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Lot of big commercial farms on the Western Shore? Lot of big animal farms in Baltimore City, Howard County, Baltimore County? Ther are on the Eastern shore, in fact their economy is based on them.
"Why is agriculture important?
Agricultural land covers nearly one-quarter of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. There are more than 87,000 farm operations and 6.5 million acres of cropland here. Farms in the Bay watershed produce more than 50 commodities, including corn, wheat, soybeans, fruits and vegetables. Agriculture is essential; farms supply us with meat, milk, grains, eggs and vegetables
How does agriculture affect the Chesapeake Bay?
Agriculture is the largest single source of nutrient and sediment pollution to the Bay and its rivers. Common farming practices such as applying fertilizer and tilling soil can contribute harmful pollution to the Bay and its local waterways."
Agriculture - Chesapeake Bay Program
How much more can the government take without the citizens saying ENOUGH!
I meant where does it say that the Eastern Shore is being excluded.
Good study, I would suppose whats missing is the impact of "nutrient pollution".
Also missing are possible solutions beyond tax it and hope it goes away.
I could be for a temporary tax that established infrastructure that would eliminate or ameliorate the problem, but we both know that isnt whats going to happen.
From what I can tell its every time it rains? I don't really know.
Basically the two primary pollutants are nitrogen and phosphorus. Although both nitrogen and phosphorus are primary plant nutrients, an overabundance of them contributes to algae blooms, which upset the balance in the ecosystem. An overabundance of algae makes it difficult for flora and fauna that reside underneath the surface of the water to get oxygen.
~60% of the water flowing into the Bay comes from the Susquehanna River, the majority of which runs through Pa and NY. Unless those other States do something about their run off, taxing people who contribute a tiny fraction of the harmful run off will absolutely no effect on the Bay. It will give Annapolis a lot more money to spread around to their friends though.
Okay, but Annapolis can't very well asses taxes on PA Delaware WV and NY, now can it? If your criticism is that the tax burden is being unevenly distributed, I can totally agree with that, but it's one thing to sit on your ass and criticize and another to come up with a real solution.
Again, the less it rains, the higher the concentration of pollutants. A major effort has been made across the country to separate storm drain run off from sewage to avoid treatment of storm water. I'll be anxious to see exactly how they intend to achieve this "treatment". If one is intent on lowering pollution, then the obvious solution involves reducing pollutants. Period.The tax isn't based on the amount of rain, it is based on the size of buildings and pavement on a property. I believe the idea is that buildings and pavements prevent water from seeping underground where natural processes can filter out many toxics. Rain water that runs off into storm drains that do not not connect to a sewage treatment facilities end up washing toxics into the bay. Presumably the tax will be used to treat the storm water before it enters the bay.
What about the air we breath?
Certainly that deserves a tax of some sort.
Let's call it the "respiratory usage fee."
From what I can tell its every time it rains? I don't really know.
Sounds more like mandatory flood insurance. Which is one of those things that is somewhat acceptable to me, because in case of a major flood the government has to end up paying for those who do not have insurance anyways.
Has nothing to do with flood insurance. It goes towards cleaning up a lake from pollutants. If your house gets flooded you get nothing from this.
And really? Mandatory flood insurance? And people scoffed at the idea that people would start suggesting other things be mandatory besides health insurance. :roll:
From what I can tell its every time it rains? I don't really know.
I guess they will have to add an umbrella tax too, since that will create concentrated rainwater runoff.
What on earth gave you that idea?
Look. Doing things costs money. You can implement specific taxes for specific tasks, or lump it all into income taxes, whatever. But you either do it or you don't do it.
I'm no expert on the subject, but it seems to me that protecting the coastline for a community very economically dependent on its coastline is... a good plan!
What on earth gave you that idea?
Look. Doing things costs money. You can implement specific taxes for specific tasks, or lump it all into income taxes, whatever. But you either do it or you don't do it.
I'm no expert on the subject, but it seems to me that protecting the coastline for a community very economically dependent on its coastline is... a good plan!
Why is it that the only remedy that liberals can ever come up with is more taxes, more spending? Knee jerk? I don't think so, I lived there for 20 years.
I just don't understand how taking money from people is going to all of a sudden stop the pollutants? Am I missing something?
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