


Maryland Chapter		Explore, enjoy and protect the planet

Protect one of the healthiest tributaries in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

If we can't save the Mattawoman and it's watershed, we cannot save the Chesapeake Bay. Join us on the Creek!

Check Out Pictures From Mattawoman Trips!

Watch this video to learn more about why we need to REJECT THE PLANNING COMMISSION’S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FAILURE and Sign Our Petition!

Check out Savecharlescounty.com and noplan2006.com for more information on this issue.

Opportunities for Taking Action: The Comprehensive Plan Process in Charles County


Save the Mattawoman Creek Watershed and the Chesapeake Bay! Only 20 miles south of Washington DC, Mattawoman Creek is the last best remnant of what the Chesapeake Bay rivers were like when the bay was healthy and productive. This river teems with life including eagles, herons, beaver, otters, bass and migratory fish, American lotus, and a wonderful diversity of plants and animals. It is the fourth most endangered river on American River's most endangered waterways list for 2009. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has recognized it as the highest quality fish spawning nursery of the Chesapeake Bay. The Mattawoman has survived thus far because forests in Southern Prince George's and Charles counties filter storm and rainwater keeping the river cool, clean, and alive. Now, new proposed developments would spread a path of destruction across the creek and it's watershed. Sprawling suburban housing developments threaten to pave over forests and farmlands with rooftops, cement, and polluted runoff, degrading this biodiverse area and the wildlife it supports. TAKE ACTION TO SAVE THE MATTAWOMAN! Other proposals to increase growth (Waldorf Bypass, Tech Center.pdf) in the environmentally sensitive Mattawoman Watershed should be redesigned and directed to areas that need redevelopment Citizens to Commissioners: We Want a Smart Growth Water Resource Element! Update June 25, 2012- Say No to Plan 2006 Charles County Sierra Club members are advocating for smart growth in the county's land use plan, a plan which should be developed in the best interests of the citizens, local rivers, streams and Chesapeake Bay. The Maryland Department of Planning defines Smart growth as “concentrating new development and redevelopment in areas that have existing or planned infrastructure to avoid sprawl.” Currently, we are fighting against the approval of the most current draft land use plan called Plan 2006. This plan is an outdated plan that is not in the interests of Charles County citizens or the environment. Instead of promoting smart and sustainable growth, it encourages commercial development and urban sprawl. While the Sierra Club was successful in its fight against the Cross County Connector, the implementation of Plan 2006 would lead to severely declining water quality in the Mattawoman Watershed. Spread the word that we need to say no to Plan 2006. We need to stop making costly mistakes that we will regret. We can prevent overcrowding and sprawl and have a vibrant, healthy, and beautiful Charles County. The Mattawoman Watershed doesn’t have a voice; therefore we, the citizens, need to speak up and protect our water supply. To learn more on this issue check out http://noplan2006.com/ Update February 28, 2012 - Army Corps Denies Cross County Connector Application "Sprawl Highway is Not in the Public Interest" Following right on the heels of the MDE permit denial for the cross-county connector, Sierra Club is celebrating yet another permit denial of the destructive cross-county connector highway. This time, the denial comes from the Army Corps of Engineers, which denies permits very, very rarely. The reasons included that this monstrous highway is not in the public interest. The demise of this highway project is the result of activists working diligently for years to stop it. The Maryland Chapter and its members played a prominent role in the defeat of the connector by bringing thousands of environmentalists to the Mattawoman Creek for hikes and trips, drawing the attention of state officials to the Creek, and turning out folks for hearings, encouraging them to write letters and submit comments. The battle for the creek continues. Currently, Charles County Sierra Club members are working hard to advocate for smart-growth in the county's land use plan. Choosing smart growth over destructive sprawl will be critical in Maryland's ability to protect our rivers, streams and the Chesapeake Bay. Update January 31, 2012 - Victory for the Mattawoman! In a major victory for the Mattawoman Creek, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has denied a permit for the final 3 phases of the Cross County Connector. The resulting sprawl from this highway would have detrimentally impacted the Mattawoman. At the moment, Charles County officials have not appealed MDE's decision or filed a new application. "The denial of this highway is a major victory for smart growth, protection of Mattawoman Creek, the Potomac, and Chesapeake Bay," says Bonnie Bick, conservation chair for the Club's Southern Maryland Group. "This highway would have facilitated sprawl development along faltering Mattawoman Creek, a Sierra Club priority and American Rivers' 4th-most endangered river in the nation in 2009." For more details, please read the press releases from the Sierra Club and CBF and this article from SoMdNews.com. Update February 28, 2011 - PATH On Hold; Is MAPP Next? On Monday, the Potomac Edison Company brought the PATH transmission line to an end in Maryland, as well as in Virginia and West Vierginia. The reason: Declining growth in electricity demand and other factors have eliminated the need for this three-state, 275-mile project. Will MAPP - the other major Maryland transmission line project - also be put on hold? Well, we won't know until next week (March 10th) when an updated analysis of the project is due out. What we do know is that MAPP is not needed to tap all that wind power potential off the Maryland coast. The existing Delmarva transmission grid is more than adequate to deliver offshore wind electricity to markets elsewhere in the USA. Nor is MAPP needed to maintain reliable, affordable electric service on Delmarva or elsewhere in Maryland. There are other options which will acheive this goal just as effectively with far less impact to the environment and electricity cost. The three greatest environmental impacts of MAPP are to increase air pollution from coal-fired power plants, cause wetland impacts far in excess of any project approved in Maryland since the 1980s, and impact as much as 8500 acres of the Chesapeake Bay and Choptak River. Further detail on these and many other impacts can be found on the CEDS Transmission Lines webpage.	Documents & Factsheets Carrots, sticks, and WIPs: building a Comprehensive Plan on water elements (pdf) by Jim Long Mattawoman Briefing Booklet pdf Mattawoman Factsheet pdf html Army Corps letter to Charles County on proposed highway doc FWS letter to the Army Corps 12-2009 pdf Smarter Growth Alliance for Charles County Release 12-2008 (doc) Trouble Ahead Report: Road Map to a Smarter, Greener, and More Prosperous Charles County - an Alternative Vision pdf Chesapeake Bay Treasured Landscapes Map pdf Mattawoman ccc permit denied Army Corps 2-2012 pdf Press Release on ACOE Denial doc Charles County Tiers Map pdf IN The News Charles County Water Options Ripped

