From the Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway:
Friends of the LSHG:
We wanted to alert you to the fact that President Obama’s 2013 budget proposes to eliminate funding for the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System (CBIBS). If you would like to see the buoys remain in operation, we ask that you write a letter to your representatives in Congress and copy the NOAA Administrator, Jane Lubchenco, regarding the merits of the system. We have provided a draft letter at the end of this message or you can find an easy to send, electronic form here:
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5533/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=9752
As you may know, CBIBS is a network of “smart buoys” that track wind, weather, and water-quality data. Managed and maintained by the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, the system relays data in near-real-time using wireless technology, making the information accessible through the website, toll-free phone number, and smartphone “apps.” In addition, the “smart buoys” also mark locations along the National Park Service’s Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, providing voice narration of natural and cultural history.
For more information on the buoys or to access the information provided by them, visit www.buoybay.org or 877-BUOY-BAY.
Thank you for your Support!
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DRAFT LETTER:
Date
The Honorable NAME HERE
ADDRESS
ADDRESSDear Representative NAME HERE:
President Obama’s FY13 budget explicitly eliminates the funding needed to keep the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System (CBIBS) operational. This system of innovative buoys supplies near real time weather and environmental information to users via telephone or internet devices. It has proven its worth to weather forecasters, commercial shippers, fishermen, recreational boaters, and scientists. We ask that you support the system and ensure that the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration funds the system.
Numerous public agencies, private companies, organizations and individuals have voiced support for the system. In addition, the system is an important part of the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office’s efforts to meet the mission given it by the President’s 2009 Executive Order for the Chesapeake Bay. We hope you will urge the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Dr. Jane Lubchenco, to take necessary steps to keep the system operating to support the health of the Chesapeake Bay estuary and the activities and safety of the Americans who enjoy it.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME HERECC: Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator of NOAA
Im a person who makes his living on the water. The Interpretive Buoy System is a monumental waste of tax dollars. They are unreliable at best, and are often offline. We have our own equipment that does the job for us. Id rather have seen the money spent elsewhere.
I am not someone who makes their living on the water. Rather I am an avid kayaker from Harford County who doesn’t have their “own equipment that does the job for us” to make knowledgable and safe decisions about water conditions for water recreation in the Chesepeake Bay. Such “private” weather and water monitoring equipment is prohibitively expensive for anyone. When was the last time your neighbor installed a Doppler radar in their back yard? Also, saying that federal funding is a waste of money to support the buoys is just plain wrong! The fact is the local economy and businesses in Harford County can piggy back on this federal funding that doesn’t cost the local economy one cent.
The buoys are tied the tourism initiative of the National Water trails to increase and support safe water recreation. The National Captin John Smith Water Trial is routed through Havre De Grace, and I know lots of boater and kayakers who travel at great length to come to the mouth of the Susquehanna River who spend their money in Havre De Grace before they they leave. You’d rather see federal infrastructure, that supports the local economy and doesn’t cost us anything anything, cut?! There are at least 200,000 people a year that use the Chesapeake Bay for water recreation and those numbers are only increasing. I would know because I belong to local kayaking clubs and their numbers are increasing steadily every year. You need the infrastructure to help support and monitor activities they want to engage in. Much like you need lifeguards on a beach.
The buoy’s are a public service, I’ve used the information off their webpage to make decisions whether it’s safe to go out or not. The buoys also functions rather than just general information and NOAA evaluations, it’s free money in Harford County’s pockets. I encourage everyone to continue to support for the buoy system because we all benefit from it directly or indirectly.
Duckman,
Where does the Federal Government get this free money?
Well, Bobby P, your loaded question regarding fear of federal government wasteful spending is a good attempt. But the fact is that federal money spent on public service benefits everyone locally. I suppose you would like to see I95 go unsupervised and ripped up out of Harford County at the earliest convenience.
A public services like the buoys are usually a small fraction of any federal budget. So it would make sense that this service was targeted to be scratched if local citizens don’t say anything. But the buoy systems has already been set up, the money has been spent and the “backbone” of the system has been in place since 2011. It’s a new program that will insure future tourism dollars for Harford County that will certainly be recouped into the private sector. It would be a complete waste of money to scrap infrastructure that money has already been spent on.
Congratulations to you Duckman. I concur. It is a worthwhile endeavor, but not free.
There are A LOT of FREE services where you can find better information then whats on the yellow buoys. The buoys do not give forecasts, do not provide radar.. If you have the ability to see the buoy info on a website, then you can easily access the info from another source. I would suggest you write the Greenway a tax deductible check if you are insistent on this continuing. Sick of my tax dollars going to waste.
I see the a local politician who makes $80,000.00 a year as the director of the LSHG. The LSHG was had some money go missing a few years back in excess of $100,000.00. This same person made a stink when the city of Havre de Grace diverted funds from them to the Concord Point Light House. Now I see why all the fuss. Here’s to Obama doing something right for once and cutting money that is going into politicians pockets.
John, you forgot the Council salary of at least $32,000
From their website, it is valuable to see who the directors of this organization are:
http://hitourtrails.com/organization.html
Board of Directors 2009
Executive Director: Mary Ann Lisanti
President: Mr. Allen Fair Secretary: Ms. Merrie Street
Vice President: Mrs. Sarah Colenda Treasurer: Mr. Bradford Snyder
The Honorable Barbara Brown
The Honorable Joe Kochenderfer
The Honorable Fred Cullum The Honorable Wayne Tome
Mr. John William Boniface Mr. Harold Harbold
Mr. John Denver Mr. Henry Holloway
The Honorable James Eberhardt Mrs. Roxanne Lynch
Ms. Janet Gleisner Mr. Joe Swisher
Mr. A. Lawrence Guess Mr. Vernon Thompson
Good pick up John. Alot of familiar names on nthat list.
Mary Ann Lisanti makes $85,000 per year I think. Besides getting government money steered to them, I wonder what she actually does.