Bernie Fowler
Encyclopedia
Clyde Bernard Fowler is a former Maryland
State Senator (1983–1994) and County Commissioner (1970–1982) from Calvert County, Maryland
. Fowler is best known for his advocacy for the cleanup of the Patuxent River
, the largest river to be found entirely within the State of Maryland.
Prior to being elected to public office, Fowler was an avid fisherman who would wade into the Patuxent River and make note of the clarity of the water. After noticing the clarity of the water slowly diminishing, Fowler chose to run for Calvert County Commissioner in 1970 and make the health of the Patuxent River a key issue. After serving over a decade as county commissioner, Fowler was elected to the Maryland Senate, where he remained in until his retirement from public office in the mid 1990s.
Fowler, as an early-1970s Calvert County Commissioner, led the way in a lawsuit filed by downriver Charles
, Calvert
and St. Mary's counties against upriver counties. The lawsuit forced the state, the upriver counties, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to enact pollution control measures. The 1985 total of 200,000 tons of sediment reaching the Chesapeake Bay
annually was reduced to 130,000 by 2004. The Patuxent River is a rarity among Chesapeake watershed
s in that most of its harmful phosphorus
and nitrogen
nutrient overloads come from its ever-increasing areas of urban runoff
, and less from its other two largest contributors, point sources (industrial, sewage, etc.) and the declining agricultural areas.
Each June at Broomes Island, Maryland
, Fowler holds a "wade-in" into the Patuxent River at Broomes Island, where he and others will walk into the waters of the Patuxent River until their feet are no longer visible. Fowler does the annual tradition in order to bring awareness to the water clarity levels of the Patuxent River. In recent years, the "wade-in" has become a noteworthy public event, with numerous public officials joining Fowler in the walk, including Maryland Governors
Martin O'Malley
and Robert Ehrlich
, Democratic Party
congressional majority leader Steny Hoyer
and U.S Senator Barbara Mikulski
. The "wade-in" has been an annual tradition since 1988.
In 1994, Fowler was named as the candidate for Maryland lieutenant governor
under State Senator "American Joe" Miedusiewski during the 1994 Democratic primary gubernatorial election. (However, the party's nomination and eventually the governor's seat would go to Parris Glendening
that year.)
In 1997, U.S. EPA
Administrator Carol Browner declared "Bernie Fowler Day" in recognition of Fowler's lifelong efforts to clean up the Patuxent River.
In 1998, a laboratory building at Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
in Solomons, Maryland
was dedicated in Bernie Fowler's honor.
Fowler currently lives in the community of Dares Beach, Maryland
near Prince Frederick, Maryland
.
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
State Senator (1983–1994) and County Commissioner (1970–1982) from Calvert County, Maryland
Calvert County, Maryland
Calvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It occupies the Calvert Peninsula which is bordered on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. Calvert County is part of the Southern Maryland region. Calvert County's residents are among the highest...
. Fowler is best known for his advocacy for the cleanup of the Patuxent River
Patuxent River
The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast passing through Baltimore, and the Patuxent River between...
, the largest river to be found entirely within the State of Maryland.
Prior to being elected to public office, Fowler was an avid fisherman who would wade into the Patuxent River and make note of the clarity of the water. After noticing the clarity of the water slowly diminishing, Fowler chose to run for Calvert County Commissioner in 1970 and make the health of the Patuxent River a key issue. After serving over a decade as county commissioner, Fowler was elected to the Maryland Senate, where he remained in until his retirement from public office in the mid 1990s.
Fowler, as an early-1970s Calvert County Commissioner, led the way in a lawsuit filed by downriver Charles
Charles County, Maryland
Charles County is a county in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2010, the population was 146,551. Its county seat is La Plata. This county was named for Charles Calvert , third Baron Baltimore....
