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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Four Years Ago Today MDE Inspects Salisbury Zoo

Four years ago today the MDE (Maryland Department of the Environment) made a surprise visit to the Salisbury Zoo to inspect illegal pipes draining into the Wicomico River. In their findings they did in fact find illegal pipes and demanded that the City completely renovate one exhibit that was draining chemicals into the River as well as a failed reverse valve that allowed human sewage to back up into a moat in two other exhibits that eventually drained into the Wicomico River as well.

Although Ron Alessi, (President of the Zoo Commission) Jim Rapp, (former Director of the Salisbury Zoo) and Public Works Director John Jacobs denied ANY knowledge of such illegal pipes, they were not only employed by the Zoo at the time the exhibit was created, their response was standard during the former Tilghman Administration.

Other long term Zoo Employees were well aware of what was going on, yet the two in charge were clueless? The MDE forced the City to make immediate changes and upgrades to assure the Zoo was no longer polluting the Wicomico River.

John Jacobs and Jim Rapp are no longer employed with the City of Salisbury.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Everyone knew their days were numbered after this information came out. Rapp was always talking about how environmentally friendly the zoo was and here they were knowingly polluting the river. Things are much better now that they're gone.

Anonymous said...

I am so glad to see them go. You single handedly took on the City and won Joe. I speak for many when I say, thank you.

joealbero said...

anonymous 1:02, you can say that again!

Anonymous said...

I can remember the Moose "Buy A Duck Race" held anually at the Salisbury Zoo entrance. This was 1990 and the sights and smells rising from the little stream still linger in my mind. it was human fecal waste ...The yellow plastic "Ducks' never had a chance to outrun the Terds. So, after 20 years...The State Scientific community have come to a conclusion?

Anonymous said...

Did you get Rapp and Jacobs fired Joe? You are awesome.

Tim Chaney said...

How time flies, seems like yesterday!