Eastern Shore Land Conservancy seeks county support for Bay Bridge mitigation fund

Owen Bailey, director of land use and policy for the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, told commissioners the conservancy has convened officials to discuss a proposed Bay Bridge land-preservation mitigation fund to help protect lands vulnerable to development pressure associated with a potential bridge expansion.

Bailey said the state’s additional foreseeable effects document identified roughly "111,000 acres of land that would be vulnerable to development" across Queen Anne’s, Talbot and Caroline counties. He asked the commissioners for a letter of support for the mitigation-fund concept; he said the state is finalizing Phase 2 and could issue a record of decision in late fall or winter. Funding sources, amount and administration remain undetermined, and Bailey said those details would need to be worked out in coordination with the counties.

The commissioners heard the request and indicated willingness to provide a letter of support; the county did not commit to a funding amount or administrative structure during the meeting. The proposal aims to offer grants or easement funding to volunteer landowners who want to place properties into conservation if development pressures increase with a Bay Bridge expansion.