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Bird’s-eye View Now Available for Masonville Eagles
Two bald eagles have returned for the third consecutive year to Masonville Cove in Baltimore. Access is closed to parts of the area in compliance with National Bald Eagle Nest Protection Guidelines. Thanks to a new wildlife camera installed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Chesapeake Bay Field Office (USFWS), the public can enjoy a bird’s-eye view by live streaming from their devices at masonvillecove.org/eagles.
“We want to thank all of our partners for making it easy for the public to monitor these beautiful eagles,” Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA) Director of Harbor Development Kristen Fidler said. “Masonville Cove is home to many different species of birds and wildlife. It’s exciting for the public to be able to watch this nesting pair, especially with the possibility of following any eaglets from egg to fledging in the nest!”
Tune into this recent news segment from WJZ-TV, and consider visiting in person. The Captain Trash Wheel trail is still open and offers great views. You can also bring a child to take the Masonville Cove Book Walk! Visit the Little Free Library and help yourself to a free book. Practice social distancing and wear a mask when near other visitors. Partners include MDOT MPA, USFWS, Maryland Environmental Service (MES), the Living Classrooms Foundation (LCF), and the National Aquarium.
Photos: During the previous two seasons, the only known breeding pair of eagles within Baltimore City successfully raised four eaglets at their Masonville Cove nest.
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Coyote Pair Spotted at Masonville Cove
It was only her second day on the job, but Ela-Sita Carpenter already had a rare sighting. The newly-hired urban wildlife biologist was out in the field doing seasonal mammal camera surveys with her colleague when they spotted a coyote pair at Masonville Cove in Baltimore.
The coyotes are thought to be visiting Masonville Cove on a regular basis now, but it was uncommon to see the species there in the past. A pair has also been sighted at the Cox Creek Dredged Material Containment Facility (DMCF) in Curtis Bay. It is unknown whether or not they are the same pair.
“As a Baltimore native, I'm so happy to have this opportunity to study wildlife in my hometown and share it with others,” said Carpenter, who will be based primarily at Masonville Cove for the USFWS.
According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, coyotes were first documented in Maryland in 1972. Maryland and Delaware are the last two states in the contiguous United States to be colonized by coyotes.
 Photo: A coyote pair walks along the path at Masonville Cove.
Screenshot by Ela-Sita Carpenter/USFWS
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Coming Soon! Baltimore’s Fourth Trash Wheel
Mr. Trash Wheel, Professor Trash Wheel, and Captain Trash Wheel are expecting a new member of the family. Baltimore’s fourth trash wheel will be in service this spring. Located at the mouth of the Gwynns Falls, the largest trash wheel ever built will collect trash before it makes its way to the Patapsco River and Chesapeake Bay.
Having supported each trash wheel, including Captain Trash Wheel at Masonville Cove, MDOT MPA is proud to partner with the Waterfront Partnership and other stakeholders as a sponsor of Baltimore’s fourth trash wheel at Gwynns Falls.
The results of the public vote to name the trash wheel will be released soon. Among the options were “Gwynnda the Good Wheel of the West,” “Doctor Gwynn, Trash Wheel,” “Lady Gwynnevere Trashington,” or “Inspector Gwynn Trash Wheel.”
 Photo: Clearwater Mills, the Pasadena-based company that produces the trash wheels, receives near-daily requests for new trash wheels from cities around the world.
Image by Waterfront Partnership
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Lighting the Way
MDOT MPA’s electrical maintenance department installed new LED lighting inside four sheds at the Dundalk Marine Terminal in preparation for use by Port tenant, BalTerm, which handles cargo for many of the world’s largest forest product companies.
The new lighting will result in an energy cost savings of more than $70,000 per year and is expected to remove 559 equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). This is equal to the emissions from the electricity used by 70 homes during the course of one year or the greenhouse gas emissions from 93 passenger cars per year.
The Port has completed several other notable LED lighting projects, including new construction at the Cox Creek Operations and Maintenance Complex, which was completed in 2019, and a significant upgrade project at the Fairfield Marine Terminal where 33 metal halide fixtures, a technology developed in the 1960s, were replaced with LED fixtures.
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Poplar Island Ecosystem Restoration Project Complete
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, has completed the Poplar Island Ecosystem Restoration Project lateral expansion, which will provide 575 additional acres for dredged material, adding storage capacity of 28 million cubic yards, equivalent to approximately 54 World Trade Centers.
The project is now able to accept dredged material, serving as an important location for maintaining the deep channels that can accommodate supersized ships leading to the Port of Baltimore until around 2032.
"Many people worked hard on Poplar Island over the years, and this project serves as a shining example of what is possible when our elected officials, government agencies, and the public focus on a common goal," said Baltimore District Commander Col. John Litz.
"I want to thank Col. Litz and the Baltimore District for their incredible partnership on all of our dredging projects," said MDOT MPA Executive Director William P. Doyle. "This project represents a long-term strategy for providing viable placement alternatives that meet the Port of Baltimore's dredging needs while maximizing the use of dredged materials as a beneficial resource.”
For fiscal year 2021, the USACE’s Baltimore District has been allocated $382,000 in its Corps of Engineers Work Plan to work with MDOT MPA on pre-construction engineering and design for the Mid-Chesapeake Bay Island Project. The project will rebuild two barrier islands – James and Barren – creating new habitat and providing much-needed shoreline protection in Dorchester County. The larger of the two, James Island, will have 2,072 acres restored, with 55% preserved as wetlands habitat and 45% as upland habitat. At Barren Island, 72 acres will be restored as wetlands.
 Photo: It's been 23 years since Poplar Island's first containment cell was completed, and in 2017 construction of the expansion began. The agencies are advancing plans for their next partnership using dredged materials to preserve and protect Maryland’s waterways: the Mid-Chesapeake Bay Island Ecosystem Restoration.
Photo Credit: USACE
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Companies to Study Using Dredged Material for Sod & Concrete Products
In December and January, the Maryland Board of Public Works approved three contracts to advance the innovative reuse of dredged material with a focus on cost-effectiveness and scalability. Fastrak Express, Inc. of Rising Sun will study and demonstrate the use of dredged sediment to develop re-engineered soil for growing sod. Two Harford County companies, Harford Industrial Minerals Inc. and Susquehanna Concrete Products Inc. (Suscon Products), will study and manufacture lightweight aggregate and general use concrete products.
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“We’re excited to see how dredged material might be used to innovate aggregate and concrete products and in agricultural settings such as growing sod,” said MDOT MPA Innovative Reuse Program Manager Kristen Keene. “Learning more about innovative and commercially-viable options to reuse dredged sediment will help us both recover capacity and extend the lifespan of sediment containment facilities such as Cox Creek. Thanks to the support of the Board of Public Works, we are making great progress in carrying out the recommendations from the recently approved Innovative Reuse & Beneficial Use Strategy.” |
Photo: To date, 11 proposals have been received, and five contracts, such as one to study the use of dredged material in soil for growing sod, have been awarded in response to a request for proposals (RFP) issued in November 2019.
Photo Credit: Mike Mozart
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Living Classrooms Foundation’s SLURRP Goes Virtual
Since 2009, LCF has served as the operating partner and lead education provider for the Masonville Cove Environmental Education Campus (MCEEC). Ten years later, COVID-19 would force many of their successful in-person programs to pivot to virtual education.
One such program is the School Leadership in Urban Runoff Reduction Project (SLURRP), a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) for Baltimore City students focused on stormwater runoff pollution and its prevention. By adapting SLURRP to a virtual program, LCF engaged 250 4th and 5th grade students from four area schools.
“We hope that students will be encouraged by the virtual program to bring their families to explore the outdoor areas of MCEEC and reap the benefits of spending time outside in nature,” said LCF Senior Environmental Educator Valerie Bandell.
 Photo: Participating students from Lakeland Elementary/Middle School, Maree G Farring Elementary/Middle School, Federal Hill Prep, and Westport Academy received a STEM activity kit that includes materials for hands-on learning and experiments at home.
Image by LCF
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Baltimore Port Alliance Virtual Hiring & Career Expo
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The Baltimore Port Alliance (BPA) Education & Outreach Committee is hosting a virtual Hiring & Career Expo on March 10, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to help employers meet the market demand and give professionals, high school graduates, and college students an opportunity to learn about jobs in the maritime sector.
“This is an important event as the Port community recruits the next-generation workforce,” said MDOT MPA Office of Harbor Development Outreach Coordinator Katrina Jones, who serves as co-chair of the Education and Outreach Committee for BPA. “We’re excited to provide this virtual opportunity during the global pandemic as a safe way to continue to reach new applicants to consider careers at the Port of Baltimore.”
Register your company’s free virtual exhibit booth here by March 1, 2021. For more information, please contact Holly Fowler at hfowler@councilfire.org.
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Announcing Virtual Webinar Series
Following the success of the first virtual Dredged Material Management Program (DMMP) Annual Meeting last November that attracted a record 115 attendees, MDOT MPA is focused on providing additional informative virtual connections during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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A new webinar series is planned for this year, which marks the 20th anniversary of Maryland’s Dredged Material Management Act, a tremendous effort that has guided the successful management of dredged material in ways that are good for our economy, our communities, and our environment.
The first webinar in the series, Advancing Coastal Resilience through Dredged Material Management, will take place on February 24, 2021 at 12:00pm. Moderated by Jill Lemke, MDOT MPA, the webinar will feature Ram Mohan, Anchor QEA; David Curson, Audubon Maryland-DC; and Kristen Keene, MDOT MPA. Register HERE.
All sessions will be hosted virtually and are free and open to the public. For more information about the full series, visit maryland-dmmp.com. Mark your calendars!
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Our meetings are open to the public. Since these meetings are virtual, if you are not on a meeting distribution list and would like to attend, please send a request for the link to Greenport.
Spotlight Series Webinar on Coastal Resilience - February 24th at 12:00PM
Virtual – Free Registration Required
For questions please contact Greenport.
Harbor Safety Committee Meeting - March 10th at 10:00AMM
Virtual
For questions or to confirm attendance please contact Greenport.
DMMP Management Committee Meeting - March 24th at 10:00AM
Virtual
For questions or to confirm attendance please contact Greenport.
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GreenPort Newsletter is the Maryland Department of Transportation's Maryland Port Administration’s bi-monthly update of projects and programs that help the agency contribute to a thriving economy, environmental stewardship, and community partnerships. As always, we thank the many private sector businesses, government leaders, communities, and individual citizens who have helped make these achievements a reality. |
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William P. Doyle, Executive Director
MDOT Maryland Port Administration
The World Trade Center
401 East Pratt Street, Baltimore MD 21202
1-800-638-7519 / www.marylandports.com
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