As a local Captain, teaching children about estuarine and marine science aboard historic Chesapeake workboats, I applaud the efforts of the consortium of concerned organizations that put together the letter to Congressman Andy Harris in last week’s paper. Counties on the Eastern Shore are almost completely surrounded by water. Our local lifestyle and economy are defined by and dependent upon that water.
Time and again, Harris has voted against what is in not just the best interests of District 1, but the watershed as a whole. He has consistently voted to restrict the authority of the EPA to effectively do their job in protecting constituents. He has voted against ensuring water quality, against standards for nutrient reduction, and seems to have little regard for the health and well being of the voters and their livelihoods.
He says that regulations are job-killing, but dirty water is job-killing in District 1. Dirty water causes shellfish closures and beach closures. Dirty water puts watermen, restaurants, sloughing houses and seafood stores out of business. A big part of our local economy relies on seafood, hunting, fishing, and tourism, and all of these industries rely on clean water. We need our representative to support efforts in Congress to defend clean water initiatives so we can depend on our jobs and our way of life.
The Eastern Shore is downstream from other states in the Bay watershed. The health of the water in our part of the Bay depends in part on their efforts to reduce pollution. We are working hard in Maryland to reduce our pollution, but we need to know other states are working hard as well. H.B. 4153, which takes away the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to coordinate Bay cleanup efforts, is shortsighted. We need our representative to ensure federal oversight of state cleanup initiatives so that our hard work here on the Eastern Shore is not overcome by pollution from our upstream neighbors. All states in the Bay watershed need to contribute to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution or we will suffer.
We need a representative who will defend the invaluable water resources upon which our local economy, lifestyle and health depends. We need Congressman Harris to do his job and hear our voices.
Capt. Billy Rudek
Worton, MD
Lainey Harrison says
Harris doesnt care about anything except the word NO and getting his own way. He doesnt care about the bay or jobs on the Eastern Shore.
He never has and never will.
Gren Whitman says
Replacing Andy Harris with John LaFerla is the ONLY way to solve this problem.
Steve Payne says
He was busy co-sponsoring the forcible rape bill with Mr Aiken and Ryan:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr3ih/pdf/BILLS-112hr3ih.pdf