In a huge win for clean water, our local movement helped pass a “no net loss of trees” commitment in Frederick County, Maryland

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With the passage of two historic votes this summer, Frederick County has the strongest forest protection laws in all of Maryland!

We say it again and again: When it comes to defending the health of our waters and forests, local policies matter. Your voice matters!

Potomac Conservancy, clean water partners, and over 300 of our supporters urged the Frederick County Council to pass two critical forest protections. We heard from people of all walks of life who shared their passionate, personal testimonies about the important role trees play in safeguarding the health of our rivers, the water we drink, and our families.

Thanks to those who wrote in with their support, the Frederick County Council unanimously voted on July 21, 2020 to reinstate a “no net loss of trees” requirement in the Forest Resource Ordinance (Bill 20-08) - a protection that was previously rolled back in 2011.

And after weeks of contentious debate, on August 4, 2020, the Council unanimously voted to pass a Zoning Amendment (Bill 20-07) requiring environmental resources to be identified and protected for all future development projects! A proposed amendment to grandfather two development projects near Lake Linganore under the old zoning rules failed 4-3.

This is a huge win for the health of Frederick's families, wildlife, and clean water -- one that took years in the making.

Its impact not only positive benefits Frederick County, but also downstream communities including Montgomery County.

The Monocacy River, a tributary to the Potomac, and streams throughout Frederick County are some of the worst polluted waterways in all of Maryland. Reckless deforestation and weak tree buffers along streams have significantly contributed to excess nutrient and sediment pollution flowing into local waters.

Rapid deforestation and tree loss is a widespread problem in the Potomac River and broader Chesapeake Bay watersheds. Tree buffers received the only F health grade in our 2018 Potomac River Report Card.

Forest protection bills 20-07 and 20-08 help address these issues by ensuring more of our mature forests and sensitive environmental resources stay intact, and that trees lost to development are responsibly replaced. Trees and natural land cover are critical to protecting streams as they naturally absorb rainwater and filter polluted runoff.

The measures protect Lake Linganore and other drinking water sources from polluted runoff, make Frederick’s communities more resilient to flooding, and will help restore healthy water quality to the Monocacy River.

Encouragingly, Frederick County's leadership has ripple effects that extend beyond its borders. These critical forest protections will help remove pollution from streams and creeks flowing downstream into Montgomery County and will serve as a model for other counties in Maryland and Virginia to follow suit. In fact, we're working hard with partners to urge a similar "no net loss of trees" measure in Montgomery County.

We want to thank everyone who spoke up, our coalition partners, the Frederick County Executive, and the County Council for coming together to do something positive for our community.

Together, the local clean water movement is united in the fight for clean water!