Contact: Jenni Brockman St. Margaret's School recently hosted former Virginia state delegate, Tayloe Murphy, who spoke on his upbringing, his tenure in the Virginia state legislature, and what he thinks today's generation can do to help "Save the [Chesapeake] Bay." As a lifelong resident of the Northern Neck and a three-time Chairman of the Chesapeake Bay Commission Mr. Murphy is an acknowledged authority on local environmental issues. At a time when a politician's television commercials exert more influence on the public than his or her platform, it's reassuring to know that "old school" legislators still exist. Former Virginia delegate Tayloe Murphy is a gentleman who possesses good moral character, displays uncompromising honesty and genuinely cares about both contemporary issues and the people. Born and raised in the Northern Neck, Mr. Murphy naturally developed an affinity for the environment and a love for the outdoors. Although he left the area to attend boarding school and college, he has been a permanent resident of the Northern Neck since 1964. "A few decades ago, there was never any question about abundance in the
Chesapeake Bay," reminisces Mr. Murphy. "If you wanted soft-shelled crabs for dinner,
you went outside and caught them." Today, however, Mr. Murphy admits that the
Bay has seen better days. "For years the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries have been abused," he states. From the years of his youth, spent frolicking in marsh mud, until contemporary times, Mr. Murphy, now retired, has witnessed the decline in the area's natural resources. His daughter's birth initially motivated him to run for public office. "Watching her grow up and seeing how far she and many of her generation were removed from the outdoors made me want to do something," he says. In 1974, Mr. Murphy ran for public office and was defeated. Undaunted, he ran again in 1981. This time he won. He began his term as a member of the Virginia General Assembly in January, 1982 and retired (Jan 00) after 18 years of public service. As Chairman of the Chesapeake Bay Commission he presided over a committee that proved to be instrumental in generating "pro-environment" 1980's legislation aimed at saving the Chesapeake Bay. In 1982, the committee issued the Chesapeake Bay Report that addressed three major concerns impacting the health of the Bay. These concerns were the introduction of toxins, water pollution and a decline in the growth of aquatic vegetation. Storm water runoff is a common means of toxin introduction. Water runoff from agricultural land and suburban lawns contains phosphorous and nitrogen compounds found in fertilizer. The resulting over-enrichment of Bay waters with nutrients was particularly alarming. Excess nutrient influx promotes algae growth that depletes the oxygen level in the water, thereby killing fish and other aquatic life. To make matters worse, when algae dies the decomposition process further depletes oxygen in the water. Today, there are "dead zones" throughout the Bay - regions so oxygen poor that that fish cannot live there. Pollution results from the introduction of chemicals and industrial waste products into the ecosystem. Pollutants enter the streams and rivers flowing into the Bay by two means: point source and non-point source introduction. Point source introduction can be attributed to a specific input, such as a drainpipe. Non-point source pollution, such as land runoff, is more generic, making it much more difficult to establish responsibility/culpability for contamination. The loss of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in the Bay is a third major concern. SAV, or grasses that grow in shallow water, provides an important habitat source for both crabs and fish. The presence of SAV also helps to cleanse the water through the natural filtering process of the plants. Algae growth and suspended silt reduce water clarity, effectively preventing sunlight from reaching underwater grasses and supporting their growth. Today, aquatic grasses are in short supply in the Rappahannock River, the Chesapeake Bay and many other Bay tributaries. "This shortage of aquatic grasses constitutes a serious problem for living resources," said a concerned Mr. Murphy. In 1987, an important piece of environmental legislation was introduced that elevated the level of concern for the degraded condition of the Chesapeake Bay. This bill, titled "The Chesapeake Bay Agreement" imposed mandated reductions in the amounts of nutrients allowed in the Bay by 40% of their respective 1985 levels. "This was a major step forward," Mr. Murphy explains. "This legislation altered the prevalent 'It's Not Me' attitudes of many citizens. People became aware that no one is immune from creating pollution…saving the Bay would require a cumulative effort. It's not the actions of the individual, but the combined effects of the actions of everyone that are harmful to the Bay. Therefore, it is essential that all citizens be made a part of the solution." Mr. Murphy concluded his speech by asking his young audience of approximately fifty St. Margaret's School students if they had questions. "What can young people do to help save the Bay?" asked one local student. Mr. Murphy suggested that St. Margaret's School maintain contact with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, a Bay-friendly proactive environmental group headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland. He also urged students to read literature, educate themselves on public policy and to become environmental advocates. "Get involved in politics," said Mr. Murphy. "Only through your government will Bay problems be solved. When you are able to vote, elect good individuals to serve on town and city councils and in other public offices. Let them [elected officials] know what you want. Elect people who are committed to resource conservation and let them know that you won't support them for reelection if they allow harm to happen to the environment. Special interest groups exert heavy influence on government with their dollars," admits Mr. Murphy. "But, their dollars can be countered with numbers - make your numbers known - and you'll win. Be tenacious and work hard."
Telephone: 804-443-3357(w/h)
Fax: 804-443-6781
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Former State Delegate Speaks at St. Margaret's on the Environment
"How to Get Involved in the Political Process"
St. Margaret's Minimester 2000 Speaker's Bureau coordinators (l. to r.) Sara Brooks, Mollie Conklin, and Kary Fronk, with former Virginia delegate Mr. Tayloe Murphy.
St. Margaret's Minimester 2000 Speaker's Bureau speaker and former Virginia delegate, Mr. Tayloe Murphy.
