CBF Calls For Greater Investments To Reduce Water Pollution As Number Of Impaired Streams Increases In PA

On July 13, Shannon Gority, executive director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in Pennsylvania, said that an increase in the number of miles of impaired waters listed in the Department of Environmental Protection’s Draft 2020 Integrated Water Quality Report sends a clear message that not enough is being done to clean and protect Commonwealth rivers and streams.

DEP’s latest biennial report lists 25,468 miles of Pennsylvania waters, 5,500 miles more than in its 2016 report, as being harmed by pollution.

The report found that nearly 30 percent of Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams do not meet water quality standards for water supply, aquatic life, recreation, or fish consumption.

The top three major sources of water quality impairment identified in the 2020 report are: agricultural runoff, 5,765 miles; abandoned mine runoff, 5,559 miles; and stormwater, 3,206 miles.

In response to DEP’s latest report, Shannon Gority said:

“As the number of polluted waters continues to grow in Pennsylvania, it is past time for elected leaders at the state and federal levels to provide the leadership, funding, and technical support needed to get the Keystone State back on track toward reaching its Clean Water Blueprint goals by 2025.

“Farmers in Pennsylvania recognize the value of keeping soil on the land and not in the water, but they cannot pay for it all themselves.

“Meanwhile, the Commonwealth’s watershed implementation plan would achieve only 73 percent of its nitrogen-reduction commitment and has a funding shortfall of $324 million a year.

“Following through on the commitment to clean and protect our rivers and streams is vital to our health and economic well-being.”

[DEP is accepting public comments on the draft Water Quality Monitoring Report until August 11.]

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.

How Clean Is Your Stream?

DEP’s Interactive Report Viewer allows you to zoom in on your own stream or watershed to find out how clean your stream is or if it has impaired water quality using the latest information in the draft 2020 Report.

Related Articles:

-- DEP Draft 2020 Water Quality Report Found 25,468 Miles Of Streams Have Impaired Water Quality

-- House Speaker Cutler: Republicans Will First Raid Dedicated Funds To Balance Budget In November

-- Analysis: Why Everyone Else Says There Are No Unused Monies In Dedicated Environmental Fund

-- House Republicans Moving Bill To Reallocate Keystone Fund, Damage Vitality Of PA’s Outdoor Economy

-- House Republicans Pass Bill To Freeze Funding For County Conservation Districts, Local Parks, Farm Conservation, Watershed Restoration Projects; Will Hurt Local Economies

-- Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan Team Virtual Meeting July 20

[Posted: July 13, 2020]  PA Environment Digest