USDA Providing Easement Funding For Storm Damage
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is providing up to $124.8 million in Emergency Watershed Protection Program-Floodplain Easement (EWP-FPE) funding to help prevent damages from significant storm events in Maryland and other states affected by Hurricane Sandy.
Land eligibility requires that flood damage was the result of Hurricane Sandy. Acceptable evidence includes insurance claims, newspaper or publication clippings, or any other documentation that links flood damage to Hurricane Sandy.
NRCS is accepting applications for EWP-FPE until September 2. All counties in Maryland, except for Carroll and Montgomery counties, were declared disaster areas by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) because of damages from Hurricane Sandy. Land in these counties would be eligible for funding consideration.
Floodplains store water, helping to protect lands downstream from future flood damage. When the health and integrity of the lands deteriorate, so do the environmental, economic, and social benefits they provide, according to the NRCS.
“To help states recover from Hurricane Sandy, NRCS is working with landowners to provide permanent protection for floodplains,” said NRCS Maryland acting state conservationist Deena Wheby. “Restoring these ecosystems ensures that our lands are resilient to future threats and impacts.”
Under this program, NRCS purchases the permanent easements on eligible lands and restores the area to natural conditions. A healthy floodplain enhances fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, flood water retention, and ground water recharge.
The program complements traditional disaster recovery funding and allows NRCS to purchase a permanent easement on lands within floodplains that sustained damage from Hurricane Sandy.
Funds are only available in counties affected by Hurricane Sandy and where a major disaster was declared pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Private lands and those owned by local and state governments are eligible if they are located in a floodplain, not subject to tidal influence or action from storm waves, and meet one of the following requirements:
•Damaged by flooding as a result of Hurricane Sandy;
•Would contribute to the restoration of flood storage and flow, provide for control of erosion, or improve the practical management of the floodplain easement; or
•Could be inundated or adversely impacted as a result of a dam breach.
Star Spangled Banner Being Replicated
Several area women are among the more than 100 volunteers participating in the Maryland Historical Society’s “Stitching History” project. Their goal is to recreate the 30-foot by 42-foot flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Using period materials and stitching techniques, the flag will be an authentic reproduction of the original and is expected to take six weeks to be completed. Work began on July 4 with fanfare in Baltimore at the Fort McHenry National Monument and Shrine. The first stitch was sewn by Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. Since then, the volunteers have been working up to eight hours a day at the society’s France Hall. Above, local residents Nadine Brinhendler (left) and Nadine Baughman (right) look on as “Mary Pickersgill,” the original seamstress of the Star-Spangled Banner, explains the stitching techniques they will use for the replica. Pickersgill, a flag maker, worked with her daughter Caroline, nieces Eliza and Margaret Young, and African American indenture servant Grace Wisher to complete the original flag in six weeks during the summer of 1813. Some of Pickersgill’s descendants are participating in Stitching History. The finished flag will be flown at the Fort McHenry National Monument on Defender’s Day in September. In 2014, it will be transported to the Smithsonian’s American History Museum, where the original banner is on display. In addition, the original “Star-Spangled Banner” manuscript, penned in Francis Scott Key’s hand, will temporarily travel from the Maryland Historical Society to be reunited with the banner for the first time.
Railroad Museum To Open
The grand opening of the 1884 Oakland B&O Railroad Station Museum is scheduled for this Saturday, July 20, beginning at 1 p.m. at the station, located at 117 East Liberty Street. During the past couple of years, the historic structure has undergone over $1 million in restoration in order for it to be designated as a B&O Railroad museum. A number of elected officials and/or their representatives will be involved in the program, and there will be free tours of the facility offered.
State Endangered Northern Goshawk Returns to Maryland
Northern Goshawk
Wildlife biologists with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have discovered Northern Goshawks successfully breeding in the State for the first time since 2006. This encouraging news follows the senseless killing of a nesting female goshawk in 2011, whose chicks also died as a result of her death. The shooter was never found.
Following up on a lead provided by two Garrett County residents last month, DNR biologists found an active goshawk nest with two healthy chicks and confirmed last week that the young birds had successfully fledged. DNR suspects that the pair ─ the only known Northern Goshawks in western Maryland ─ consists of the male from the 2011 nest and a new mate.
