News from the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy

Cecil County becomes fourth signature on updated ESLC regional land protection agreement

Queenstown, Maryland May 16, 2007 - Cecil County became the fourth county to sign a regional agreement aimed at strengthening land protection efforts on the Eastern Shore. The Cecil County Commissioners signed the updated Eastern Shore 2010 agreement, which was developed by the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) a private, nonprofit land conservation organization dedicated to the preservation of farmland and habitat on the Eastern Shore.

Representatives from (ESLC) presented the updated to Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot Counties earlier this year. In addition to Cecil, Kent, Caroline and Queen Anne's all voted to adopt the revised agreement, which was strengthened last year by ESLC in response to increased growth pressure facing the Shore in the next few decades. Talbot has yet to take a vote on the update; Dorchester voted to reject the update earlier this year. The original Eastern Shore 2010 agreement was adopted by Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's, Caroline, Cecil and Talbot counties in 2002.

"We are so pleased to have Cecil County help us take this important step toward a full regional adoption of Eastern Shore 2010," said Rob Etgen, ESLC Executive Director. "We commend the leadership of Caroline, Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's counties for taking this important step toward managing growth on the Eastern Shore."

The updated Eastern Shore 2010 agreement calls for; reaching regional goals in land protection, strengthening the farming, fishing, and forestry industries, managing the amount and type of new development, and creating a regional transportation plan, by 2010.

According to the Maryland Department of Planning, about 160,000 new residents will make the Eastern Shore their home in the next 25 years - adding more than 70,000 new houses and consuming approximately 262,000 acres of farms and forests.

The agreement specifically proposes that local counties; provide a minimum amount of funds for land protection, implement their economic development plans supporting the farming, fishing and forestry industries, direct 80 percent of new growth to villages and towns, set a maximum annual growth rate, create a plan for workforce housing, and suggest alternatives to another Bay Bridge, including a public transportation plan.

Next month, ESLC will release a report detailing the state of growth on the Eastern Shore. The report, which features narrative by Baltimore Sun columnist Tom Horton, details how each of the six counties are meeting the challenges of growth as well as how the Eastern Shore 2010 update will help the regional effort to manage growth on the Shore that maintains the regional's unique rural heritage and quality of life.

"Our window of opportunity to save the Eastern Shore's farms, forests, rivers and vistas is rapidly closing and cooperation from our counties and towns is key to making sure that these growth projections do not become our destiny," said Etgen.. "We appreciate Caroline, Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's leadership and encourage our remaining counties to sign the updated Eastern Shore 2010 agreement so we can continue to work together to make sure the Eastern Shore's unique rural heritage can be enjoyed for generations to come."

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