J.R. 8 JOINT RESOLUTIONS

rare tall spearwort, and the site harbors significant mature stands of beech, oak, white
pine, tulip poplar, pin oak, sycamore, sweet gum, and red maple trees; and

WHEREAS, The Ft. Meade site provides excellent habitat for populations of
bobcats, wild turkeys, beaver, flying squirrels, deer, and fox and includes over 50 species
of amphibians and reptiles, 35 species of mammals, and 250 species of birds and

WHEREAS, The Patuxent River Policy Plan adopted by all seven Patuxent River
counties and approved by the Maryland General Assembly calls for protection of
forested and wetland acreage along the Patuxent River and for management areas up to
1/4 mile inland from the River; and

WHEREAS, There are at least six archaeological sites and 32 cemeteries on the
9,000 acres; and

WHEREAS, The area around Ft. Meade has been extensively developed or is
planned for extensive development, including 30,000 new housing units in the Odenton
area; and

WHEREAS, The County Executives of Anne Arundel, Prince George's, and
Howard Counties and the Mayors of Laurel and Bowie have all expressed strong
support for the addition of the 9,000 acres to the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
and keeping the vast majority of land as open space, as does the Chesapeake Bay
Foundation, the Sierra Club, the Severn River Association, and the Trust for Public
Land; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has requested the Secretary of
the Army Defense to transfer the 9,000 acre site at Ft. Meade to the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service for addition to the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center to be kept in
open space for wildlife management, research, and education; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the U.S.
Army Department of Defense is requested to transfer the entire 9,000 acre Ft. George
G. Meade tract to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for addition to the Patuxent
Wildlife Research Center and to keep the entire acreage in open space for wildlife
management, research, and education, and that existing uses on the entire acreage be
continued for: the Tipton Airfield; the landfill in the northeast corner; the shooting
ranges; and buffers for the National Security Agency; and be it further

RESOLVED, That it is the sense consensus of the General Assembly of Maryland
that the ecological uniqueness of the 9,000 acre site and the significant forest, wetland,
plant, and wildlife values be protected on this land in perpetuity, including the entire
6,900 acre wooded tract, by transfer of the 9,000 acres to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded by the Department of
Legislative Reference to the Honorable George Bush, President of the United States,
The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20500; the Maryland
Congressional Delegation: Senators Paul S. Sarbanes and Barbara A. Mikulski, Senate
Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510; and Representatives Royden P. Dyson, Helen

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