Friends, 

Our work in Annapolis continues with laser-focus on securing funding for DCL. Here is organizing concept for our 2019 efforts: 

 

     We know what must be done to restore and protect our beloved lake. We have a decade of science-based research, analysis and guidance on effective best practices for lake management elsewhere.

 

     The State failed to incorporate fiscal mechanism to ensure effective lake management and needed funding levels when it purchased Deep Creek Lake 2 decades ago. Continued neglect and inaction will lead to further decline, threatening the natural, recreation and economic resource.

 

    We must act to seek remedy for 2 decades of failed financing policy and push the State, as owner, assume its fiscal responsibility to ensure a sustainable future for DCL.

 

Legislative Agenda #1: 2019 State Lakes Fund bill. On Tuesday, the 2019 version of the State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund bill was heard by the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Committee. (Watch video of our panel: http://mgahouse.maryland.gov/mga/play/c3cddfd7-bb42-445c-8e15-7b571b70c365/?catalog/03e481c7-8a42-4438-a7da-93ff74bdaa4c&playfrom=7359000 )

 

Senator Edwards introduced SB 213 bill, emphasizing that this bill seeks sustaining funding at the $3 million along with removal of the 4 year time limit for the Fund. This Committee supported the 2018 unanimously so Edwards expressed his hope the Committee would continue its approval. Edwards informed the committee that the Department of Management and Budget initially opposed the 2018 bill with a funding mandate but reversed its opposition, in the last minutes of the session.  


( Left to right, Tom Craven from the DCL POA, Senator Edwards bill sponsor, and Barbara Beelar from Friends of Deep Creek Lake. ) 

 

Barbara Beelar, speaking for Friends of Deep Creek Lake, thanked the committee for its continuing support for 3 previous state lake protection bills, expressing hope they would keep their 100% batting average in 2019.

 

Beelar said it was important that the committee understand the bill is for all state-owned and managed lakes, not just Deep Creek Lake.  “Further, based on Friends of DCL’s compilation of existing data on these lakes, we find many of these lakes are in poor condition and urgently need state investment. Here in Annapolis it may appear this is a DCL bill because the advocates are from that lake but the fact is this is the only lake which has residential stakeholders abutting the lake. New Germany has property owners in the Park but for the remain 14 lakes, there is only a loose constituency of lake users and no data is collected tracking them.” Two Senators- Senator Bailey and Senator Ellis- asked Beelar about specific conditions of lakes in their districts—St. Mary’s lake in St. Mary County and Myrtle Grove Lake in Charles County. 

 

Beelar urged the Committee to issue a positive report, with conditions. Friends of DCL is recommending bill language text changes in the sections which list   kinds of projects eligible to receive funding. She argued these changes are necessary because DNR proposals for Year One Fund allocation focus on “enhancements”, not restoration and protection projects. The 2019 bill must provide clarification to ensure fund allocation meets the legislative intent of the bill.  

 

Tom Craven, member of the DCL POA, was last person on the panel. He informed the Committee of the POA’s support in light of the challenges facing DCL and need for additional funding to provide necessary restoration and protection measures.

 

              

 

We need your support! Deadline for sending email letter: Tuesday, 2/19/19.
Send email to Delegate Beitzel, Wendell.beitzel@house.state.md.us . Feel free to use our model email letter: ModelEmail2019.pdf. 

 

 

 

Legislative Agenda #2: One-time capital request for $25 million for DCL.

 

While the State Lakes Fund is one way to get some funds for DCL, realistically a major commitment from the State of Maryland is needed. Since there are no existing state Funds which can be tapped for this level of lake investment, the only path forward is to convince the Governor to include a one-time capital project in his budget.

 

Friends of DCL has worked very hard to obtain this kind of commitment for a number of years. Yet, as a small advocacy organization from remote Garrett County, we do not have the political leverage needed. Senator Edwards, Delegate Beitzel and the County Commissioners must tell the Governor such funding is a top priority for them and then work hard to encourage the Governor to make the investment.  

 

 

 

Legislative Agenda #3: Policy work on DCL financing needs and responsibilities.

 

     Sediment Plan. The $250,000 which had been earmarked for “DCL dredging” has been diverted to study mitigation to address future sediment accumulation and, according to Bruce Michael, will exclude any consideration of dredging of existing sediment and pollutant deposition which currently impairs 10 of the DCL coves.

 

          Action steps: We have asked the state delegation to help secure additional funds for a DCL Sediment Management, Removal and Remediation Plan. We will also make this request to the new DNR Secretary in our upcoming meeting.

 

     DCL Financing Plan. For almost 2 decades the issue of who holds financial responsibility for DCL has been punted. The state says the County needs to pay, the County says it is a state-owned lake so the state should provide funding. In the interim, the primary source of financial support for lake management has come from private property owners and 1) the annual buffer strip permit fee and 2) actions certain property owner have undertaken on public lands to stabilize the shoreline and manage the buffer strip.

 

Financing is urgently needed for DCL restoration. We have reached the moment in the lake’s history when we cannot longer tolerate the “not me” approach.

 

          Action Steps: FoDCL has initiated a process which would lead to development of a DCL financial plan, engaging all responsibility entities and stakeholder groups. This task was deemed a high priority in the Watershed Plan but no progress is being made. Funds are needed to underwrite necessary research and analysis as well as process facilitation.

 

Legal decision on DNR policy. At DCL, DNR policy places the onus and costs for shoreline stabilization and buffer strip maintenance on abutting private property owners. These are public land and elsewhere in the state, there are programs funded by our tax dollars, which underwrite shoreline and buffer strip projects. Shoreline and buffer strip stabilization are of critical importance to prevent erosion but sound policy cannot be created until we know what entity is fiscally responsible.

 

          Action Steps: We have asked state delegation to submit a request to the Attorney General’s Office on this policy. What is the legal basis for this policy? And, a side issue is whether DNR and MDE can charge fees to private property owners to undertake such improvements on these public lands.

 

 

 

Proposal: create the Youghiogheny River Watershed Trust Fund-- another avenue to secure state funds for DCL. One of the major sources of funding for restoration and protection of Maryland waterways is the 2010 Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund. The map below shows current priority projects, but note: the Youghiogheny River Watershed including Deep Creek Lake is excluded from receiving these funds.

 

Note the myriad of programs receiving funding and the exclusion of DCL andout watershed from this major state restoration program. This is not fair, when our taxes are helping restore the Bay!

If the General Assembly and the state will not support funding for Deep Creek Lake, maybe we should work for adoption of the Youghiogheny River Watershed Trust Fund for us. After all our taxes have been flowing down the mountain to support the 2010 Trust Fund since 2010. What about keeping our taxes for restoration and protection of our waterways which have been excluded?

We’ll keep trying
 

 This year the Board decided not to launch the Bridge to Annapolis Campaign, as we have done for the past 6 years. We do not envision our policy advocacy work in Annapolis to consume sufficient time to hire our lobbyist, Eric Gally.

That said, we do need your on-going financial support to enable us to distribute solid, fact-based information, anlaysis and policy recommendations to lake stakeholders, users and other concerned about the health of DCL and economic well-being of Garrett County.

To donate: please send checks to FoDCL, 779 Chadderton School Road, Oakland MD 21550.

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Your lake-loving friends and neighbors,

Friends of Deep Creek Lake Board