Surfrider Ocean City, MD

Attend the Hearing on Saturday, Nov 7th, 2009!!! The City of Rehoboth Beach has been ordered by the EPA to stop polluting our inland bays by dumping treated sewage in the Rehoboth-Lewes Canal. On November 7th, 2009 (10am Rehoboth Fire Hall), the public has a chance to let the City know how we feel about the alternative plans for this wastewater. The Delaware Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation strongly opposes the creation of an ocean outfall in Rehoboth Beach! The ocean is not a dump! Let’s not treat it as one. Clean and healthy beaches are the single most important driver of Rehoboth Beach's tourism-based economy. An ocean outfall will be bad for our City because: It will turn tourists away. People will not choose to vacation at a beach where treated sewage is being pumped off-shore. They will choose a better option. The nutrients in the wastestream will harm our coastal environment. Excess nutrients help fuel Red Tides and other Harmful Algal Blooms and the outfall pipe will be interrupting Essential Fish Habitat. It is a waste of fresh water. We can treat and reuse the water where it is most needed. It is a waste of money. The City's cost study does not take into consideration future costs of the outfall, such as loss of tourism, harm to environment and opportunities squandered to conserve fresh water. The Surfrider Foundation instead supports Land Based Application (LBA) as the better option to recycle our wastewater and protect our beaches, environment and local economy. LBA is good for Rehoboth Beach because it will: recharge our groundwater, protecting our water supply. Delaware has gone through drought conditions. We can't be wasting our fresh water; provide a weather independent supply of freshwater for large-scale irrigation needs; help protect water quality, as crops, turf and other plants filter out some of the remaining pollution in the wastewater by taking up nutrients, particularly nitrogen which has been especially problematic in our coastal waters; and protect against salt water intrusion into our groundwater. Tell the Mayor and City Commissioners that they should choose the LBA option if they are serious about protecting our City's beaches, economy and way of life. Art4 Clean Bays Art4 Clean Bays is a fundraiser where the Maryland Coastal Bays Program (MCBP) provides a venue for artists and crafters to display and sell their work in the town of Berlin the week after Thanksgiving. In return, 30-percent of sale proceeds will go toward MCBP’s efforts to protect the estuaries and habitats of our bays. Wainwright’s Tire Center has graciously offered MCBP the use of their 1,600 square foot building and MCBP will provide volunteers to sell the work, so Artists need not be present (but always welcome). For artists that wish to participate you may click here for more information. Bike Week Raffle Winner, John Shermer, With His Prize, Presented byTerry Steimer (Sept 2000) See more pictures from Bike Week and Seacrets Customer Appreciation Day here. The Ocean City Chapter is now on Facebook Become a Fan now. Ocean City, Maryland Repeats as a 5-Star Beach in NRDC's Annual Report, Testing the Waters (July 2009) For the 19th year in a row, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has released a report summarizing the status of our nations beach water quality. Unfortunately, 2008 marked the 4th year in a row that the number of closing and advisory days topped 20,000 days nationwide due to elevated bacteria levels. In Maryland, 2% of all reported beach monitoring samples exceeded the state's daily maximum bacterial standards, which was a decrease from 4% in 2007. In 2008, Ocean City beaches reported no instances of exceeding the standards. Learn about your beach in these individual state reports: NJ \| DE \| MD \| VA Leave Only Your Footprints Message on the High Seas Many thanks to the SeaBoard for spreading the surfrider message to "Please Leave Only Your Footprints." Photo courtesy of Warren Overman. Surfrider Weekend - OC Surfrider 9th Annual Longboard Team Challenge, June 2009 (More pictures here) Beautiful Beaches! May 20, 2009. The Stephen Decatur High School communication arts class created a public service announcement to promote clean beaches in Ocean City. Ocean City Surfrider Foundation is airing this student produced PSA on national cable networks such as Animal Planet, Comedy Central, Discover, Entertainment TV, The Family Channel, MTV, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and the Travel Channel. Terry Steimer from OC Surfrider Foundation presents a check to the student videographers and producers for their exemplary work. Mr. Steimer (left) presents the check to (left to right) Matt Stocker, Jake Widgeon, Kenny Goodyear, Principal Lou Taylor, Alli Collins, and Mrs. Maureen Brittingham, teacher.


The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots environmental organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches. Now in its 25th year, the Surfrider Foundation has grown from a small group of dedicated surfers in Malibu, California to a global movement made up of over 50,000 members and 90 chapters worldwide. Please consider becoming a member! [OC-SRF Logo in Hi-Res] Charity Navigator, the most-recognized independent evaluator of American non-profit organizations, has given the Surfrider Foundation their highest rating: Four Stars. Learn more here.

Prepare for the Fall & Winter with OC Surfrider Warmers


Select from a variety of sweatshirts, hats, short- and long-sleeve t-shirts, and much more. Order from our on-line site.

Finding Ways to Keep Waste Local
Americans throw away an estimated 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour, so you'd think we'd have enough raw materials for recyclable products. Sam Eaton explores the issue behind the waste and how Obama's stimulus plan may help [click here].

Surfrider Foundation Launches "Rise Above Plastics"
On November 19, 2008, the Surfrider Foundation announced the roll out of its long awaited Rise Above Plastics program. The program seeks to reduce the amount of plastics making their way into our beach and marine environments though education and outreach efforts. Learn more here.

Make the Pledge to Rise Above Plastics!
I commit to do my part to rise above plastics and protect the world's oceans, waves and beaches from plastic pollution. I will do this by... learning more about the plastics in our oceans and on our coasts and by joining millions others in making the pledge. Learn more and make the pledge here. See the Surfrider Foundation Pledge Board [PDF file].

	According to the Pocono Record, using a cloth bag can save 6 plastic bags weekly, 24 bags monthly, 288 bags yearly and over 20 thousand bags over an average lifetime. The EPA estimates that somewhere between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year. See the slide show and learn more at PoconoGreen.
MORE YOU CAN DO. Collect your bottle caps during beach clean-ups and from special recycling collection bins. Estee Lauder, parent company of Aveda, is collecting the caps, melting them down, and turning them into new caps for their products. Learn more here on the Surfrider Blog.

Shelly Dawson Honored for Leadership and Stoke
Members of the Ocean City/MD Surfrider Chapter honored Shelly Dawson, Chairman, for his continuing leadership and stoking efforts at the July 2008 monthly meeting.

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	The Ocean City Chapter Keepers of the Coast

Our Chapter's Mission Statement
The Ocean City Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation was formed to heighten the awareness of our residents and visitors for our fragile and beautiful environment. And through its initiatives enhance and safeguard, when and wherever possible, our waves, dunes and beaches for the enjoyment of all present and future. For more information write or email the Ocean City, MD Chapter (see below)
Please become a Surfrider Foundation Member and get involved at a local Surfrider Foundation Chapter.