The administration’s 2021 budget proposed slashing Program funding by more than 91 percent, from its current level of $85 million to $7.3 million.
The massive proposed cut came only weeks after bipartisan members of Congress had rejected the administration’s attempt to gut the Program and overwhelmingly approved a 2020 budget deal that boosted its budget from $73 million in 2019 to $85 million this year, further demonstrating the bipartisan commitment to a restored Bay.
CBF Federal Executive Director Jason Rano issued the following statement about the bill:
“Investing in the Chesapeake Bay Program and the cleanup effort it guides is a smart economic investment. The Bay and the local creeks, streams, and rivers that feed into it are a vital economic engine that supports key industries such as seafood, tourism, and outdoor recreation.
“This $90.5 million comes at a pivotal time. The watershed’s seven jurisdictions, particularly Pennsylvania and to a lesser extent New York, still have important work to do to meet the science-based water pollution limits set in the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint. All jurisdictions must push forward aggressively to meet the 2025 deadline.
“CBF thanks the House Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee and the bipartisan House Chesapeake Bay delegation for their leadership. We urge the House Appropriations Committee to approve this funding so the jurisdictions can continue to make the necessary progress in the time we have left.”
For more on Chesapeake Bay-related issues in Pennsylvania, visit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA webpage. Click Here to sign up for Pennsylvania updates (bottom of left column). Click Here to support their work.
Also visit the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership to learn how you can help clean water grow on trees.
[Posted: July 9, 2020] PA Environment Digest
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