Letter to Army Corps of Engineers - Oyster Restoration in Chesapeake Bay Should Continue Without Delay
Letter
Dear Col. Chamberlayne,
I am deeply concerned by prospects of delay in the next phase of construction of the Tred Avon oyster reef, a critical component of the Oyster Restoration Master Plan and the overall health of the Chesapeake Bay.
As Co-Chair of the Congressional Chesapeake Bay Watershed Caucus, I have always appreciated the strong commitment of the Army Corps Baltimore District Office to oyster restoration work.The Corps has used an open process to design the Tred Avon process, including modifications to address concerns from local watermen and consultation with Governor Hogan's Administration. That is why I was particularly concerned to hear of the Hogan Administration's request to delay the project.
The Tred Avon oyster reef, like the Harris Creek oyster reef, will benefit all of the Bay's stakeholders, including watermen and fishermen. As the oyster population increases, heavily polluted water will get cleaner, and more beneficial habitat will be available for fish and crabs.
It is my understanding that state funding has already been fully expended on the state portion of the project, and federal funding has been appropriated. However, delay could increase costs and postpone oyster restoration work for years. As you know, planting substrate in the reef can only occur between December 1st and March 31st. If the next phase of the project is not completed in a timely fashion, the planting of seeds will be delayed until 2017. Delay may also cause other planned projects to be delayed, especially given the limited shell resources and potential increased costs due to those limits.
There is no scientific basis for a delay. Stopping one part of the oyster program at this time would preempt the 5-year comprehensive review of the 2010 Maryland Ten-Point Oyster plan. If there are concerns about the specific practices used in restoration, they should be resolved on an ongoing basis so as not to delay the overall effort. I urge you to move forward with this process as quickly as possible to successfully restore oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay. I look forward to working with you on this critical work.
Sincerely,
Chris Van Hollen
Member of Congress
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