New law for septic systems 1/1/13 $$$$

I'd have to disagree Cecil County, Maryland is at the top of the bay and their farm run off is terrible. Just drive around during a hard rain, right after the farmers have tilled their fields. They just want to till every inch of ground, spread manure on it and watch it all run down the street to the nearest stream that feeds the bay. That's where the nitrates come from. It can be done right , up the road in Chester and Lancaster county, Pa they don't seam to till near as close to the road, they also have more swales between their fields.

The environmental issue with the health of the Chesapeake Bay is a complex one. Just understanding what's going from a science point of view is beyond our current capability. In any system as large and complex as the Bay you are only making educated guesses on what to do. Clearly you can't make controlled experiments, at least of the size needed to influence much change. Every improvement helps and Maryland's Dept. of Environment has had some successes. But so much is completely out of man's control. That combined with the political reality of multiple state drainage into the bay defies a significant improvement. Maryland has done a lot with it's regulations, all expensive to both businesses and citizens, i.e. poultry farming practices to the "flush tax" on septic systems. Unfortunately, a very significant part of the environmental damage flows in from out of state. While the federal government could help by forcing other states in the watershed to do more, it's largely just had delay after delay of inaction. Like with all complex issues there is no clear answer and the opponents of any restrictions seize on the opportunity to interject their political views.

The sediment trapped behind the Conowingo Dam Hydroelectric Plant is a big problem. Federal approval and likely funding will be required for any fix. Eventually nature will have a fix, a failure of the power plant when there is too much sediment for the generators to function. An out and out failure of the dam structure would be devastating. It's largely a problem of where the money will come from to dredge and store the sediment. Like many of our nation's infrastructure problems it's cheaper now that it will be in the future. But we still kick the can down the road.

My Maryland county, Carroll County, required residential sprinkler systems in all new construction a few years ago. Even on homes with wells. A very hotly debated topic at the time. It came down to cost. It was judged to be less government cost to require sprinklers. All of the county is serviced by volunteer fire companies. Getting people to volunteer and even fund raise is difficult. So, long term the fire companies will need to become government provided, this will be very, very expensive compared to the existing volunteer fire companies. Sprinkler systems do greatly reduce the size of a fire. When the fire company does arrive it has a smaller fire to deal with. Proven fact. Therefore, the requirement for sprinklers was a way on putting the cost on the new home buyers, those who are increasing the demand for fire services. Some of the justification was the fact that their fire insurance premium would be less with a sprinkler system.

New Jersey has been there for years. Although I'm not sure on the Nitrogen Reclamation but the cost of system installs here range from anywhere between $20k-$50k. I got lucky with mine in 2011 and only ended up paying around $15k but it was a huge headache.

The sediment trapped behind the Conowingo Dam Hydroelectric Plant is a big problem. Federal approval and likely funding will be required for any fix.

It seems to me that the owners of the damn, Exalon, should foot the bill to clean up the sediment behind it. Private company, private business venture. All that built it knew back in 1928 that eventually sediment build up would happen. So how does a known become the fed governments responsibility to clean up? Typical crap, costs too much we won't pocket as much profit for 5 years.. so what, bite the responsibility bullet and do what the damn you built created, don't balme the farms up north for natural causes of damning a freakin river.

I am still wondering why I will have to pay for a board walk in NY to be rebuilt that I have never been to or will be to. I can see helping home owners but shouldn't tourism infrastructure be up to state and local govt and businesses.

I agree the owners should pay. The federal approval would be required by the clean water act, concerning where the sediment is put. They created an island from the bay's shipping channel dredging.

I am still wondering why I will have to pay for a board walk in NY to be rebuilt that I have never been to or will be to. I can see helping home owners but shouldn't tourism infrastructure be up to state and local govt and businesses.

Not very Socialist minded of you!! As part of a huge Socialist "insurance" company, we well solve all problems with your money! If there is no money to fly us around(leaders) and vacation in Hawaii when we want, it wont get done! (see sandy relief ) Don't worry, no one will be able to afford to go to the Jersey Shore anyways, it won't be missed.

Kevin

KLook wrote:

I am still wondering why I will have to pay for a board walk in NY to be rebuilt that I have never been to or will be to. I can see helping home owners but shouldn't tourism infrastructure be up to state and local govt and businesses.

Not very Socialist minded of you!! As part of a huge Socialist "insurance" company, we well solve all problems with your money! If there is no money to fly us around(leaders) and vacation in Hawaii when we want, it wont get done! (see sandy relief ) Don't worry, no one will be able to afford to go to the Jersey Shore anyways, it won't be missed.

Kevin

Sorry my bad . I will work on this flaw that I have about only wanting to help those who deserve it. What is wrong with me?

Don't appreciate my posts being edited. HANDS OFF.

Talk about crap heading south.
But in response to what the edited comment WAS, if rivers flowed from the south, west or east... would still be power companies resposibility, because they but the silt catch in the river to begin with. As far as where to put the sediment... its a no brainer.. its rich in natural compost/sediment , plus trace nitrogen. Use it on poor/low quality soils to build the tilth, so there would be less runoff. sandy, gravel base soils pass water fast, due to lack of organic matter.Use to recliam landfills(capping), reclaim old mine sites(strip mining), many options. Better than the sludge reclaimed from mass wastewater(septic) treatment plants.