Army Efforts for a Cleaner Chesapeake Bay

The largest bay on the east coast of the United States is Chesapeake Bay. The largest river feeding the Bay is the Susquehanna and the Chesapeake's headwaters begin in Cooperstown, New York. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation's website provides that information and much more.

The Chesapeake Bay Program website provides information to the public about the Bay, its users, its resources and the threats to the Bay. This is what they say about those threats:

"The Chesapeake Bay and its many tributaries endure an array of assaults from the air, water and land. The watershed's worst problem is nutrient pollution, which fuels the growth of algae blooms that impact water quality and aquatic life. Chemical contaminants, air pollution, landscape changes, erosion and over-harvesting of fish and shellfish also stress the Bay and its wildlife."

In the 64,000 square mile watershed are located 19 U.S. Army installations on over 220,000 acres of property. The Army is as concerned as any other resident of the Bay's watershed about the quality of the water and the wildlife in and around the Bay.

Aberdeen Proving Ground was awarded both the Tree City USA Growth Award from the Arbor Day Foundation and the Maryland People Loving And Nurturing Trees Community award at its highest level, green. Both awards go to communities that have a well established and well funded urban forestry program.

Fort Detrick, MD, is investing over $13 million to upgrade its waste water treatment plant, according to the Fredrick News Post. Due for completion in the summer of 2011, it will be the most modern such treatment plant in the state of Maryland, as described by a base spokesman in the article. By May of 2010 all of the landfills in Area B will be capped, eliminating ground water contamination from those sites in the future.

In a recent interview with me and other bloggers, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health Tad Davis told us that three Bay sites were receiving about $2 million for projects to reduce storm water runoff. Aberdeen Proving Ground, Fort Meade and Fort Belvoir will be reducing their impact on Chesapeake Bay.

The United States Army appears committed to a "green" footprint in the Chesapeake Bay area. As their participation in the Chesapeake Bay Program continues, the waters will be a little cleaner and a little safer for everyone.