New reports from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency examine state programs overseeing animal agricultural facilities as well as actions undertaken by Virginia and Pennsylvania to reduce pollution from agriculture.
The reports found that while both states have pieces in place to support pollution reductions, both states have significant deficiencies that will have to be rectified if cleanup goals are to be achieved.
The analysis and resulting reports were required as a result of the 2010 settlement of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Clean Water Act lawsuit against EPA.
Agriculture is the largest source of pollution damaging local rivers, streams, and the Chesapeake Bay. And, reducing pollution from agriculture is the least expensive way to reduce pollution. Pennsylvania and Virginia are both relying heavily on reducing agricultural pollution to achieve their Clean Water Blueprint goals.
"The states have the primary responsibility to reduce pollution from agriculture and it is up to the states to ensure they have appropriate regulations and that farmers have the tools and resources to do what is necessary," said CBF Vice President Kim Coble. "We hope these reports will encourage state officials to accelerate actions to reduce pollution from agriculture. If they don't, EPA must hold them accountable."
For years, Pennsylvania has required its smaller farms to have manure management and sediment and erosion control plans to limit runoff of manure fertilizer and soils into rivers and streams. A limited number of on-farm assessments, conducted by EPA and the Department of Environmental Protection, found compliance to be shockingly low. Some estimates put compliance rates at 30 percent or less.
The report found that Pennsylvania:
— Did not meet its 2013 milestone targets, and did not meet agriculture implementation targets for practices like animal waste management and enhanced nutrient application management.
— Relies on non-regulatory financial and technical assistance, and voluntary compliance.
— Does not have a consistent approach or sufficient resources to ensure farms are meeting the regulatory requirements.
— Does not have a compliance assurance strategy and does not appear to be conducting inspections unless a complaint is lodged.
"DEP should be commended for its recent efforts to accelerate farm compliance. But Pennsylvania lacks an achievable strategy to ensure all farms are meeting our clean water laws," said CBF's Pennsylvania Executive Director Harry Campbell. "Changing the culture towards compliance requires meaningful resources to support DEP and Conservation District staff, as well as the technical design and implementation of the necessary conservation practices. Without these changes, compliance rates will remain low and the Commonwealth will fail on its clean water commitments at a huge cost to society.”
Reports, like these for Virginia and Pennsylvania, will also be conducted for the other Bay states.
"These reports are an important step in identifying both successes and shortcomings," Coble said. "EPA took a thorough look at the states' programs, and we hope this will lay the foundation for improvements that will help each state achieve the goals they have set."
A copy of the Pennsylvania report is available online.
For more information, visit EPA Chesapeake Bay Program webpage and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA webpage.
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