Please sign and share this petition before September 1 in an effort to stop critical pollution issues within the Chesapeake Bay, especially around the Conowingo Dam that is escalating quickly. The Dam's Owner, Exelon Corporation recently applied for a permit to continue operating for 46 more years without removing the sediment.
Environmentalists have been working diligently for more than 30 years to clean up the Chesapeake Bay area. However, all their efforts will be tossed aside if the issues surrounding sediment and the Conowingo Dam is not addressed and resolved. As one spokesperson stated, "The Conowingo Dam is a sediment trap. It's been in existence for 85 years, and it's never been dredged or maintained. If we do nothing to dredge that sediment, the bay is doomed."
The sediments within the Bay contain phosphorus, nitrogen, and other harmful nutrients that can cloud waters, sprout toxic algae bacteria, harm ecosystems, kill aquatic life, and sully drinking water. The Dam is largely preventing it from entering the Chesapeake Bay, but it has now reached the brim of the dam and if the Exelon Company is allowed to renew its permit, just one big storm event could send it over the edge, blanketing and destroying the Bay.
This is a critical issue for the Chesapeake Bay. "This is the time for everybody who cares about the Chesapeake Bay to be focused on this re-licensing by the Exelon Company. This is a once-in-a-generation chance to make sure someone does something with the sediments that have been accumulated."
We need to stop Exelon from further destroying and polluting the Chesapeake Bay. Please sign and share this petition in an effort to stop critical pollution issues within the Chesapeake Bay, especially around the Conowingo Dam that is escalating quickly.
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission:
I am writing to ask you to deny Exelon Corporation its application for a permit to operate Conowingo Dam without cleaning up the sediment behind the dam.
The Conowingo Dam is up to the rim with sediment and pollution that is at risk for overflowing any time. This is an urgent issue that needs to be addressed as soon as possible -- and if Exelon's permit request is approved, the company would not be forced to clean up this pollution for another 46 years.
Forty-six years is far too late to address this issue; experts are predicting that pollution could contaminate the bay with the next large storm.
I urge you to deny Exelon's permit until there is a plan to dredge the waters and clean up the sediment.
Thank you for your attention on this critical issue.
