Rep. Hoyer Celebrates Conservation of Jug Bay
"I would like to congratulate the Trust for Public Land, Anne Arundel County, the Riggleman family, and other public and private partners for recognizing the importance of conservation and working to protect 300 acres at Jug Bay Farm, which stretches along the Patuxent River.
"Jug Bay Farm's protection links together over 5,000 acres along the Patuxent River and will help to significantly improve water quality in the river, and eventually the Chesapeake Bay. The acquisition of Jug Bay Farm secures the last mile of river frontage vulnerable to development on either side of the Patuxent River surrounding Jug Bay and will link the sanctuary with the state's House Creek Wildlife Management Area across from Patuxent River Park and Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary.
"I was proud to join the Trust for Public Land, the Riggelmans, and other local and state representatives to make certain this land was preserved and that this agreement was completed. The conservation of Jug Bay, one of the largest freshwater tidal wetlands on the East Coast, will ensure that the Rigglemans can continue to live and work on their farm for the next decade, while protecting a treasured natural resource.
"The importance of preserving important natural resources like Jug Bay cannot be understated, and I will continue to work to ensure that we are able to safeguard our green space.
"I am pleased to have helped secure federal funds to add 8,000 acres to the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge, expand Piscataway Park which protects parklands along the Maryland shore to keep the river view from Mount Vernon looking the same as it did when President George Washington lived there, and helped acquire 6,000 acres in Charles County for the Douglas Point Project.
"I have also been a strong supporter for full funding of both the federal and stateside components of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Without those vital conservation dollars, efforts like Jug Bay and the Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge would not have been possible.
"The Patuxent River and this region serve as an invaluable resource for us all in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. If Maryland continues to lose open space at a faster rate than neighboring states, 236,000 acres of farm and forestland will be converted to development by 2020.
"The health of our environment is a direct result of our commitment to its protection and preservation. As a community, we can and must influence the quality of our water and air by supporting partnerships that make investments in our long-term environmental goals of clean air and clean water.
"Working together we have and can continue to make a positive difference."
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