For many years there has been an alleged effort to restore clean water to the Chesapeake Bay, this effort has been a failure. They use hundreds of millions of tax payer dollars to preserve existing farms, with some wealthy land owners receiving as much as $6,000,000. Why aren’t these resources being used to improve water quality?

Ag zoning preserves over 85% to 95% of existing farm land, but our politicians see the glory in convincing the public that by spending huge amounts of taxpayer dollars to preserve existing farm land will improve water quality. The government and environmental groups have tricked the public into believing that stopping rural development will improve water quality, the reality being that residential land use pollutes much less that ag land use.

Four years ago, I implemented several small water control structures on my 392 acre farm, these small structures, in conjunction with a pond, has equated to nearly zero discharge into tidal waters, zero discharge means zero pollution.

Some local environmentalist who toured my property were very impressed with my efforts to improve water quality, I asked them if similar measures could be implemented on other farms to control nitrogen and phosphorous discharge into bay water, saying, “politicians find no glory in water control structures”. When they waste millions in tax payer money to preserve existing farm land they become heroes.

Government and environmental groups go after the easy targets, developers, where they get the most glory, they seem like they do not want to address real solutions.

This is an invitation to all investigative reporters, environmentalist, politicians, and other interested people.

I will be giving tours of my farm on May 20 and 21 at 1:00 PM, this tour will show how ag pollution can be controlled. 

Directions:
301 North
213 north thru Centerville, 15 miles to first driveway on right after Jennies Produce.
Dress accordingly 
 

Sam Owings , 301 Pond Lane, Chestertown MD. 21620, 410-279-2744