DNR Agrees to Water Monitoring for Lead in Seneca Creek State Park
$1,000,000 Spent on Remediation Efforts

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Annapolis, Md. (January 28, 2009) — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Potomac Riverkeeper, Inc. reached a final settlement today in a case involving lead shot waste left by a shooting club on State lands.

“The Department of Natural Resources has been committed to taking necessary action to correct the environmental hazards that existed in Seneca Creek State Park and we are dedicated to making sure that the land and aquatic resources are monitored and protected in years to come,” said DNR Secretary John R. Griffin.

For decades, the National Capital Skeet and Trap Club operated on Montgomery County lands, which during their tenure were acquired by the State of Maryland and assimilated into Seneca Creek State Park. As a result of the group’s usage, large quantities of lead shot accumulated on the natural lands and in waterways. Following the club’s departure from the property in 2004, DNR removed nearly 3,000 pounds of spent lead shot and contracted treatment for remaining lead with a phosphorus stabilization agent widely used at shooting ranges and recognized as effective in rendering in-place spent lead munitions stable, over approximately 10 acres of the Park.

To date, Maryland has invested nearly $1,000,000 in its environmental remediation efforts relevant to spent lead shot at Seneca Creek State Park. These efforts have successfully diminished any potential adverse environmental impacts from the presence of spent lead shot in a manner that has preserved the pristine nature of this area of the Park. Over the next 10 years, DNR has agreed to monitor water quality within the affected area of the Park to confirm the effectiveness of the stabilization process.

For more information about Seneca Creek State Park, visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/central/seneca.html.

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January 29, 2009

Contact: Kara Turner 410-260-8018 katurner@dnr.state.md.us

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 449,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov