I need your help again. It is time for the final Public Hearing regarding the Environmental Restoration of the South Cell of Hart-Miller Island. At this hearing, I need a show of support from birders for the final recommended plan. If you can, please attend the hearing and comment on the benefits of this plan for birds, wildlife observation, nature study, nature photography, environmental education, etc. Or if you can't attend, please send your comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The details for the project and hearing are as follows:
PUBLIC HEARING
SOUTH CELL ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION
HART-MILLER ISLAND
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1998
7:00PM TO 9:00PM
CHESAPEAKE HIGH SCHOOL
1801 TURKEY POINT ROAD
ESSEX, BALTIMORE COUNTY, MARYLAND
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, is soliciting public comments on the draft Hart-Miller Island (HMI) South Cell Ecosystem Restoration Report and Environmental Assessment. The proposed plan is to restore aquatic and terrestrial habitat in the 300-acre South Cell of the 1100-acre Hart-Miller Island Dredged Material Containment Facility. The recommended plan includes 200 acres of mudflats and wetlands for migrating shorebirds, a 1-acre island for nesting terns, three ponds totaling 20 acres for wintering waterfowl, and 80 acres of uplands for songbirds. A pumping system will manage the water levels in the project area. This re-creation of wetlands, the island, ponds, and uplands will provide avian habitat and significantly improve regional wildlife habitat diversity in the northern Chesapeake Bay.
Copies of the draft report are available for review at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD and the Baltimore County Public Libraries, 1110 Eastern Boulevard, Essex, MD and 1716 Merritt Boulevard, Dundalk, MD. The report is available, as an Adobe Acrobat file, on the Internet, at http://www.nab.usace.army.mil/PDF/hmi.pdf
Individuals wishing to obtain a copy of, or wanting more information about, the draft report may write to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District
ATTN: CENAB-PL (Mr. Richard Kibby)
P.O. Box 1715
Baltimore, MD 21203-1715
Phone: (410) 962-0694 or (800) 295-1610
Fax: (410) 962-4698
E-mail: .
A public hearing to receive comments on the draft report will be held on Wednesday, October 14, 1998 at Chesapeake High School, 1801 Turkey Point Road, in Essex, Baltimore County, MD beginning at 7:00 PM. Any person who has an interest in the project may make comments within 30 days. Please e-mail or mail a CC of your comments to me for my files.
Thanks for all your assistance,
Gene Scarpulla
Maryland Ornithological Society Representative
Hart-Miller Island Study Team
March 5, 1998.
The decision has been made to restore the South Cell of Hart-Miller Island for shorebird and nesting tern habitat. (See the following E-mail message from the Corps to the Hart-Miller Island Study Team.)
Thank you for your support, both at the public meetings and with your comments to the Corps.
Gene Scarpulla Maryland Ornithological Society Representative Hart-Miller Island Study Team Towson, Maryland
To: Hart-Miller Island Study Team (*see list below)
From: Richard Kibby, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Re: Selection of Design Alternative
On March 6, 1998, representatives of the Maryland Department of Transportation, Department of Natural Resources, and the COE met to review the three design alternatives (shorebird, songbird, and no action) and associated financing. As discussed at the last study team meeting, a matrix was prepared which compared the three alternatives in the following categories: creation of scarce and significant habitat, number of acres of created habitat, cost per habitat, total first cost, operation and maintenance costs, nuisance control and risks, opportunities, public comment, beneficial use of dredged material, and passive recreation.
The selected alternative was the shorebird design. This design will included 174 aces of wetlands/mudflats, 118 acres of grass, one 5-acre pond with an one-acre nesting island , and a pumping system. Work is proceeding with the next level of design which should be completed for review by early April.
*Study Team List
Stacey Underwood, COE Mark Mendelsohn, COE Clifford Burdeaux, COE Jill Caverly, COE Carol Anderson-Austra, COE John Wilson-DNR Mark Wheeler-DNR Dana Limpert-DNR Kevin Smith-DNR Robert Gaudette-DNR Dave Brinker-DNR Dave Bibo-MPA Tom Kroen- HMI Citizens Advisory Committee Cece Donovan-MES Wayne Young-MES Eugene Scarpulla- MD Ornithological Society John Gill-USFWS Cy Lesser- USDA Visty Dalal-MDE Susan McConville-Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Commission
Return to Baltimore Bird Club Home Page