Can gubernatorial contenders meet challenges faced by Eastern Shore? QUEENSTOWN, MD (wypr) - To build or to preserve? That's the top question for voters on the Eastern Shore. With more than 111,000 acres already in conservation easements in Maryland, a renewed focus is being placed on points east of the Bay Bridge. In another installment on WYPR's series on campaign issues, Melody Simmons filed this report:




On an old country bridge that spans the headwaters of the Wye River, a spider the size of a quarter spins an elaborate web. A new dragonfly, just emerged from the lazy waters below, sits on a wooden guard rail, considering its first flight.

But if developers have their way, all this could soon fall prey to bulldozers.

Not 50 feet away sits acres of farmland, sites now embroiled in a controversy over their future. Should they remain open space? Or become subdivisions.

Rob Etgen heads the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy. The group has a lofty goal to preserve 50 percent of the shore by 2010. It's an uphill battle:

IC: "This development pressure and feeding frenzy mentality of developers who are calling landowners throughout the region has caused a real instability in the emotional state of landowners. People are losing confidence that farming has a chance on the eastern shore over the long term."

Big box stores, like Wal-Mart. Large subdivisions, like the proposed Blackwater development. New roads. Extension of water and sewage lines. All point to development that in some parts means progress. But here, about 10 miles east of the Bay Bridge, it means conflict. And it's the top issue facing Eastern Shore voters this fall.

It's evident in the small town of Queenstown. Cash registers ring thousands in daily sales from tourists at a large retail outlet. Not a mile away, long-time residents mosey through the motions of small-town life. Victorian-style houses decorate the quiet streets.

Fishing boats sit ready to go at an old dock on a wide creek.

Later on this day, Governor Robert Ehrlich, the Republican incumbent, is scheduled to make a campaign stop at an Easton farm that's been placed under easement in a state agricultural preservation program. His campaign ads boast that he's "cleaned up the Chesapeake Bay." His website lists preservation of 60,000 acres of "environmentally sensitive land." It adds that he has funneled millions into Program Open Space, a state conservation fund.

Shareese DeLeaver is the spokeswoman for the Ehrlich campaign:

IC: "The governor is committed to preserving Maryland's environmental programs and building on his solid record of accomplishments in that area."

Ehrlich's Democratic challenger, Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, is also trying to push a strong pro-environmental message.

At a back-to-school backpack give-away recently, O'Malley said land preservation and maintaining the health of the bay would be top priorities, if he wins in November. But he spoke in generalities and offered no funding sources on how he would do so:

IC: "The bay is much loved and much talked about every four years and what we don't do enough of is tracking and measuring performance and the outcomes of various actions."

Critics say the mayor's track record on environmental issues is limited to his promotion of smart growth by revitalizing blighted city neighborhoods. As for Ehrlich, he has raided the state's Program Open Space fund to help ease state budget shortfalls.

Such histories mean there's uncertainty ahead for advocates.

The challenge for the two top candidates is to improve the state of the bay every year... not just in an election year.

I'm Melody Simmons, reporting from Queenstown, for 88.1, WYPR.
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