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As we celebrate our 20th anniversary – the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) takes the pleasure of reminiscing with our staff to recreate many memories associated with making MDE such a strong Department. MDE staff are dedicated workers who have evolved through changes in administration and newly assigned responsibilities from the legislature. The public MDE serves is varied and vocal. We strive to listen to and address all concerns raised to our department. The one focus that never waivers with MDE is that we are a responsible group, who share a mission to protect and restore Maryland’s environment. Concern for public health is a major priority.
MDE’s unsung heroes are the individuals who handle situations intelligently and responsibly each day. Our employees are dedicated, talented, smart folks who are routinely faced with complex, controversial issues to resolve on behalf of all Marylanders and our environment. “We are proud of each and every employee, whether they work in the field, an office or serve on the many advisory boards to help this state,” said Secretary Shari T. Wilson. “They represent MDE with pride and outstanding competence.”
One in Five Still Remain
The fact that more than 200 employees, or over one-fifth, have completed more than 20 years with MDE is clear testimony that this Department is a good place to work. As with any job, coping with daily challenges requires a developed sense of humor. Of the countless historic stories shared, here is just a sampling of the adventures of MDE’s unsung heroes:
Adventures in the Field
“One of Radiological Health Program’s responsibilities is to run towards an emergency radiological release from a nuclear utility when everybody else is running away,” said Ray Manley, Section Supervisor. “…during an emergency test drill, my radiological team and Federal Emergency Management Agency’s evaluator were instructed to follow coordinates to the center of the Susquehanna River…in a land-driven vehicle.”
“Back in the mid 1980s, Bill Schmidt and I were conducting surveillance for a couple weeks of a company dumping acid in the river through the discharge pipe,” Paul Stancil, Chief Investigator, Environmental Crimes Unit. “We were sneaking around 100 yards off shore, in the middle of the night, in an old rickety boat lent to us from a field office. The boat conked out, the battery ran dead, the boat’s police radio ran off the battery, and the flashlight went dead from the (futile) flashing of SOS. With a steadily advancing tide, we spent all night rowing ourselves ashore – one oar broke as a big ship came by. After a night of rowing, we arrived at Fort Armistead Park, we hit a rock jetty washed the boat up to the rocks, bent the propeller. A bunch of partying drunks gave us a hot shot charge and we managed to get the boat back in the dark, with no lights…it was a long night.”
“I remember spending every holiday in 1979 responding to an oil spill,” said Herb Meade, Program Administrator. “I was with the Oil Control Program that was formed in 1972 as part of the Department of Natural Resources and then joined MDE in 1987. There were lots of surface spills back then, when there was more freighter, traffic through the Bay – now they go down through Norfolk. On Thanksgiving, 1979, the Cuyahoga, a Coast Guard Cutter, was hit by a freighter, cut in half and sank. It took two weeks to raise the cutter and off-load it.”
“Those were fun times!” said Meade. “Flying in the state police helicopter, to visually assess the damage or spill. All the physical work put together is not as scary as dealing with politicians, and an angry mob of 650 citizens at Fallston High School during a public meeting,” said Meade. “I pacified them, answered questions – that’s my job.”
Attack of the Acronyms
Every organization experiences growing pains involved with renaming administrations, departments and programs. For example, MDE was formed in 1987 when it was clear that there was overlap among programs and agencies. Some of our MDE employees also came from the Department of Mental Health and Hygiene (DHMH)’s Office of Environmental Programs.
The quest to find the appropriate flowchart on which acronym begat which administration brought me to Cindy Daily, Administrator in the Water program. She joined MDE from DHMH and boasts a 34-year career with the state tracing back to the same field. “I liked environmental work,” said Daily. “Due to the redundancy in departments, several administrations were combined from DNR’s Water Resource Administration and Air Management to become the Environmental Health Administration, where upon other environmental programs from DHMH were combined to form the Environmental Health Administration, which became the Office of Environmental Programs (OEP).” There. Now we are clear.
Passing Water Cooler Stories
A well-known train company wanting to charge inspectors and technicians $500 to access their property was informed that MDE would not pay. When MDE told the company they would be required to perform the $25,000 air pollution assessment on their own, the company immediately allowed MDE technicians free access to the property to perform the tests.
Or, the instance where MDE inspectors climbed hundreds of feet on radio towers on adjacent properties to take violation photos, just to have the evidence thrown out of court by a siding judge.
“After unsuccessful attempts to deliver a violation notice to a developer, I paid him a visit accompanied by a Hagerstown city police officer.” Maria Warburton, Compliance Specialist. “After he refused to take it in hand, I finally laid the violation notice on a nearby dolly. The developer got angry and pushed the dolly out the front door of the shop, where it tipped over, spilling paperwork onto the sidewalk. The police officer ordered him to pick the papers up or he would be charged with littering! The violation notice was legally delivered.”
A Career of Satisfied Service
Among the adventures and challenges of working with MDE, we find personnel who glean satisfaction from their work, some even foregoing retirement. “One of the original members, Ed Weber (retired), is still an active consultant on the Ad Hoc Committee for oil spill guidance – he’s 84 years old,” said Meade.
“My current boss is one of the sweetest people,” said Carolyn Kuciara, Fiscal Services. “I’ve turned down reclassifications to stay with him. Likeable people at this point in my life are more important than money…he is very just.”
This is part one of a series about the unsung heroes at MDE. Please read more in the upcoming issues of eMDE.
Editor's Note: This story has been edited from its original content.
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