Virginia - Army War Continues

The Bay News today is almost negligible, seems like nobody is doing nuttin'; some high school in Virginia was declared the winner of the state Envirothon, which I'm sure means they regurgitated all the right answers to the questions more rapidly than the opposing teams:

Envirothon consists of five “in-the-field” test stations – soils, wildlife, aquatics, forestry and a current environmental issue – where teams answer questions in both written and hands-on formats. During an oral presentation, teams brief their solution to a current environmental issue before a panel of judges consisting of industry and natural resource professionals. This year’s issue “Salt & Fresh Water Estuaries” focused on Chesapeake Bay clean-up efforts.

“The intense study required for this contest helps prepare students for college entrance exams, as well as possible careers in field associated with natural resources,” said Ed Overton, president of the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. “These students are passionate, dedicated and bright and the Envirothon competition fosters their learning in a unique way that makes me confident in our next generation of decision makers in the environmental field.”

No, the only real news on the bay was no news at all, that Virginia and the Army Corps of Engineers continue to disagree on how to spend their joint oyster restoration money.  I wrote about this one day shy of a month ago.  This issue at stake is $2 million from the Corps for oyster restoration, to be matched by shell by the states for use in building reefs.  The Corps would prefer that the money be spent to put oysters somewhere beyond the reach of harvest by watermen, so that they can seed the Bay with new oysters.  The State would prefer that oysters that are restored by available to the states watermen for harvest.  At this point neither side seems willing to budge.