Clean Water Action is excited to partner with Potomac Conservancy on an organizing campaign to clean up Monocacy and Potomac rivers in Frederick County. Check out my latest blog post on their website or continue reading below.
Maryland's historically rural Frederick County is rapidly changing.
Extreme development pressures and explosive population growth are threatening the county’s drinking water sources, changing the character of the neighborhoods residents know and love, and degrading local streams and creeks across the county.
Frederick County is already home to some of the most degraded streams in all of Maryland, and newly paved surfaces in the form of roads, parking lots, and homes are further damaging already troubled waters. Without proper planning, polluted runoff from new development will harm streams and creeks, destroy local fishing spots, and endanger drinking water sources.
The bottom line is that Frederick needs stronger clean water protections.
That’s why Clean Water Action and Potomac Conservancy are teaming up in Frederick. We’re empowering local citizens to stand up for clean water in their communities.
We’re giving citizens a voice in how they want their county to grow, so that clean streams and safe drinking water are priorities for the future. We’re taking on special interests from outside the county whose bottom lines conflict with the health and beauty of Frederick. And we’re holding elected officials accountable for maintaining the exceptional quality of life without sacrificing the economic integrity of the county.
What inspires our work and motivates us in the fight for clean water?
I’m reminded of two powerful pieces of wisdom.
“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
This philosophy underpins our approach in Frederick County, where Clean Water Action and Potomac Conservancy are working together to build a local movement for clean water.
Clean Water Action is a grassroots advocacy organization, with staff organizers working with communities on local issues and a field canvass knocking on doors in neighborhoods to connect with people and amplify citizen voices.
Our ability to reach local citizens and build local activist communities is complemented by Potomac Conservancy’s expertise in land management, restoration projects, and effective public policy; together, we are fighting for clean water through conservation and advocacy.
The second piece of wisdom is this:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
As organizations with a regional focus on clean water, and with local members and projects, we have resources to bring into Frederick County. But, these resources mean much more when coupled with the passion and knowledge of local citizens, who know and love the creeks and streams of Frederick County. By uniting local and regional voices in support of clean water and sensible development policies, we can make the change we all wish to see in Frederick County’s water quality.
In the coming months our organizations will be mobilizing local citizens in the fight for clean local water by engaging them with local policy development, such as the ongoing comprehensive plan update, and by advocating for clean water funding in the county.
Get involved!
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