HJ96: Commending the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin.
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 96
WHEREAS, 2020 marks the 80th anniversary of the compact between the States of Maryland and West Virginia, the Commonwealths of Virginia and Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia that created a Potomac Valley Conservation District and established the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin; and
WHEREAS, the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, a nonregulatory interstate compact agency, works to protect and improve the Potomac River and enhance the quality of life of the watershed area’s more than 6.1 million residents; and
WHEREAS, formed by the United States Congress in 1940 in response to severe levels of pollution in the Potomac River, the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin is made up of commissioners from the federal government, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.; and
WHEREAS, the Potomac River flows from Fairfax Stone, West Virginia, on its North Branch and Highland County, Virginia, on its South Branch to the Chesapeake Bay at Point Lookout, Maryland, covering a drainage area of more than 14,600 square miles; and
WHEREAS, the Potomac River is essential to the region, with approximately 600 million gallons of water per day used for public and domestic water supply, including 500 million gallons per day in the Washington, D.C., area alone, and 1.6 billion gallons per day used for power plant cooling and industrial use; and
WHEREAS, while the quality of the Potomac River has drastically improved since 1940, new challenges, such as population growth, land-use changes, nutrient and sediment enrichment, and the growth of impervious chemical contaminants have required ongoing regional cooperation through the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin; and
WHEREAS, the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin collaborates with government agencies, the private sector, and members of the academic community to ensure that challenges are met efficiently and effectively; and
WHEREAS, the staff of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin includes environmental engineers, aquatic ecologists, biologists, and communications professionals, all of whom work to provide sound science and guidance for local, state, and national officials; and
WHEREAS, the Potomac River watershed comprises about 20 percent of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and is a major factor in the bay’s restoration, and the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin works closely with the Chesapeake Bay Program; and
WHEREAS, in addition to safeguarding water sources and improving water quality, the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin also conducts studies on plant and animal life in the Potomac River Basin and conducts valuable education and outreach programs to inform residents and other stakeholders on the importance of good stewardship of natural resources; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin for its work to protect and enhance the waters and related natural resources of the Potomac River on the occasion of its 80th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for the commission’s important work and contributions to the Commonwealth.