, Calvert
Calvert County, Maryland
Calvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It occupies the Calvert Peninsula which is bordered on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. Calvert County is part of the Southern Maryland region. Calvert County's residents are among the highest...
and St. Mary's counties against upriver counties. The lawsuit forced the state, the upriver counties, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to enact pollution control measures. The 1985 total of 200,000 tons of sediment reaching the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
annually was reduced to 130,000 by 2004. The Patuxent River is a rarity among Chesapeake watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
s in that most of its harmful phosphorus
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is the chemical element that has the symbol P and atomic number 15. A multivalent nonmetal of the nitrogen group, phosphorus as a mineral is almost always present in its maximally oxidized state, as inorganic phosphate rocks...
and nitrogen
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
nutrient overloads come from its ever-increasing areas of urban runoff
Urban runoff
Urban runoff is surface runoff of rainwater created by urbanization. This runoff is a major source of water pollution in many parts of the United States and other urban communities worldwide.-Overview:...
, and less from its other two largest contributors, point sources (industrial, sewage, etc.) and the declining agricultural areas.
Each June at Broomes Island, Maryland
Broomes Island, Maryland
Broomes Island, Maryland is a small waterfront community in Calvert County, Maryland, USA, on the Patuxent River. It is located approximately 10 miles south of Prince Frederick, Maryland....
, Fowler holds a "wade-in" into the Patuxent River at Broomes Island, where he and others will walk into the waters of the Patuxent River until their feet are no longer visible. Fowler does the annual tradition in order to bring awareness to the water clarity levels of the Patuxent River. In recent years, the "wade-in" has become a noteworthy public event, with numerous public officials joining Fowler in the walk, including Maryland Governors
Governor of Maryland
The Governor of Maryland heads the executive branch of the government of Maryland, and he is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and he has a broad range of appointive powers in both the State and local governments,...
Martin O'Malley
Martin O'Malley
Martin Joseph O'Malley is an American Democratic politician who is currently serving as the 61st Governor of Maryland. Previously, he served as the mayor of Baltimore from 1999 to 2007. He is currently the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.-Early life, education and career:O'Malley...
and Robert Ehrlich
Robert Ehrlich
Robert Leroy "Bob" Ehrlich, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 60th Governor of Maryland from 2003 to 2007. A Republican, he became governor after defeating Democratic opponent Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, a member of the Kennedy family, 51% to 48% in the 2002 elections...
, Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
congressional majority leader Steny Hoyer
Steny Hoyer
Steny Hamilton Hoyer is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1981. The district includes a large swath of rural and suburban territory southeast of Washington, D.C.. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
and U.S Senator Barbara Mikulski
Barbara Mikulski
Barbara Ann Mikulski is the senior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Mikulski, a former U.S. Representative, is the longest-serving female senator in U.S...
. The "wade-in" has been an annual tradition since 1988.
In 1994, Fowler was named as the candidate for Maryland lieutenant governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
under State Senator "American Joe" Miedusiewski during the 1994 Democratic primary gubernatorial election. (However, the party's nomination and eventually the governor's seat would go to Parris Glendening
Parris Glendening
Parris Nelson Glendening , a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 59th Governor of Maryland from January 18, 1995 to January 15, 2003...
that year.)
In 1997, U.S. EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
Administrator Carol Browner declared "Bernie Fowler Day" in recognition of Fowler's lifelong efforts to clean up the Patuxent River.
In 1998, a laboratory building at Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
The Chesapeake Biological Laboratory is a marine science laboratory on the Chesapeake Bay in Solomons, Maryland, and it is the oldest state-supported marine laboratory on the East Coast of the U.S. It was founded in 1925 in a small waterman's shack by Dr. Reginald V. Truitt and is part of...
in Solomons, Maryland
Solomons, Maryland
Solomons is a community and census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,536 at the 2000 census...
was dedicated in Bernie Fowler's honor.
Fowler currently lives in the community of Dares Beach, Maryland
Dares Beach, Maryland
Dares Beach is a small residential community located in Calvert County, Maryland. Dares Beach is situated along the Chesapeake Bay. It utilizes the Prince Frederick, Maryland zip code and is approximately 4 miles east of the town center of Prince Frederick, Maryland...
near Prince Frederick, Maryland
Prince Frederick, Maryland
Prince Frederick is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, not to be confused with the incorporated, and much larger, city of Frederick some to the northwest in Frederick County...
.