Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund

The Trust Fund is an important investment vehicle that produces jobs across Maryland, helps farmers, and cleans up the Bay. The Trust Fund pays farmers to plant cover crops that stop pollution from running into the Bay. The fund also finances job-creation storm water control projects in urban and suburban areas. The Trust Fund makes smart investments in agriculture, an important economic driver in Maryland, and shovel-ready stormwater infrastructure projects across our state. Because Trust Fund dollars are used to leverage other public money and private investments, the Fund has what is called a high multiplier effect. In other words, for every dollar the fund spends, additional public and private funds are spent too. In this way, the Fund produces an extra bang for each buck spent by the state—exactly the type of economic investment Maryland needs to make in today’s economy. Layoffs probable at Arbutus firm if Legislature cuts Trust Fund Carter B. McCamy says he will probably have to lay off over 20 workers from his Arbutus company if the legislature cuts the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays 2010 Trust Fund as recommended by the state Department of Legislative Services. The proposed cuts would slash funding for stormwater mitigation projects throughout Maryland. Stormwater, the water that rushes off the suburban and urban landscape during storms and snow melts and pollutes local creeks, river and the Chesapeake Bay, is the only form of nutrient pollution that is increasing in the Bay watershed as development continues. The state's commitment to reduce stormwater pollution not only improves water quality, but employs a significant workforce at a time when unemployment is high. McCamy is CEO of Environmental Quality Resources, LLC, an environmental construction company that specializes in stream restoration, wetland mitigation, reforestation, shoreline stabilization and storm water management. The firm has received significant contracted work through the Trust Fund. He employs 115 full-time workers, and also supports an additional 100 subcontractors who provide trucking materials, concrete, paving and fencing required for stormwater mitigation projects. McCamy says the cuts would potentially cripple his business. "If the Chesapeake Bay 2010 Fund is cut in any way, it is likely that there will be layoffs. If it is cut significantly, up to 20% of our workforce would be in jeopardy of losing their jobs. At that point, my company of 19 years could have difficulty making payments on our building, plant nursery and land. If we are unable to keep our doors open, a dozen other businesses will fold as well" he testified before a Senate budget committee on March 3.