At the public hearing on Lakeside last Tuesday night, the County Council and the public learned that the little stream below the existing Trappe sewerage plant–to which the first 120 (or more) Lakeside homes will be connected—today carries a level of E coli eleven times (!) Maryland’s recreational water quality standard. And the plant is right now discharging effluent into that stream at more than twelve times (!) the nitrogen concentration as put out by the St. Michaels plant, an unheard-of level. ELEVEN AND TWELVE TIMES AS MUCH.
And the Trappe sewer collection system leaks like the proverbial sieve. And a massive failure at that plant that lasted for at least three months (and for which MDE levied no enforcement penalty) was not due to “extreme precipitation” as claimed by the Town, but rather occurred under common circumstances. And all this discharge is going into the shallow, ill-flushed headwaters of La Trappe Creek (which MDE lists as already impaired for fecal coliform and other indicia of pollution)—at a point less than a half mile above Trappe Landing where local boaters and kayakers interact with that tributary. You’ve probably seen the photos.
All of this is new information unavailable to the Council when they gave Lakeside a greenlight in August 2020, and are among the important reasons—there are others—why the Council really must rescind its action taken last year. The information was authoritative, not just “someone’s opinion” and was provided by ShoreRivers from reports by a professional lab that operates to EPA standards, on water samples drawn within the last five weeks, and a 21 page research analysis (with an 18 page appendix) prepared by Dr. Jim Smullen, a nationally recognized wastewater expert with 40 years of experience with many degrees including a PhD…who just happens to live near Trappe. Who knew?
The reason this is important is that the Lakeside developer and the Town of Trappe are intent on connecting those first 120 houses, possibly quite a number more, to that plant via a pipe to be run under Route 50. Even 120 homes would increase the plant’s sewerage flow by almost 30%. It is insanity, but it seems the cheapest way for the developer, Rocks, to get going, and the Town wants his money, because of a financial squeeze, all tied back to that sewer plant.
Big picture: this all needs to get fixed—the failing plant and that little Town’s financial problems both—but tying Lakeside into that plant is not an answer. Lakeside, that massive subdivision, brings to Talbot County troubles enough even aside from running its waste through an antiquated plant and into La Trappe Creek.
If you saw any of the County Council Public Hearing last Tuesday night, in person or on video (Item XIII, begins 40 minutes in), you’ll agree it was extraordinary. Solid and damning information—yes. But procedurally? Oy! Fortunately, everyone seems committed to a more mature orderly format when the public hearing resumes, which will happen at a date to be announced.
Briefly, on Tuesday the agenda item was set as a Public Hearing on Mr. Lesher’s resolution to rescind the green light given Lakeside last year, and of course many citizens went to considerable effort to come to the meeting to speak, even though strictly limited to three minutes.
But, with practically no notice and no discussion of the ground rules, I was told that in connection with Petition 21-01 filed in early May and now supported by over 350 citizens, I was to “present my case” before any other speakers (with witnesses and exhibits and no limitation on time, which is how the process is described in the Council’s Rules of Procedure). Having researched Lakeside for six months, there is a mountain of important new information that the Council must see—and it appeared, “now or never.”
And so unfolded a very awkward situation, one in which I know I seemed very disrespectful not only of the Council’s time, but that of my friends and neighbors waiting to speak. (I sent an email of apology that next morning to the 350 on the Roster of petition supporters, and while a few did confirm I had given them offense, many more understood fully—and recognized that it was because of the petitioners’ different rules that the RiverKeeper, Matt Pluta, and Dr. Smullen were able to reveal such important new information, on E coli and nitrogen, for example.)
Our Petition 21-01 is alive and well and its cause is gathering strength. If you yourself have not spoken up to oppose Lakeside, join the Roster: just send a short email of support of our petition to [email protected]. We have more new information to present to the Council, but it can now be done more briefly and with greater organization. And, separately, the Public Hearing on Mr. Lesher’s resolution can wind up too, without the two efforts overlapping or disrupting one another.
Stay posted.
Dan Watson is the former chair of Bipartisan Coalition For New Council Leadership and has lived in Talbot County for the last twenty-five years.
Mike McConnel says
Perhaps this is belaboring the issue, Dan, but it is important for the public (as well as the Council) to appreciate that unless 281 is rescinded, Talbot County will have forfeited its ability to affect Lakeside’s wastewater treatment policies and configuration in the future. Both
would be determined in the discretion of the developer and the Town of Trappe indefinitely. MDE has failed to exercise meaningful oversight. Resolution 281 must be rescinded so that Talbot County does not lose the leverage it now has over the developer and Trappe to require ongoing compliance with Code requirements. Lakeside and Trappe are in Talbot County and ultimate responsibility for whatever would then ensue absent rescission would be our Council’s legacy for generations to come.
Michael Davis says
Dan, Thank you for your continued efforts. If this large development happens without adequate wastewater treatment, someone is going to pay for it eventually. And it won’t be the developer.
HUgh (Jock) Beebe says
Dan Watson, has worked tirelessly (well, probably despite being “tired”) for a long months with sustained energy, seeking to bring facts front and center in the discussion of the Lakeside Development in Trappe. Those facts, now incompletely, but effectively, presented at the last Talbot Council meeting speak for themselves.
The force of evidence-based presentations to bring NEW credible factual data directly to the Talbot Council show a huge reason to stop the poorly informed previous resolution from enabling significant harm to the Eastern Shore.
Thanks, Dan, keep up the important effort – we’re listening.
Jane Bollman says
Thanks to Carol Voyle for this very complete and accurate report on the hearing — much better than that published in the Star Democrat that didn’t even make the front page on such an important issue.
Stephen W. Fye says
I’m astonished that anyone living on the Eastern Shore would not be aware and sensitive to the generations old fight to clean up Americas waterways and in particular, for this area, the Chesapeake Bay. I entertain pleas almost daily for funds to keep our treasure intact and then to read that the Town Council of Trapp is fighting hard to reverse the good work that has been done by all of us, just sickens me. Refuse the Lakeside Development an currently configured. If the Town of Trapp is in such dire need of funds, make a public plea, I’ll contribute!
Meg Olmert says
Thank you Dan. You done good. And thank you Mike McConnell for clearly elucidating the other existential threat we must stop. And thank you Talbot Spy for providing the much needed platform to discuss and debate such critical issues. Star Dem not interested? Follow the money!
Shannon Tiebosch says
Thank you for all you have done. It is Talbot county’s council and residents responsibility to take care of our environment. I 100% back the petition.