Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Help ShoreRivers achieve their clean water goals by becoming a sponsor for the Solstice Celebration, and joining a cadre of committed environmental stewards.

For tickets, sponsorships, and more information, visit shorerivers.org/events or contact Freya Farley at ffarley@shorerivers.org.

State of the Rivers Series Continues in May

ShoreRivers staff members Morgan Buchanan and Matt Pluta are pictured before presenting at the organization’s State of the Rivers event at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels. This free series of presentations continues around the Eastern Shore on select dates in May; visit shorerivers.org/events for details.

Matt Pluta, Choptank Riverkeeper and Director of Riverkeeper Programs at ShoreRivers (center), presents the Andy Coombs Memorial Volunteer Award to Maura Bollinger and Ron Rothman.

More than 150 guests joined ShoreRivers at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels on Wednesday, April 26, for the kickoff event in its annual State of the Rivers series—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. 

At the St. Michaels event, ShoreRivers’ Riverkeepers shared the results of their 2022 water quality testing; updates on recent agricultural, urban, and oyster restoration efforts; goals and metrics for underwater grasses, bacteria pollution, and sediment levels; and much more, with an emphasis on the Choptank, Miles, and Wye rivers, and on Eastern Bay. Upcoming events will focus on the Chester and Sassafras rivers, and the Bayside Creeks. Director of Riverkeeper Programs Matt Pluta also recognized standout volunteers Maura Bollinger and Ron Rothman with the Andy Coombs Memorial Volunteer Award for their dedication to the organization and their generous service in support of healthy waterways on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Coombs was an incredible supporter and one of the first volunteers for the Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy, one of the three legacy organizations that merged in 2017 to create ShoreRivers. He was instrumental in its oyster restoration efforts. Additional volunteers will be recognized throughout the series.

A standing-room-only crowd of more than 150 people joined ShoreRivers at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum on Wednesday, April 26, for the kickoff event in its annual State of the Rivers series. The series continues around the Eastern Shore on select dates in May; visit shorerivers.org/events for details.

There’s still time to attend an upcoming State of the Rivers presentation, as the series continues Wednesday, May 3, at Cult Classic Brewing in Stevensville, with Chester Riverkeeper Annie Richards and new Miles-Wye Riverkeeper Ben Ford; Thursday, May 4, at the Kent County Community Center in Worton, with Chester Riverkeeper Annie Richards and Sassafras Riverkeeper Zack Kelleher; Tuesday, May 9, at the Galena Fire Hall, with Sassafras Riverkeeper Zack Kelleher; and concludes on Wednesday, May 10, at 447 Venue in Cambridge, with Choptank Riverkeeper Matt Pluta.

ShoreRivers is grateful for this year’s State of the Rivers sponsors: Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay, Choptank Oyster Co., Peter & Georgeanne Pinkard, Cult Classic Brewing, Orchard Point Oysters, Ten Eyck Brewing Company, the Kent County Community Center, the Galena Volunteer Fire Department, Jeff & Beth Horstman, Happy Chicken Bakery, and Ferry Bridge House.

To learn more, visit shorerivers.org/events.

ShoreRivers Reflects on 2023 Legislative Session

 ShoreRivers’ Sassafras Riverkeeper Zack Kelleher, Choptank Riverkeeper Matt Pluta, and Chester Riverkeeper Annie Richards are pictured in Annapolis during a day of advocating for legislation that supports clean rivers and healthy waterways.

April 11—also known as Sine Die day—marked the official end of session for Maryland’s General Assembly. After three years of virtual participation due to COVID precautions, ShoreRivers was able to return to the capital in-person again this year. The organization’s advocacy work, which is led by your Riverkeepers, is fundamental to creating system-wide change to protect our local rivers against the major issues that impact water quality on the Eastern Shore. As a leading voice for the waterways of the Eastern Shore, we amplify our work through local and state-wide coalitions, working groups, and other positions of influence.

