Beltsville Agricultural Research Center Takes On Stormwater Pollution

Employees from the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), local residents and Prince George's County Department of Natural Resources officials participated in the BARC Stormwater Committee's first annual "Storm Drain Stenciling Event" on October 13, 2010. This event was designed to promote the protection of our local waterways; the Anacostia watershed, and the Chesapeake Bay by applying durable adhesive stickers and painting the messages "Anacostia Watershed Don't Pollute" and "Don't Dump Chesapeake Bay Drainage" on storm drain inlet structures.

The participants in this event marked a total of 17 inlet drains at 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD, which is located on U.S. Highway 1, just north of College Park. Additionally, all the participants discussed stormwater pollution prevention best management practices and received hand-out information on how to protect and maintain the Anacostia and Chesapeake Bay watersheds.

The BARC Storm Water Committee commended all of the event's participants for their outstanding environmental stewardship in stenciling the storm drains. For additional information concerning the BARC's stormwater pollution prevention program or involvement in future BARC environmental stewardship initiatives, please contact Don Williams, BARC Storm Water Committee Coordinator at (301) 504-6018 or e-mail: Donald.Williams@ars.usda.gov