Riverkeeper To Discuss Patuxent River Protection Efforts Wednesday

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — On Wednesday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System will host a special environmental justice education event at the South Bowie Branch Library.

Patuxent Riverkeeper Fred Tutman will discuss work to protect and preserve the Patuxent River. The Patuxent is not only the longest and deepest river to run exclusively in Maryland, it also is considered one of the most beautiful sites in Prince George's County and the state of Maryland. The river is a valuable natural resource providing drinking water for two counties, too.

However, the river routinely earns a D- for the water quality.

During the past 19 years, Tutman has been an environmental advocate and protector of the Patuxent River. He is one of 350 river keepers in the world and has personal ties to preserving the Patuxent river because he has lived his entire life along the water's edge. He also is looking to have a more profound impact as the only African-American riverkeeper in the country.

"The river is some kind of life force, something more powerful that runs through counties not only connects communities, it also divides them; the haves and the have nots, the rich and the poor, is a lot of different layers, a big river with big problems," Tutman said on SoundCloud as part of Environmental Health News.

Visit pgcmls.info for more information about the event.