Northern Goshawks are a shy but spectacular hawk of wild, mature forests. They are sensitive to disturbance and human activity, so their presence is indicative that some western Maryland forests are reaching the mature conditions required for breeding habitat…
Southern/Northern Garrett High School - great national rankings
Great reviews for both Northern & Southern Garrett High schools:
Overview
At Southern Garrett High School, students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® course work and exams. The AP® participation rate at Southern Garrett High School is 16 percent. The student body makeup is 50 percent male and 50 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 1 percent. Southern Garrett High School is 1 of 2 high schools in the Garrett County Public Schools.
http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/maryland/districts/garrett-county-public-schools/southern-garrett-high-school-9111
Overview
Northern Garrett High School is ranked 57th within Maryland. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® course work and exams. The AP® participation rate at Northern Garrett High School is 29 percent. The student body makeup is 53 percent male and 47 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 2 percent. Northern Garrett High School is 1 of 2 high schools in the Garrett County Public Schools.
http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/maryland/districts/garrett-county-public-schools/northern-garrett-high-school-9110
Deep Creek Lake Sunset 7-19-13
This was the scene as I drove home on State Park Rd after my family got baptized in Deep Creek Lake last Friday! What an amazing evening!
Property Owners' Association of Deep Creek Lake - Marcellus Shale Update
Safe Drilling Initiative Developments
The spring Deep Creek Lake Dispatch article focused on legislative actions and outcomes. This update is designed to report on recent developments related to the ongoing, Governor-tasked “Safe Drilling Initiative”. The task of identifying “safe drilling” regulations and mechanisms—along with exploring other factors such as broader community and economic impacts—is squarely in the hands of the “Safe Drilling Initiative”. This ongoing process provides a unique opportunity to provide input to state-level decision-making and to potentially influence regulatory outcomes. Your committee is committed to following and engaging in the process in whatever ways are appropriate and hopefully productive.
“Safe Drilling Initiative” Developments
The “Best Practices” Study Report—As you may know, MDE recently announced the release, for public comment, of the so-called “Best Practices” report. This particularly critical study report is the second of three which were tasked by the Governor’s 2011 Executive Order, each to be developed jointly by MDE and DNR in consultation with the Governor-appointed Independent Advisory Commission. Public are to be provided by 9 August, roughly 30 days after the 9 July public presentation discussed briefly below. The report is available here at MDE website, along with instructions on how to submit . A final report reflecting consideration of public is currently targeted for August 2013. The substantive content is based substantially on a “feeder” best practices study conducted by the Appalachian Laboratory in Frostburg, an element of the UMD Center for Environmental Sciences. This latter study is also available on the website.
Grand Opening of the B&O Railroad Station Museum
The grand opening of the 1884 Oakland B&O Railroad Station Museum will take place this Saturday, July 20, beginning at 1:00 at the station located at 117 East Liberty Street. Oakland Mayor Peggy Jamison will MC the event and representatives from the offices of Governor O’Malley, Senator Cardin, Senator Mikulski, and Congressman Delaney will join the Mayor and our County Commissioner on the box car stage. Others to be seated on the stage include Senator George Edwards and Delegate Wendell Beitzel who were responsible for the Maryland Bond Bill that was so important to the project.
Lonnie Naylor will be introduced by Jamison and it was his late parents, Howard and Audrey Naylor, trust money that was the seed money for these renovations and restoration. Through the Naylor’s careful planning and benevolence their money came back to help Appalachia for educational purposes. Their monetary gifts have been used in many projects at the Garrett County Historical Society, Garrett College, Allegany College, Davis & Elkins College, West Virginia Wesleyan, and Frostburg University. Past Oakland Mayor Asa McCain and Chairman of the Oakland B&O Museum will also speak on Saturday. It was his vision in the 1990’s as mayor to acquire the station from CSX. That began a fund raising effort that brought in private local money and donations from outside the area. Various grants were applied for and obtained and the total cost of this restoration was over $1,000,000.
Wild & Wonderful Wednesday: Mountain Coaster
Posted: Jul 17, 2013 4:44 PM EST Updated: Jul 17, 2013 10:36 PM EST By Andrew Clay, Monongalia and Preston County Reporter
MCHENRY, MARYLAND –
Wisp Resort has the only Mountain Coaster in the entire mid-Atlantic, riders finish their 1,200 foot assent, then only one thing matters, gravity. It takes over, and off you go.
“Oh my gosh I almost had the heart attack, it was so much fun. Everyone should do it,” said Tammy Cole, a first time rider from Louisiana.
The Mountain coaster races you down 3,500 feet of track, making a 350 foot drop in elevation.
Through twists and turns, helixes and hills, the coaster maxes out at 29 miles-per-hour.
North America's 10 Best River Trips - Youghiogheny River in top 10
From white-knuckle rapids to relaxing canyon floats, put these 10 river trips on your bucket list