Over the past 90 days, your Riverkeepers engaged with 50 environmental bills covering a wide array of topics including forestry education, PFAS monitoring, floodplain ordinance updates, invasive species control, underwater grass surveys, and more. After months of hard work and productive conversations, the following slate of bills has now passed from the assembly to Governor Wes Moore’s desk to await ratification (or veto):

ShoreRivers Priority Bills:

• HB11/SB483 Private Well Safety Act of 2023

• HB723/SB526 Forest Preservation and Retention

• SB470  Land Conservation - Establishment of Goals and Programs (Maryland the Beautiful Act)

• SB471  Water Pollution Control - Discharge Permits - Stormwater Associated with Construction Activity

Other Legislation Supported by ShoreRivers:

• HB874/SB611  Office of the Attorney General Environment and Natural Resources Monitoring Unit - Establishment

• HB289/SB282  Maryland Forestry Education Fund - Establishment

• SB80 Blue and Flathead Catfish Finfish Trotline License - Establishment

• HB62/SB62 Public Service Companies - Pollinator-Friendly Vegetation Management

• HB63 Certified Local Farm and Chesapeake Invasive Species Provider Program -Establishment

• SB434 Restorative Aquaculture Pilot Program

• HB253/SB262  On-Farm Composting Facilities - Permit Exemption

• HB0152 Urban Agriculture Grant Programs - Alterations

• SB830 Environmental Health Systems Support Act of 2023

• HB950/SB836 Maryland Native Plants Program

• HB503 Greenspace Equity

• HB30/SB7 On-Site Wastewater Services - Board, Fees, and Penalties

This year was a win for native plants and invasive species control in Maryland. ShoreRivers applauds the state’s focus on the natural environment as a means to benefit pollinator species and migratory birds, while protecting water quality and wildlife native to the Chesapeake Bay. Thanks to HB62, native plants and pollinator habitats will be prioritized and protected in public spaces and along state highways—capturing runoff from impervious surface before it enters local waterways. Bills like HB63 will incentivize the commercial market for harmful invasive fish such as snakeheads and blue catfish, which will help protect juvenile fish and crab populations in our waters.

Unfortunately, many priority bills for ShoreRivers that would have increased regulations and monitoring practices by the Maryland Department of the Environment did not pass this session. Under a new administration in its first year, your Riverkeepers are hopeful that state agencies will be compelled to take on this important work without a legislative mandate. Through the state budget bill, we see that the department is requesting funds for new staff to bolster its enforcement capacity.

Also of note this year is a bill that would add support, as well as accountability, to Maryland state agencies that have enforcement authority over environmental laws, titled HB874: Office of the Attorney General - Environment and Natural Resources Monitoring Unit. This bill will create an Environmental and Natural Resources Crimes Unit in the Office of the Attorney General to investigate and prosecute cases against those who violate environmental and natural resources laws. Each year, this unit would be required to report to certain entities in the state on all of its activities and any actions taken by the Maryland Departments of the Environment or Natural Resources in response to its findings and recommendations.

“If the state is ever to meet Chesapeake cleanup goals, enforcement for pollution violations must be a priority,” says Matt Pluta, ShoreRivers’ Choptank Riverkeeper and Director of Riverkeeper Programs. “We’re optimistic about the changes to be brought and commitments made by the administration of a new Maryland Department of the Environment. However, in the event that the department fails to do its job, the Attorney General’s Environmental Monitoring Unit should assist in holding polluters accountable.”

ShoreRivers implements restoration projects throughout our communities, engages volunteers in tree plantings and oyster growing, and reaches thousands of students each year through environmental education programs in local schools. The organization’s advocacy at the local, state, and federal level ensures that all of those endeavors can continue in order to support water quality improvements. Visit shorerivers.org to learn more about this important work.

Ben Ford Named New Miles-Wye Riverkeeper

Ben Ford has joined the ShoreRivers staff as its new Miles-Wye Riverkeeper. The public is invited to meet Ford and hear about his vision for the watershed during the ShoreRivers April 26 and May 3 State of the Rivers events. Learn more at shorerivers.org/events.

ShoreRivers is thrilled to announce its hiring of Ben Ford as the organization’s new Miles-Wye Riverkeeper.

“The Chesapeake and the Miles River both hold a special place in my heart—they’ve helped shape who I am and the way I see the world. I even met my wife while waist deep in the Miles! I feel as though I am most at home in the outdoors, whether I’m leading an experiential learning program, running our 13-foot Whaler up Southeast Creek, or heading out with my wife and son for our weekly Sunday hike. Personally, and professionally, I see the power the Chesapeake environment has to connect us, to awaken us, to energize us, and to help us look toward the future,” said Ford.