Come enjoy it's tranquil beauty. Pictures from fall paddle trips Easy access at Mattingly Park at 108 Mattingly Ave, Indian Head, MD 20640. From DC beltway take Indianhead Highway Rt. 210 South to the ends at Indian Head navy base. Turn left on Mattingly Ave and follow to public dock on Mattawoman creek. Local Kayak Outfitter Recent Sierra Club Kayaking Trip Along the Mattawoman Creek Outing - Summer 2012 Nearby Chapman Forest Mattawoman Wildlands area Mattawoman Creek Art Center in Smallwood State Park Ruth B. Swan Memorial Park mature woodland trail (Potomac Branch Library) Smallwood State Park across the creek from Mattingly Park	Jump in and Help! Write the governor Bring your friends or group out to canoe, kayak, bike, walk, fish, relax Become a spokesperson for the creek Write a letter to the editor Donate to support the campaign Call us 301-277-7111 Team Leader: BonnieBick@gmail.com For Updates Visit www.mattawomanwatershedsociety.org Mattawoman Outings Leader Support Page
More issues affecting Mattawoman Creek and our watersheds.... Global Warming: Coastal Wetlands are threatened by global warming - but can also buffer against storms and other effects. We can do our part personally and regionally to reduce green house gas emissions and preserve these wetlands. Ecosystem Restoration: Reduce erosion, sedimentation, and pollution in the watershed. Leave forests and trees standing. Remove invasive species (join Charles County stewardship outings in the Mattawoman Watershed!) Plant native plants and restore barren areas – Maryland Native Plant Society Land preservation toolkit Water Pollution: Don’t dump! We live in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, so all the water that drains through our area eventually reaches the Bay - after passing through our local watersheds. Materials dumped into open sewer drains will flow directly in our important and irreplaceable waterways. Prevent, identify, and quickly clean up spills of sewage, chemicals, and toxic substances. Report spills to Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) at (866) 633-4686. Sprawl Development: Development in the outer suburbs increases traffic and carbon dioxide emissions and paves over our remaining wild places. New roads and sprawl also reduce our quality of life by degrading public facilities and services such as schools and fire and police response. Sprawl and Global Warming factsheet (pdf) (html) Take public transportation, set up a carpool, bike when you can ....and work for public officials who care about the environment and will advocate for good environmental laws. Article on the Mattawoman Watershed, the Bay, and Global Warming Charles County and it's towns could sign onto the U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement, pledging to reduce global warming gas emissions. Join the Sierra Club Cool Cities campaign to fight Global Warming. Use Green Development techniques, such as Green Buildings, Native plants, Green Roofs, Rain Gardens, Rural Clustering, and Storm Water Management to benefit the Mattawoman and other Maryland Watersheds.