Planners Will Review Transfer Rights

· Mike Ruballa , energy and technology manager for Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, who detailed energy-saving benefits available through the utility's PowerWise residential conservation program.

· Josh Tulkin of Chesapeake Climate Action Network, who described the impact climate change has had on Maryland coastal areas.

Efforts for Wildlife Honored

Employees at Mirant Corp.'s Morgantown Generating Station and Faulkner Ash Storage Site recently were recognized for their contributions to habitat conservation by the Wildlife Habitat Council.

The Faulkner Ash Storage Site occupies nearly 1,000 acres in rural Charles County. The ash stored at the Faulkner site comes from the Morgantown Generating Station, on the Potomac River shore next to the Route 301 bridge.

In 2003, Morgantown initiated a raptor protection program, Mirant said in a statement. The employee wildlife team installs nesting structures for osprey around the site, and 12 nests have been established. Last year, nine osprey fledglings were observed. The team maintains and monitors purple martin, American kestrel, bat and wood duck nesting boxes, as well as 19 nest boxes for bluebirds and sparrows. Great blue heron and ducks also frequent the pond area. In addition, employees noted an eagle's nest near the combustion turbine yard, and three bald eagles were observed around the site.

Wildlife food plots and native planting projects are maintained at the Faulkner and Morgantown sites. Food plots are planted annually with buckwheat, sorghum and sunflower, and consist of three to four acres. Employees also create native grass and wildflower plots and maintain a total of 40 acres in this type of vegetative mix.

The Wildlife Habitat Council is a nonprofit, non-lobbying organization that works to increase the quality and amount of wildlife habitat on corporate, private and public lands through partnerships between corporations and conservation groups.

Guidebook Entries Sought

Preparation of the next edition of the Southern Maryland Trails Guidebook is scheduled to begin in March. This new guide will feature Charles County sites, including art studios and galleries, farms that offer agritourism programs, gardens, museums related to natural resources or agriculture, historic sites, parks or scenic sites, lodgings and locally owned restaurants.

Anyone in Charles County who owns or manages any of these types of businesses and organizations is encouraged to submit information for the guide.

To determine whether a particular business, organization or site is eligible to participate in the Southern Maryland Trails program, owners or managers should complete the application form found at http://www.somdtrails.com . The form is also available by mail or fax by calling the Southern Maryland Trails office at 301-274-1922.

Completed forms should be returned by mail to: Southern Maryland Trails, P.O. Box 745, Hughesville, Md., 20637, Attn: Christine Bergmark, Director, or by fax to 301-274-1924.

The deadline for submitting applications is March 1.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.