Dear Senator Mathias:

According to Will Baker, former President of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, “No underwater grasses, no crabs….”  Warmer water temperatures, a result of climate change, are causing ocean acidification, which kills underwater grasses, the habitat for Maryland Blue Crabs.  The result is a decrease in the Blue Crab population and a loss of money and jobs for Marylanders, which is a real concern for our whole state.

                The runoff from the Power Plants not only warms the waters, it is responsible for more than two billion parts per million of carbon dioxide every year.  This carbon dioxide melts the shells of the crabs.  Crabs can’t live without their shells, their protection, making them easy prey for predators.  So crabs die, and their population again goes down.  For example, in 1990 there were an estimated 800 million crabs in The Chesapeake Bay, but then in 2012 there were an estimated 300 million crabs in the bay. Between 1990 and 2012 the crab population in The Chesapeake Bay has gone down about 500 million crabs.

                This decline is affecting Maryland’s economy. Since there are fewer crabs, the state is losing money in the seafood industry.  This is a problem because $3.39 billion in sales, $890 million in income, and almost 34,000 jobs to the local economy, are lost according to The Chesapeake Bay Foundation.  This has already cost the state 640 million dollars during the years of 1998 to 2006. The decline also affects people who crab for fun.  This group contributes 1.34 billion dollars in sales and creates 11,000 jobs.    With the continued loss of grasses, increased pollution, and declining crab numbers the prediction for Maryland Blue Crab recovery is not near in sight.

All it takes is a willingness to take action. Don’t let Maryland’s pride go to extinction.  Support EPA’s Clean Power Plan.