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Community Corner

PORT OF BALTIMORE PARTICIPATED IN COMMUNITY SPRING CLEAN UP AT ROCK CREEK

The Baltimore Port Alliance and Maryland Port Administration partnered with the Restore Rock Creek Organization and other local community associations for a spring community based clean up event this past Saturday, April 5th at Rock Creek in Pasadena. An advocate of restoring Maryland’s waterways, MPA employees volunteered their time to clear the creek of any trash and debris that might make its way to the Chesapeake Bay or Patapsco River.  

“The Maryland Port Administration is dedicated to preserving the waterways of the Port of Baltimore and its surrounding communities,” said MPA Deputy Executive Director M. Kathleen Broadwater. “It is rewarding to see those in the Port industry volunteer their time to ensure that our neighboring communities are cleaner and healthier.”

Volunteers cleared trash and debris which cluttered the headwaters of Rock Creek. Headwaters are defined as the beginning of a river which is vital to the health of the entire river. The headwaters of Rock Creek is a collection point for trash and other debris from incoming streams. Additionally, the headwaters is the area most affected by the creek’s tidal reach. Any trash and debris that occurs upstream ultimately affects what happens downstream. The Baltimore Port Alliance Environmental Committee felt Rock Creek was an essential part of the watershed to restore.

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“This event marks the sixth year in a row the Baltimore Port Alliance (BPA) is partnering with a local organization for a community-based clean up,” said BPA Environmental Chair Captain Mike Reagoso. “The Baltimore Port Alliance works hard at communicating the contribution the Port of Baltimore provides for the regional economy.  Our members are engaged on multiple levels at reducing the impact of port related operations to nearby communities.  We are glad to participate in the clean up of the Rock Creek shoreline to remove trash and debris, which may otherwise find its way into the Patapsco River and the Chesapeake Bay.”

The “Restore Rock Creek” event supported the goals of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay –Project Clean Stream, an effort to engage local citizens to clean up the streams and rivers of the Chesapeake Bay.

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The Port of Baltimore is ranked as the top port among 360 U.S. ports for handling autos and light trucks, farm and construction machinery, imported forest products, imported sugar, imported aluminum and imported gypsum.  Baltimore ranks second in the U.S. for exported coal.  Overall Baltimore is ranked 9th for the total dollar value of international cargo and 14th for international cargo tonnage.

Business at the Port of Baltimore generates about 14,630 direct jobs, while about 108,000 jobs in Maryland are linked to port activities.  The Port is responsible for $3 billion in personal wages and salary and more than$300 million in state and local taxes.


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