HASAN WILSON
Environmental Health Specialist; Project Manager, Earth Data Inc.
Centreville, MD

“One of the most important aspects of this endeavor to improve the environmental health and condition of our Chesapeake Bay is that a huge lack of understanding exists regarding how nutrients and chemicals commonly utilized in conventional agriculture make their way into our Chesapeake Bay’s waters and tributaries. Contrary to popular belief, the majority of these nutrients, pesticides and chemicals actually migrate into our surface waters (rivers, streams, creeks, etc.) not by surface run-off as most people tend to think, but actually by infiltrating [down] through the soil into our shallow groundwater aquifers and then ultimately traveling into our surface water bodies. Environmental and land use regulations and their enforcement thereof, especially those pertaining to waste water disposal and agriculture, must be strengthened and advanced in order to allow for the practical use of all best available technologies.  Those two things, improving on agricultural and waste-water disposal regulations and practices, along with public education to improve peoples understanding of our precious groundwater resources will have significant and positive impacts on water quality and Chesapeake Bay health.”