If one new to the area doubted that Poolesville and indeed all Upcounty residents have a stake in the issues that concern this 31 year old organization, those doubts would have been quashed by attending the organization’s annual meeting last Saturday. An activist organization that has been in the forefront of important land use, waste disposal, air and water pollution, transportation and water issues--matters on which it has often gone to court, at other times simply managed to obtain changes or even termination of proposed projects and policies—the agenda for this year’s meeting demonstrates that SCA’s "in-box" in still full.The meeting was attended by over 50 people, including SCA members, representatives of other citizens groups and public officials from the state (15th District State Senator Rob Garagiola), county (Mike Knapp, Councilman for the Upcounty district) and Poolesville (Commissioner Jerry Klobukowski). In fact, the featured speaker was Senator Garagiola who gave a report on the Annapolis legislative session just ended.Key issues aired at the SCA meeting included:

· Important negotiations initiated by SCA with Mirant (operator of the Dickerson Power Plant) that resulted in agreements that will mitigate air pollution, improve security and reduce truck traffic on Upcounty roads around the plant.

· The rapidly approaching deadline of what to do with excess waste generated in the County now that the incinerator (also at Dickerson) is nearing maximum capacity, amounts of generated waste continue to climb and the County’s much-touted recycling program lags. One solution that SCA is determined it will not allow the County to exercise—opening another landfill in our area.

· Land use issues, including threats to the Agricultural Reserve (and buffer for Poolesville’s unique natural setting) posed by use of new technologies for sewage treatment in areas that will not pass the conventional perk test and "over paving" in conjunction with approved building in the Reserve area which has negative consequences for runoff and potability of groundwater.

· Threat of an eventual second Potomac crossing in our area. SCA is worried about new momentum for this long-debated initiative as plans for the Intercounty Connector highway proceed (i.e., extend the ICC westward across the river) and officials and business leaders in Virginia use various stratagems to put the bridge back on the public agenda.

SCA officers re-elected for the coming year were Jim Brown, president; Ellen Gordon, vice president; Claire Gunster-Kirby, secretary; and Jane Hunter, treasurer.