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Background
Distributing information and tools to the citizens, planners, and local governments is critical to familiarizing these individuals and organizations with relevant materials. However, implementing restoration of the Chesapeake Bay watershed requires specific training and application in the users' hands and staffs.
Recommendations
1) Bay-Specific User Friendly Software and Training: Data distribution and user friendly public software and training in its use must become part of core education programs for K-12 populations, as engaging older citizens has proven effective for only a small portion of the regional population. Bay-centric efforts for understanding the links between air, land use, and the Bay must become routine through schools so that a decade from now, these trained young adults can better digest newly acquired information from one sector of our ecosystem and know potential impacts on others.
2) Land Use Tool Distribution: Success in achieving environmentally sensitive site design depends on outreach efforts and tools that are accessible to land development practitioners. These include landscape architects, land use planners, site designers, developers, site plan reviewers, and builders. There are significant needs for developing such tools.
3) Data Information Transfer System: The transfer of GIS referenced data, graphics, and interpreted information to local decision makers must be eased, expanded, and made cheaper. A simplified data and information transfer system must be created and implemented, and training provided for use of the distributed information. Further, the implementation of local stormwater, erosion control, and other water resource protection approaches should include local community access to air born monitoring and interpretation and access to and training in water re-use technologies for small contained developments.
4) Model Applications at the Local Level: Land use decisions in most locales are economically-based decisions with environment a lower level priority. Socio-economic modeling should be integral to all watershed modeling efforts, with the focus on township to county application and training. Models, for land use and economics, should permit local involvement and exploration. For assessment of impacts, expanded modeling capabilities, linking water quality, habitat, and economic costs and revenues for development and redevelopment could be an indispensable adjunct to land use, zoning, and site planning decisions.
5) Education System for New Approaches for Reducing Local Loads: Local community focusing on innovative wastewater treatment options should include exposure to nutrient reducing septic systems, passive and energy requiring demonstration projects such as vacuum systems for feces, and provide results from R&D on performance and improvements in new technologies as they become available.
6) Transportation and Planning: Transportation is a major air-born pollutant source. New urban center planning (e.g., new urbanism) and use of new automotive technologies (Freedom car, gas-electric and ethanol-biodiesel hybrids) must be encouraged with modeled emissions and savings (pollutants, fuels, etc.) estimated for local and regional jurisdictions. Similarly, as a major polluter, petroleum-product powered vehicles continue to increase as part of our societal fabric. Most urban areas cannot accommodate the costs for mass transit to populated but distant suburban areas. Hence, alternative fuel options are a priority for a cleaner Bay.
7) Distribution of Management Procedures: For most effective incorporation of science-based technologies, the CBP should develop a specific capacity for direct transfer and training of implementation procedures for planning/management at the lowest levels of public government in the watershed.
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