Trumbauer's Enviro-Sell Out

Fellow Historics:

When the King thinks of islands, he remembers his youth on the Isle of Wight. A lovely place, certainly the envy of the elite around the world. Sailing and other distractions occupy days while pubs and games of chance occupy nights. In fact, it was the starting point for the Ark and the Dove on their voyage to someplace called 'Mary-land'.

So the King was taken with a local television report last week about other islands. The City of Baltimore is placing floating islands into their harbour. They float because they are made up of bundled plants. And these same plants remove nitrogen out of the water. Schools help maintain them and the National Aquarium tends them:



On the once-scenic Anacostia River in Washington DC they have also adopted such floating islands. To help clean up that degraded river.

It's a new thing we're told.

Well, it turns out that it isn't so new. Former Mayor Ellen Moyer had some of these floating islands slated for Annapolis' near-dead creeks. But this Spring their small cost was cut by Mayor Cohen. At the behest of his environmental 'Idea Team'. Chaired by Chris Trumbauer.

Little is yet publicly known about Mr. Trumbauer's back room role in the Mayor's termination of storm water programs, the refusal of Federal monies for making the Markethouse green, the halting of environmental education programs and the closing of Waterworks Park.

The largest sell out of environmental programs in the City's history. Perhaps in Maryland's history.

And it's a fact that Mr. Trumbauer was completely silent about his mentor's historic harm to his now beloved environment.

Yes, when running for office Trumbauer is an uber-enviro. When not, he has been quietly conspiring with former CAO Doug Smith and the Mayor to cut environmental programs. That would have lowered the nitrogen in the water. And reduced algae blooms that kill fish and crabs.

Bully Mr. Trumbauer!

You are correct to push back on these fancy organic islands and to support Mayor Cohen's historic defilement.

Who needs clean creeks? Like a jaunt from Cowes to Newport on the Isle, I want to be able to walk from the Historic Core to Eastport.

Across the dead zones Mr. Trumbauer has created.

King of George