THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, November 20, 1994              TAG: 9411200063
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: THE WASHINGTON POST 
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   52 lines

STATE HASN'T SPENT MONEY RAISED FROM CHESAPEAKE BAY PLATES THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY HAS NOT FILED A PLAN FOR TAPPING THE FUNDS.

Virginia has collected $385,000 for environmental projects from sales of a special Chesapeake Bay license plate, but the money is sitting idle in a bank account because state officials have not figured out how to spend it.

The Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund ``supports environmental education and restoration projects on the bay and its rivers,'' notes a state brochure advertising the plates. After nearly two years, though, the fund hasn't supported anything. The state Department of Environmental Quality hasn't even announced a plan for deciding how to use the money.

Not only that, but the Chesapeake Bay Foundation says some Department of Motor Vehicles clerks are misinforming customers that proceeds from the $25 tags go to the private group.

Foundation officials say it's time for the state to put the money to work.

``We want to work with the state to ensure that the bay license plate monies are used in a responsible fashion rather than for administrative overhead or to simply replace already committed state funds for bay-related efforts,'' said Joseph H. Maroon, executive director of the organization's Virginia office.

The ``Friend of the Chesapeake'' license plates, adorned with drawings of bay grass, oysters and crabs, went on sale in December 1992. After the first thousand were sold, $15 from each additional plate went into the special bay fund.

State officials said Friday that they will decide by the end of the year how to direct the money. ``We're pursuing various ways of spending the money and ways of allocating it,'' said Julie Overy, a spokeswoman for state Natural Resources Secretary Becky Norton Dunlop.

But another problem, according to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, is that some people think the money is heading its way because that's what clerks at several motor vehicle offices have told them.

Foundation spokeswoman Jeniffer Maloney said when she represents the group at local fairs and festivals, ``on average at least 10 people from a crowd say, `I don't want to join the foundation because I've bought the plates. I've already given you some money.' ''

Jeanne Chenault, a spokeswoman for the Department of Motor Vehicles, said she will contact offices next week to ensure that no incorrect information is going out. by CNB