Ford joins ShoreRivers after more than a decade at Washington College's Center for Environment & Society, where he led the Chesapeake Semester, an experiential program studying Bay issues including ecosystem health, pollution, habitat, policy and advocacy, community engagement, and fisheries. An Easton native who learned to sail on the Miles River and taught sailing camps through the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, he now lives with his family in Chestertown.

“The mission of ShoreRivers inspires me, as does the chance to use my creative skills and network to help ShoreRivers fulfill its mission on a river that feels like home. The rivers of the Eastern Shore are so special to me—I want to help others see them the same way,” said Ford.

As Miles-Wye Riverkeeper, Ford will serve as the primary voice for the Miles and Wye rivers, and Eastern Bay on the Eastern Shore, working through the core strategies of advocacy, enforcement, outreach, and scientific water quality monitoring to achieve ShoreRivers’ vision of clean waterways.

The public is invited to meet Ford and learn about his plans for the watershed during its upcoming State of the Rivers—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. He will be a featured presenter at events at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels on April 26 (alongside the Choptank Riverkeeper) and at Cult Classic Brewing in Stevensville on May 3 (alongside the Chester Riverkeeper). For a full list of program dates and additional details, visit shorerivers.org/events.

ShoreRivers Seeks Volunteers for Project Clean Stream

ShoreRivers volunteers after a successful Project Clean Stream trash pick-up event in 2021.

Join ShoreRivers to clear trash from our roads, parks, and rivers this spring and help protect the Bay by cleaning up your waterways! ShoreRivers and volunteers are hosting community trash clean-ups as part of Project Clean Stream, a Bay-wide trash clean-up that is organized by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and coordinated by local groups like ShoreRivers. Project Clean Stream is an opportunity for citizens across the entire watershed to work together to clean our shared water resource.

Friday, March 31, marks the official 2023 kickoff date, and clean-ups will be held throughout the spring. Join a Project Clean Stream cleanup near you:

Participants of a Project Clean Stream trash pick-up at Bennett Point pose with their day’s haul in April 2022.

• Saturday, April 1, at 9am: Budds Landing at Wards Hill Road, Cecil County

• Saturday April 1, at 10am: Old Wye Mills Road, Talbot County (meet at Old Wye Church)

• Sunday, April 2, at 1pm: Centreville Wharf with Corsica River Conservancy

• Saturday April 2, at 1pm: Mill Creek in Centreville with Centreville Rotary Club (meet at Mills Stream Park)

• Saturday April 8, at 8:30am: Fox Hole Landing near Galena

• Saturday April 15, at 7am: Phillips Wharf Environmental Center with Tidy up Talbot

• Saturday April 15, at 8:30am: Easton Point Marina (cleanup via kayak)

• Saturday April 15, at 9am: Sassafras Natural Resource Management Area at Turner Creek Landing

• Sunday April 16, at 1pm: Millington Waterfront Park

• Sunday April 16, at 1pm: Nesbit and Bennett Point Road in Queenstown

• Saturday April 22, at 9am: Stevensville Park and Ride

• Saturday, April 22, at 10am: Choptank (Blades Road and Hunting Creek Road) with the Caroline County Garden Club

• Saturday June 3, at 8am: Cambridge as part of the Rotary Day of Service

To volunteer for any of these clean-ups, please contact Maegan White at mwhite@shorerivers.org or visit shorerivers.org/events for individual event details. Trash bags and gloves will be provided; volunteers are encouraged to bring water and wear appropriate attire.

Local Students Attend 2023 Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit

More than 50 students from across the Eastern Shore attended the second annual Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit on March 18.

More than 50 students attended the second annual Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit, held Saturday, March 18, at Washington College in Chestertown. Attendees included students from Talbot, Caroline, Kent, and Queen Anne’s counties, and from as far away as Annapolis and Pennsylvania.

High school student leaders were vital to ensuring that the Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit was presented by students, for students. From left are Van Tran, Easton High School; Addie Nicholson, Kent Island High School; Carissa Shue, ​Kent Island High School; Finnegan Merrick, ​Easton High School; Linda Gayle, Annapolis High School; and David Daniels, Jr., ​Kent County High School.

