J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                     1655

support a proposal by the Board of Natural Resources that ma-
terial dredged in this operation be dumped in the test area of
Aberdeen Proving Grounds where the effect will not be damaging
to the marine life and vegetation of the waters of this State.

Whereas, Chesapeake Bay and the many rivers and tributaries
which flow into it constitute our greatest natural asset, affecting
materially the economy of our State and providing our people with
sport and healthful recreation as well as attracting people from
without our State by the thousands, thus contributing to the economy
of the State as a whole and particularly to the many local subdivisions
located along the Bay, its rivers and tributaries; and

Whereas, Anything which might be done that would have the
effect of polluting the waters of the State or in any way causing
damage or harm to the marine life and vegetation thereof would
seriously curtail the enjoyment of such waters, would greatly di-
minish their commercial value and would thus have a very detri-
mental effect upon the economy of the state and of the many local
subdivisions located along the Bay, its rivers and tributaries; and

Whereas, The Army Corps of Engineers is now in the process of
dredging large quantities of sand, silt and mud from the Chesapeake
and Delaware Canal and from the ship channel leading from such
canal to Baltimore, and despite the opposition of the Maryland
Board of Natural Resources and many protests from conservation-
ists and other interested citizens, said Army Corps of Engineers
proposes and intends to indiscriminately dump such sand, silt and
mud into the Chesapeake Bay, thus endangering the marine life
and marine vegetation in the entire Bay area and particularly in
the rivers and tributaries of the upper Bay; and

Whereas, The Board of Natural Resources has proposed a reason-
able and practical solution to the problem caused by the dredging
undertaken by the Army Corps of Engineers in that it proposes
that the sand, silt and mud so dredged be dumped in the test area
of Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where little or no harm would result
to or injuriously affect the marine life and vegetation of the waters
of this State or adversely affect the recreational facilities thereof;
and

Whereas, The State of Maryland stands to suffer a far greater
economic loss from the proposed manner of disposing of the material
dredged than the additional cost of properly disposing of it would
represent; and

Whereas, The State of Maryland owns the bottom waters and
floor of the Chesapeake Bay and the preservation of this, its greatest
natural asset, is vital to its economy, and its concern in the matter
is entitled to respectful consideration; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That it fully
endorses the position taken by the Board of Natural Resources on
the question of the disposal of dredged material by the Army Corps
of Engineers and fully endorses the insistance by such Board that
an appropriate and sufficient area be set aside in the Aberdeen
Proving Grounds reservation for the disposal of such material; and
be it further