PA Environment Digest Blog: Pennsylvania's Chesapeake Bay State Team (formerly the PA Steering Committee) Meets January 30 In Harrisburg

The renamed Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay State Team is scheduled to meet January 30 in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

The agenda, broadly, is expected to include--

-- Review and discuss progress on Pennsylvania’s Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan

-- Review the Phase 3 WIP implementation strategy

-- Define roles and expectations for the State Team and Action Leaders

-- Outline next steps and timeline for success

This is the first meeting of the group that lead the stakeholder-driven Pennsylvania Clean Water Planning process to meet the Commonwealth's Chesapeake Bay cleanup obligations since the state’s Plan was submitted to EPA.

Since then, Pennsylvania received comments on the Plan from the EPA and there has been lots of reaction to the Plan from other states in the Bay Watershed.

It will also be the first meeting for Jill Whitcomb, the new Director of DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Office.

Whitcomb served as DEP’s representative on the critical Chesapeake Bay Steering Committee Agriculture Workgroup in the Phase III planning process and before that on the Wetlands and Stormwater Workgroups.

She also helped manage DEP regulatory programs that address compliance with agriculture and stormwater regulations and requirements, including: NPDES construction, MS4 stormwater pollution prevention program, and CAFO livestock farms; erosion and sedimentation control; post-construction stormwater management; manure management and nutrient management.

Whitcomb has worked at DEP since 2014. Prior to that service, she was an Agriculture Conservation Technician for the Lancaster County Conservation District for nearly 5 years and as an Agronomy Laboratory Technician before that in the private sector.

For those who cannot attend in person, Click Here to register to participate online via WebEx. Join by conference call by calling +1-415-655-003, 798 387 703.

For more information and available handouts, visit the DEP’s Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay State Team webpage.

NewsClips:

Sen. Yaw Speaks To Chesapeake Bay Issue - Wants Federal Funds Freed Up To Address Issue

Veteran Lawmaker Sen. Yaw Anxious To Get To Work

Virginia Also Eyeing Lawsuit Against Pennsylvania To Protect Chesapeake Bay

Virginia Discussing Whether To Take Legal Action Against PA, EPA Over Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

Rachel McDevitt: Maryland Plans To Sue PA Over Chesapeake Bay Pollution

Antrim Twp Hires Environmental Attorney In Battle Over Costly Stormwater Mandate

Luzerne County Councilman Proposes Legal Challenge To Stormwater Pollution Reduction Mandate Over Concerns About Local Stormwater Fee

Penn State Extension Introduces Lower Susquehanna Master Watershed Steward Program In Lebanon, Lancaster, Dauphin Counties, Seeks Volunteers