Md. Officials Ask Exelon For Help With Cleanup Of Flood Debris

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) — Maryland's top environmental and natural resources officials asked the owner of the Conowingo Dam to help with clean up in the Chesapeake Bay after debris and sediment flowed downstream following record flooding last month.

In a letter, state leaders told Exelon's CEO that "the massive amounts of sediment and debris that flowed through the floodgates are now having a detrimental and dangerous impact on downstream waterways across the region."

On Monday, crews with Maryland's Department of Natural Resources cleaned up 5,000 pounds of debris from the Chesapeake Bay and the Chester River. Last week, several Anne Arundel County beaches were forced to close, and large trees and garbage collected near shorelines.

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A NASA satellite image even showed the brown plumes of debris visible from space.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is a member of the Chesapeake Executive Council, a body that includes five other governors and the director of the EPA. The Council will meet Tuesday in Baltimore where Hogan is expected to raise the issue of recent Chesapeake Bay pollution.

Maryland has been critical of Exelon and state leaders from Pennsylvania and New York for not doing enough to stop the debris from flowing into Maryland. Pennsylvania's environmental secretary called the criticism "careless and insensitive."

Exelon said in a statement the company had removed 600 tons of debris from the Susquehanna River since the beginning of the year. The company noted the Susquehanna is not the only river that drains into the Chesapeake Bay.

Click here to view the full response from Exelon.

Exelon Response to MDE MDNR by WJZ on Scribd

Lower Susquehanna River Keeper Ted Evgeniadis told WJZ he is particularly concerned about toxic sediment causing problems for the health of the Bay.

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