In an article published on September 2, 2010, The Virginia-Pilot’s Scott Harper wrote that Virginia was the only one out of six states and District of Columbia to miss the EPA’s Wednesday deadline for filing its plan for reducing pollution in the Chesapeake Bay.

 

The State used the excuse that the Governor and other senior leaders, whoever they are,

needed extra time to digest the plan and approve it. It appears to me to be another example of poor management related to Virginia’s stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay.

 

The Virginia-Pilot obtained a copy of the draft version of the plan, and wrote that it contained a litany of controls. I feel this type of information should be available to the public.

 

In the article, The Virginia-Pilot listed a number of suggested controls, including banning phosphorus in lawn fertilizers and tougher rules for sewage plants and stormwater

systems.

 

Let us hope The Virginia-Pilot continues to publish articles concerning this critical situation. It seems as if this is the only way to get information.

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Good News ! The EPA has reduced the annual limits of nitrogen and phosphorous that can be put in the Chesapeake Bay by the six watershed states. Virginia allocation was 53.4 million pounds of nitrogen and 5.4 million pounds of phosphorous, the second highest. I’m not sure how this will be accomplished or how each city and county gets their limits set but it will be interesting to follow the process.

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I received my copy of the Lynnhaven River Now newsletter today. I must compliment them on a very informative insert relating to Rethinking our Lawns. For those who read my blog and do not receive the Newsletter are missing reading a real gem. There are many wonderful and practical tips on lawn care and saving our rivers and bay.One thing I would like to point out is that you do not have to live on the water to be an influence on clean water. All of us who have a lawn should follow these wonderful tips because as fertilizers and pesticides run off our lawn after a heavy rain, they flow to the storm drains and eventually into our rivers.There has been some good news about the condition of the Chesapeake Bay but more work is needed by all residents.

In future post, I will elaborate on the lawn tips.

Please become aware of the Chesapeake Clean Water and Ecosystem Restoration Act that is pending in the congress and the senate. Contact your congressmen and senators to voice your support.

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I hope everyone had a chance to read my last post concerning soil testing. If you haven’t taken your sample , there is still time this spring to do so.

Your next step is to determine what type of grass you are growing. Generally, if your lawn is brown this winter you have a warm season grass, if most of your lawn is some shade of green, you have a cool season grass. Warm season grasses include bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, St Augustine, and centipedegrass. Cool season grass include Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, and fine fescue.

Whether you determine you have a warm or cool season lawn, please do not be tempted to fertilize your lawn in the spring. You can save on the cost of fertilizers and help reduce the amount of pollutants going into the rivers and bays.

Warm season grasses should fertilized in the late spring and and summer and cool season grasses should be fertilized in the late summer and fall.

For more details visit your local extension web site or office. I will follow with more information in future posts.

Please help to keep our waters clean.

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We had about 7″of snow in our neighborhood and it made for a very pretty scene.

Our favorite past time the last two days is watching the cardinals, blue jays, downy woodpeckers and the many small visitors to the feeder.

I feel I have finally come up with an inexpensive way to thwart the squirrels from tipping over the feeder.

Try not to use harsh chemicals to melt the snow on impervious surfaces because as the snow melts it will wash on to your lawns, flower beds or down the the driveway to the sewer drains .

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I attended the Lynnhaven River Now Landscape Practices Committee meeting yesterday. The committee has been working with A&L Eastern Laboratories, Inc. to develop a revised soil test form that will indicate the desire for a recommendation for a reduced amount of fertilizer to be used on our lawns and gardens. The form is now ready for local home owners. Link to Lynnhaven River Now Soil Sample Form.

Please get your soil tested if you haven’t done so in the last three years!

 

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I just spent three days at the Mid-Atlantic Short Course in Virginia Beach. I attended many informative presentations but the most applicable was one concerning Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, PA. They are planning  a building that is completely sustainable. Check out link to Phipps Green Heart The Landscape Architect is Andrpogon Associates

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Another setback for a set of new stormwater regulations and the Chesapeake Bay

As reported in the Virginia Pilot on Wednesday January 20, 2010 the Virginia Board of Soil and Water Conservation has voted to put on hold the the new regulations that would improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay that then Governor Kaine had signed off on just prior to leaving office. Last weeks action will require the regulations to undergo another round of public comments prior to any approval by Governor McDonnell.

See Bay Bound Jan. 2010 for a more detail explanation.  Follow the progress in future post.

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