PESTICIDES AND THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED
THE PROJECT MISSION

On May 14, 2007, Maryland Pesticide Network and co-sponsor, Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, established the Pesticides and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Project ¿the first working group in Maryland dedicated to reducing the occurrence and risks of pesticides in the Watershed in order to protect water quality, aquatic life, wildlife and public health.

PROJECT PARTICIPANTS

Project stakeholders include scientists, public health experts, waterkeepers, watermen, federal, state, and county government agency representatives, representatives of the agricultural community and pest management industry, environmental organizations, policymakers, and others.

PROJECT GOALS

At the first stakeholder meeting held in May 2007, stakeholders established five ongoing working groups that meet quarterly over the past year in order to:

• Identify relevant research and data gaps regarding the impact of pesticides and their metabolites found in the watershed on water quality, aquatic life, wild life, and public health, and to identify the main pesticides of concern in the watershed.

• Identify Best Management Practices (BMP's) and new technologies aimed at preventing pesticides from entering waterways and methodologies for substituting less-toxic alternatives.

• Develop a strong and interactive relationship with the agricultural community to educate this community about BMPs, and potential health hazards resulting from exposures to certain pesticides, as well as to provide the support necessary for the agricultural community's implementation of BMPs.

• Educate residential and commercial communities about preventing pesticides from entering the watershed and, integrated pest management and natural landcare in order to reduce their pesticide use and encourage the use of non-chemical and least-toxic alternatives.

• Assess the need for strengthening and expanding existing policies and laws and identify needed policies to reduce the impact of pesticides on the watershed.

For further information about this Project please contact Robert SanGeorge, Project Director, mpn.rsnageorge@gmail.com; 410.849.3909.