Our Riverkeeper actively patrols our rivers and calls in the appropriate enforcement arm for individual pollution incidents, like clear cutting, sediment plumes from improper construction practices, abandoned boats, or illegal discharges/dumping. The Federation heavily depends on our supporters for their eyes and ears about threats to river health. Remember, most incidents happen significantly upstream of tidal waters, where only local community members would see it.
Keeping an Eye on the Enforcers
Anne Arundel County has a reputation for being one of the most environmentally responsible counties in the nation. However, it was hard for our Riverkeeper to ground truth this assertion since the enforcement cases were not available to the public. After numerous requests using the Public Information Act, our Riverkeeper was able to perform an audit of the County’s enforcement efforts. Of all the enforcement violations, there are over 600 a year, only 10% end up with an enforcement action. See the audit here.
Environmental legislation
Each year, the Riverkeeper tracks several environmental legislative bills at the city, county, state, and federal level and testifies for or against various bills. The bills cover a large range of issues that relate to the health of our rivers including bills about sewer, septic, stormwater, development, discharge and dumping, oysters, and abandoned boats.
Recent Advocacy Wins
The power of the Federation’s voice to influence legislation depends on the number of people who will contact their representative when we send out a call to action. We are grateful to all our supporters who have written or called their representatives, shown up for rallies or testimony, or signed petitions. Learn more about two recent wins. The Passing of the Styrofoam Ban and the Passing of the Forest Conservation Act
Environmental Policy
Arundel Rivers Federation advocates for the health of our lands and our rivers so they may be enjoyed by all. Our Riverkeeper engages in regulatory and legislative efforts in Annapolis and across the Chesapeake Bay watershed focused on the protection and restoration of our sensitive ecosystems, weighing in on topics such as, resiliency, natural resource protections, development, wastewater and trash, nutrient and sediment pollution, and stormwater runoff.