The Summit is co-hosted by ShoreRivers as part of its work to protect and restore Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education, and Washington College’s Center for the Environment and Society. It is a free event created to inspire and empower middle and high school students in taking local environmental action.

The Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit is supported by The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment, The Curtis & Edith Munson Foundation, IKEA, La Motte, and The Gunston School’s Chesapeake Watershed Semester.

Riverkeepers to Host Annual State of the Rivers Series

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.

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, algae, 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 and activities will be available for children ages 6–12. ShoreRivers is grateful for this year’s State of the Rivers sponsors: Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay, Cult Classic Brewing, Choptank Oyster Co., Orchard Point Oysters, Ten Eyck Brewing Company, Worton Community Center, and Galena Volunteer Fire Department.

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

Wednesday, April 26, at Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, from 5:30–7pm
featuring Choptank Riverkeeper Matt Pluta and your new Miles-Wye Riverkeeper

Wednesday, May 3, at Cult Classic Brewing in Stevensville, from 5:30–7pm
featuring Chester Riverkeeper Annie Richards and your new Miles-Wye Riverkeeper

Thursday, May 4, at Kent County Community Center in Worton, from 5:30–7pm
featuring Chester Riverkeeper Annie Richards & Sassafras Riverkeeper Zack Kelleher

Tuesday, May 9, at Galena Fire Hall, from 5:30–7pm
featuring Sassafras Riverkeeper Zack Kelleher

Wednesday, May 10, at 447 Venue in Cambridge, from 5:30–7pm
featuring Choptank Riverkeeper Matt Pluta

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 to increase awareness of the issues, inspire behavior change, and implement practices for healthier river systems.

“Eastern Shore waterways are choked by polluted runoff from residential, commercial, and agricultural properties,” said Matt Pluta, ShoreRivers’ Choptank Riverkeeper & Director of Riverkeeper Programs. “Intentional and unintentional bacterial contamination poses risks to human health. Regular scientific monitoring for these and other pollutants 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.”   

For more information about these events, visit shorerivers.org/events.

Workshops Announced for 2023 Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit

Take learning outside during this year’s Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit scheduled for Saturday, March 18, 2023. Students will have the opportunity to do hands-on environmental investigations and action, like the stream surveying seen here. Visit uppershoresummit.weebly.com to learn more. 

An exciting slate of workshops, activities, and excursions has been announced for the Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit on Saturday, March 18, 2023, held from 9am–3:30pm. Hosted at Washington College in Chestertown, the Summit is a free event created to inspire and empower middle and high school students in taking local environmental action. 

Workshops, which are led by local professionals in environmental careers, include sessions on cooking with invasive species, using photography to highlight environmental issues, and running sustainable businesses. Students will also have the opportunity to get outside and explore environmental actions through activities like bird banding, oyster shucking and aquaculture farm experiences, a walking tour showcasing how history and the environment influence each other, building recipes with locally sourced ingredients, exploring a wetland, and much more. For a full list of offerings and to register for the Summit, visit uppershoresummit.weebly.com. 

The Summit is hosted by ShoreRivers as part of its work to protect and restore Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education, and Washington College’s Center for the Environment and Society.  

Any youth attending the Summit must register to attend the event with a mentor. Mentors are adults who are responsible for up to 10 students and can be parents, teachers, or community leaders. Groups larger than 10 require a co-mentor. Mentors will receive a packet with information and a permission packet that their students’ guardians must complete. Registration is on a first come, first served basis and closes at 4pm on March 10. 

The Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit is supported by The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment, The Curtis & Edith Munson Foundation, IKEA, La Motte, and The Gunston School and their Chesapeake Watershed Semester.

Maryland Environmental Organizations Seek Judicial Review of New Valley Proteins Wastewater Permit

Fred Pomeroy, President of the Board of Directors for Dorchester Citizens for Planned Growth, and Morgan Buchanan from ShoreRivers collect water samples from the Transquaking River.

On Friday, Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), Dorchester Citizens for Planned Growth (DCPG), Friends of the Nanticoke River, ShoreRivers, and Wicomico Environmental Trust filed a legal challenge against Maryland Department of the Environment’s (MDE) newly issued wastewater discharge permit for Valley Proteins’ animal waste rendering plant in Linkwood.

The environmental organizations are challenging the permit due to the potential for the plant’s pollution discharges to contribute to unhealthy water quality in the Transquaking River, Higgins Mill Pond, and Chesapeake Bay. The lawsuit was filed in Dorchester County Circuit Court.

