Political Quotes

“last Thursday's Baltimore Sun reported that Pfiesteria, a sometimes toxic microorganism, has been found in five more Maryland rivers. The article explained that new research is proving what scientists have suspected since serious outbreaks of toxic Pfiesteria first occurred in 1997--namely that Pfiesteria exists in a wide area. While the organism isn't always toxic, the fact that it has been found in a wide area coupled with the fact that it has proved injurious in the past, strongly supports the assertion that Pfiesteria poses a potential threat to the economic well-being of thousands of businesses in the fishing, recreation, and tourism industries along the east coast. In 1997, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina suffered from several separate incidents that involved fish behaving in an erratic manner, a large number of fish with lesions, and fish kills. State and outside scientists concluded that Pfiesteria was the most likely cause of the problem. In Maryland, the fishing industry alone, lost millions of dollars in revenue. In 1998, the magnitude of reported Pfiesteria outbreaks was considerably less, however, we cannot become complacent. The report in the Baltimore Sun confirms that the 1997 Pfiesteria outbreaks may not have been a one-time phenomenon. We must begin to safeguard the economy, both regional and national, from the impacts of Pfiesteria.”