Newcryofthehawk21132nhhs

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Follow us on Twitter @HAWKREPORTER North Harford High School

211 Pylesville Road, Pylesville, MD 21132

410-638-3650

Volume 48, Issue 1

November 28, 2017

Project dredging up controversy among Harco residents; Environmental officials aim to clean up Susquehanna DARBY HYDE Op/Ed Editor

of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that it’s now reached capacity and any major scour

Photo Credit: Beyond My Ken Earlier this year, Governor Larry Hogan revealed a new project to dredge the Susquehanna River behind the Conowingo Dam. Dredging involves cleaning out the bed of a river by scooping out mud, weeds, and rubbish. Hogan decided to start this project because the dam had been trapping all this built-up sediment, but it was found recently by the Baltimore District

event, such as a storm, could remove the sediment and flush it into the bay, maybe even causing a flood. This would be very harmful, as well as trapping nitrogen and phosphorous that contribute to poor water quality, so even removing just the 25,000 cubic yards proposed out of the total 2 million could potentially help. However, some organizations

such as the Chesapeake Bay Foundation claim that dredging is not the most cost-effective method, or even the best way to prevent this flooding and pollution. They also claim that stopping pollution at its source- the larger Susquehanna Watershed- would be the best technique, and the sediment targeted by this project doesn’t pose as big of a problem as originally feared. Homeowners have concerns as well. At a meeting held in the North Harford High School cafeteria, interested community members had the opportunity to listen to employees of the Maryland Environmental Service, the organization orchestrating the dredging, give information about various concerning aspects of the operation. There were many questions asked about the staging area, the location where the water/sediment slurry from the bottom of the river would be piped into through an eight- to twelve-inch

pipeline and dewatered. The dewatering could either be mechanical or passive, each with about the same amount of environment impact. After the dewatering, the water would be piped through a separate pipe back to the river and the sediment used for construction material, fertilizer, or landfill cover up, depending on the contractor. Since this is such an involved process there is concern over where this staging area will be. There are 40 areas being considered, but it was not revealed at the meeting which one would eventually be chosen. Since it’s a real estate negotiation, MES could not discuss which sites are in consideration. However, one homeowner accused the MES of already having decided on the site being used, saying she “drove by the flags every day.” These people are so concerned about the staging area location because there will need to be some forest cleared, pipelines laid down, and a great amount of traffic down normally quiet roads due to the need for sediment and equipment to be transported back and forth. Another point of interest was the timeline for this project. The

proposals from the contractors were due on November 7, and the finalist determined soon after that. The dredging is projected to be completed by March 1, 2018, but some contractors have concerns over the safety and effectiveness of having to be completed by that time. The permit process to get permission from state agencies to start the dredging took about three months, according to MES officials. One man at the community meeting pointed out, “It takes me 6 months to get a permit to build a house; how are you going to get it in 3 months?” Many citizens were expressing their frustration, claiming the officials were lax in the way of contacting the affected community members, answering their questions, and transparency. However, MES continued to reiterate the positive environmental effects the dredging will have in the long term, and explained its attempts to minimize the impact on the public. Though there is controversy surrounding this project, MES will be continuing with the project for the time being.

Annual book drive keeps Drumm’s legacy alive through community aid KAILEY JOURDAN Reporter On December 22, 2015, North Harford High School lost fellow hawk, Erin Drumm. She was known by so many people, as she was involved in several clubs and extracurricular activities, resulting in a huge loss in the student body. Drumm passed away after a brief, but strong battle with leukemia. Drumm was involved in the school’s musical, swim team, FFA, chorus, lacrosse, taekwondo, German club, National Honor’s Society and 4H outside of school. By being so involved in these clubs, she touched the lives of many students. Senior, Abby Renzulli, recalls a time when Drumm and her were laughing in the women’s dressing room for the musical over a complicated hat. It was the year they performed The Sound of Music. “Neither of us could figure out how to put it

on and we would just sit there laughing trying to figure it out.” Renzulli describes Drumm as a “very outgoing person who was not afraid to be herself” and someone who “was extremely enthusiastic about the things she loved.” In order to keep the spirit of Erin alive, NH continues on with the second year of hosting the annual book drive. As someone who was obsessed with reading in her free-time and always had a new book in her hand, reading was something that brought her joy even in her last days. Her father would read her The Martian by Andy Weir when she became too weak to hold the book up herself. It is because of this that Mrs. Paula Drumm had decided to create the book drive in the first place. In hopes of boosting the spirits of children in the same position as Erin, she gathers all the donated books and takes them to John

Hopkins Children’s hospital, local Boys and Girls clubs, and The Maryland Book Bank. Due to the fact that the majority of books are going to sick children, it is asked that all books being donated are newly purchased to eliminate the exposure of germs. Teacher, Mrs. Nancy Green, has stepped up to help continue on Drumm’s legacy through the annual book drive. Green recalls that Erin “would walk around with giant books” because of her passion for reading. Drumm’s favorite book was The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein. Erin’s mother revealed that the reason she loved to read so much was because “[she] loved the fact that when you read, you get to become someone else in a different place and time.” Her love for reading began when she was in fourth grade and read The Warrior series; she was hooked on reading from then on.

All feeder elementary schools of North Harford High School are also donating books, as they did last year to maximize the amount of books we can give to the sick children as they recover. Last year, the community

Photo Credit: Kailey Jourdan

raised over 2,000 books to go to children in need. From now until December 5, there will be donation bins in the main office, black box theater and library where students can drop off their new books.


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