“MDE relied on insufficient data about the Transquaking River and its watershed when issuing this permit,” said CBF’s Eastern Shore Director Alan Girard. “While the agency claims the new permit would reduce pollutants, it doesn’t ensure water quality will be protected. The amount of pollution that MDE permits Valley Proteins to release into Dorchester County waterways will continue the long-term, well-documented harm this facility is causing in the Transquaking River watershed. The agency that issued the permit under the previous Governor’s administration must be held accountable for not meeting its obligation to protect water quality as required by federal law.”

The permit would not require Valley Proteins, now owned by Darling Ingredients, to make any significant changes to their operations for three years. It also allows the company to expand its wastewater discharge from an annual average of 150,000 gallons per day up to 575,000 gallons per day if the plant meets some slightly higher requirements for ammonia, biochemical oxygen demand, and dissolved oxygen. The plant’s previous five-year permit expired in 2006 and was not updated for 16 years, making it one of the longest administratively extended permits in the state’s history.

Under the law, the new permit is supposed to ensure that Higgins Mill Pond and the Transquaking River are safe for swimming, fishing, and wildlife habitat.

The water quality impairments where the plant discharges are well documented. Valley Proteins is the only point source polluter on the Transquaking River and, according to MDE policy documents, accounts for about 40 percent of the river’s nitrogen pollution. In Higgins Mill Pond on the Transquaking, just downstream from Valley Proteins, fish kills have occurred, the water is not always safe for recreation, and aquatic life has decreased. Harmful algal blooms have been recorded in the pond, with a sign posted next to it warning residents not to touch the water.

In September 2022, the company settled a lawsuit with ShoreRivers, DCPG, CBF, and MDE related to past violations of the prior permit. That settlement required the company to pay $540,000 in civil penalties to the state and $135,000 to the non-profit petitioners for funding water quality monitoring and restoration. It also required Valley Proteins to investigate groundwater at the site and make facility and transparency improvements.

“We appreciate the efforts of the Maryland Department of the Environment to address the large volume of public comments that were received concerning the discharge from Valley Proteins. But, despite some improvements in water quality protections and discharge limits in the renewed permit, the agency appears to prioritize the interests of the operator over the health of the Transquaking River and the safety of our Eastern Shore residents,” said Matt Pluta, Director of Riverkeeper Programs at ShoreRivers. “Even with a Total Maximum Daily Load, or ‘pollution diet’ for the river issued in 2000, the Transquaking continues to show signs of degrading water quality with harmful algal blooms, high bacteria levels, and an overabundance of nutrients. Valley Proteins has spent years violating pollution controls, failing to modernize their wastewater treatment plant, and discharging unauthorized waste materials, and now is the time to chart a better path forward.”

MDE used information from the nearby Chicamacomico River to estimate whether the Transquaking River and downstream waters could handle the pollution from Valley Proteins. Unlike the Chicamacomico, the Transquaking has an impoundment that impedes its flow and creates Higgins Mill Pond. The Valley Proteins outfall is above the pond where effluent from the plant can linger an average of nine days. This creates conditions that fuel harmful algal blooms, low oxygen dead zones, and wildlife impacts, especially in hot weather.

“The proposed four-fold increase in wastewater discharge volume will only result in the death of the river unless the current treatment technology is brought to a much higher standard,” said Fred Pomeroy, President of the Board of Directors of Dorchester Citizens for Planned Growth (DCPG), a citizens group which has been trying since 2014 to get MDE to establish strong pollution limits for the rendering plant. “Valley Proteins should not be allowed to facilitate their operation by continuing to dump increasing volumes of polluted wastewater into the Transquaking and the Chesapeake Bay. Nor should they be allowed to continue to pollute both the air and groundwater of the Transquaking watershed, which has happened previously. The technology exists for the company to clean up their operation, and it is incumbent on MDE to require them to do so.”

Judith Stribling, Past President of The Friends of the Nanticoke River, noted the group joined many other citizens in the fall of 2021 in providing written and public testimony regarding the permit for Valley Proteins. “We are dismayed that our and others’ expressions of concern appear to have been dismissed. The effects of overwhelming nutrient pollution of the Transquaking River propagate downstream and have the potential to measurably degrade the water quality of Fishing Bay and of the Lower Nanticoke River,” Stribling said.

"We’re concerned about the effect of a massive increase in the rendering plant’s discharge on groundwater, which could imperil the health of residents throughout the Lower Eastern Shore area, particularly those who rely on well water,” said Madeleine Adams, President of the Wicomico Environmental Trust. “The way we treat our water has far-reaching implications, given the interrelationship of the health of the watershed and quality of life, public health, and the economic health of the region."

The lawsuit seeks to remand the permit back to Maryland Department of the Environment so the agency can address deficiencies, protect water quality and communities from harm, and fully comply with the law.

Until recently, MDE inspections and enforcement activity were declining at an alarming rate. Maryland’s new Governor has pledged $3.7 million to help MDE fill staffing vacancies and deal with an extensive backlog of administratively extended permits like the one renewed for Valley Proteins.

ShoreRivers Shares 2023 Legislative Priorities

ShoreRivers’ Sassafras Riverkeeper Zack Kelleher, Choptank Riverkeeper Matt Pluta, and Chester Riverkeeper Annie Richards are pictured in Annapolis ahead of a day of advocating for legislation that supports clean rivers and healthy waterways.

Now that the Maryland General Assembly has reconvened for the 445th 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.

ShoreRivers, in partnership with the broader environmental community, has several priorities going into this session:

1. a Well Safety Act that will protect private well owners and establish a state-wide Well Safety Program;

2. septic system reforms to update and maintain systems that are currently aging and failing;

3. legislation that will reform the state’s living shoreline laws;

4. a bill that aims to better control stormwater pollution coming from construction sites;

5. a bill that aims to create climate-ready floodplain ordinances to address land use practices that are insufficient in the face of sea level rise and coastal storm surge;

6. the 30x30 Maryland the Beautiful bill to support land conservation;

7. laws that prohibit the disposal of yard waste and grass clippings in roadways; and

8. a bill that seeks to increase forest protections under the Forest Conservation Act.

ShoreRivers also supports federal legislation to designate the Chesapeake Bay as a National Recreational Area. Additional bills and legislation could be added to this list as they are introduced, in line with ShoreRivers’ mission of protecting and restoring Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education.

Just as ShoreRivers implements restoration projects throughout our communities, engages volunteers in tree plantings and oyster growing, and reaches thousands of students each year through environmental education programs in local schools, the organization’s advocacy at the local, state, and federal level ensures that all of those endeavors can continue in order to support water quality improvements. Maryland’s laws and regulations should protect and support these local investments, and 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.

Registration Open for the 2023 Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit

Attendees celebrate youth empowerment and environmental action at the 2022 Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, March 18, 2023.

Registration is open for middle and high school students to attend the Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit on Saturday, March 18, 2023, from 9am–3:30pm. Hosted at Washington College in Chestertown, the Summit is a free event created to inspire and empower youth in taking local environmental action. 

The day’s agenda includes a networking breakfast where students can mingle with their peers and local agencies offering volunteer and internship opportunities. Students will then follow their own self-created schedule to attend workshops led by fellow students and professionals in green careers. Sessions will dive into environmental photography, fisheries, sustainable food systems, how to engage in advocacy, engineering, and more. After lunch, students will get outside and into the community on curated excursions to experience the ways that they can make a positive impact in nature. Excursions include bird banding, a how-to workshop on hosting an invasive fishing tournament, and tours of wetlands and restoration sites among others.

The Summit is hosted by ShoreRivers as part of its work to protect and restore Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education, and Washington College’s Center for the Environment and Society. Seven incredible high school student leaders from across the Eastern Shore have been vital to ensuring that the Summit is by students, for students, with art, food, action, fun, and the environment in mind.

The Summit is free and open to the public, but youth must register to attend the event with a mentor. Mentors are adults who are responsible for up to 10 students at the Summit and can be parents, teachers, or community leaders. Groups larger than 10 require a co-mentor. Mentors will receive a packet with information and a permission packet that their students’ guardians must complete. Registration is on a first come, first served basis and closes at 4pm on March 3.  To register for the Summit, or to learn more, visit uppershoresummit.weebly.com. 

 The Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit is supported by The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment, The Curtis & Edith Munson Foundation, IKEA, and La Motte.