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Preserving assets
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
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Our Sen. Roy Dyson has taken action to preserve the old railroad right of way that runs parallel to Three Notch Road from Gate 1 of Patuxent River Naval Air Station north 28 miles into Hughesville in Charles County. During the current Maryland General Assembly session in Annapolis, Sen. Dyson introduced Senate Bill 937, which explicitly forbids encroachment on the right of way. "Encroachment" in this case means a structural infringement such as dumping, trenching or construction of any kind. The bill does not address easements that may be granted to allow passage to property across the right-of-way corridor.
This bill, in conjunction with St. Mary's County Ordinance 78-17.2, will prevent further encroachment such as what happened when the Hughesville bypass used a good portion of the right of way for construction of a sound barrier wall in Charles County.
When the St. Mary's County commissioners bought this land from the federal government in 1970, they intended to keep the corridor for future use as a recreational trail, future mass transit use or both. Sen. Dyson should be commended for his efforts to preserve this priceless asset.
Jim Swift, California
