Tim Chaney
Salisbury, Maryland 21804
11/27/2006
Mr. Gilcrest,
I received your reply about my concerns with the health of the Wicomico River, the fine levied by the MDE and the lack of action. As you well know, Maryland has new governor. Am I going to have to go down the same exact road when new appointments are made, that I have already taken up to four months now to get action, only in the form of dodging the issue.
I know you are required to respond to my concerns, even if it just a meaningless form letter, but truly feel your last letter was nothing more than patronizing, and to be honest has the hair on my back raised.
Mr Gilcrest, I am a democrat that has crossed party lines twice to vote for you. That will never happen again, and you have a lot of nerve to even associate your name with environmental matters.
I will make one more effort to speak with your liaison here in Salisbury. Our Maryland Department of the Environment is in the lame duck mode, we need some federal action. Show me how much faith you have in the city and state in regard to these matters, by coming to Salisbury, and take a swim in our river.
Sincerely,
Tim Chaney
Date:
11/30/2006 3:30:32 PM Eastern Standard TimeFrom: Anthony.Caligiuri@mail.house.gov (Caligiuri, Anthony)To: WharfRatt1976@aol.com ('WharfRatt1976@aol.com')CC: Anthony.Caligiuri@mail.house.gov (Caligiuri, Anthony)
Sorry about the form letter but they get automatically generated when something changes in a case, or when anything goes out from this office.
However I should tell you that we did talk to the Salisbury PW director, we did meet with the Mayor about this issue (not a cordial meeting), and Wayne did commit to personally touring the site in the near future. We have not received an official response from EPA yet, but we do know they have contacted MDE and MDE is looking at additional sanctions.
You are correct, though, that things will likely change for the better in the enforcement division of MDE,. and we have already brought this issue - along with some similar problems in the region - to the personal attention of folks on the Governor-elect's transition team and to the person we hope will be leading MDE.
I know you are not satisfied with the pace, and nor are we. But we will continue to plug away at this despite the fact that we have very little to no direct legal jurisdiction on this situation.
Tony
Tony Caligiuri
Chief of Staff
Rep. Wayne Gilchrest
2245 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-5311
202-225-0254 (fax)
410-490-7472 (mobile)
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wayne Gilchrist's reply is bull-dookey.
ReplyDeleteHe could easily lean on the EPA to investigate under the Clean Water Act. Not to mention, if the issues of dumping in the river are still pertinent, the Army Corps of Engineers has immutable sovereignty over all navigable waters of the United States.
On top of ALL that, Wayne has a lot of friends on the other side of the aisle at both the state and federal level, and IF HE CHOSE, could easily get them to exercise some weight.
With Ehrlich playing his games of firing certain folks the day after the election, and the intransigence of the MDE in responding authoritatively, the Dems could continue to beat on Arbutus Bobby for his mismanagement of these issues.