Chesapeake Bay Foundation: PA's Latest Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Plan Lacks Credible Water Pollution Reduction Strategies, Sustained Funding

On November 21, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Pennsylvania’s final Watershed Implementation Plan did not demonstrate how the Commonwealth would meet its Bay Restoration goals for nitrogen and sediment pollution reduction.

Click Here for a copy of EPA’s cover letter.

Following the announcement, Alison Prost, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Vice President for Environmental Protection and Restoration, issued this statement.

“Pennsylvania’s farmers and communities have demonstrated that they are willing to do what needs to be done if given the resources. This year, the Commonwealth stepped up its funding for agricultural conservation practices. While this wave of funding is an important first step, farmers and communities need certainty that funding will be available year after year.

“Unfortunately, Pennsylvania’s latest plan to clean up its rivers and streams is still lacking the creditable pollution-reduction strategies and sustained funding needed to put those strategies in place. And while we appreciate EPA’s reinvigorated commitment to the partnership by way of oversight and assistance, that alone will not be sufficient to get Pennsylvania across the finish line.

“Along with assistance must come accountability. EPA’s failure to adequately hold Pennsylvania accountable is why CBF, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia are suing EPA. We remain hopeful that negotiations in that case will result in the necessary actions and sustained funding needed to restore clean water, improve local economies, and preserve Pennsylvania’s way of life.”

Visit EPA’s Pennsylvania Plan Evaluation webpage for more.

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.

CBF has over 275,000 members in Bay Watershed.

[Visit DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed webpage to learn more about cleaning up rivers and streams in Pennsylvania's portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates on Pennsylvania’s progress.

[How Clean Is Your Stream?

[Check DEP’s 2022 Water Quality Report to find out how clean streams are near you.]

NewsClips:

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Plan Falls Short For 3rd Time, EPA Says 

-- PA Capital-Star: EPA: PA Plan To Reduce Pollution Going To Chesapeake Bay ‘Doesn’t Meet The Partnership Targets’

-- Lancaster Farming: PA’s Chesapeake Bay Plan Falls Short, EPA To Keep Visiting Farms

Related Articles:

-- Final State Budget Includes Nearly $700 Million In Funding To Support Local And State Environmental, Recreation Infrastructure Projects!

-- DEP Submits Final Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Watershed Plan To EPA With New State Funds Supporting Partners’ Progress

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Implementing Farm Conservation Practices In Pennsylvania Will Result In $352.5 Million In Economic Benefits, Support 3,457 Jobs A Year

-- DEP Reports On 2021-22 Farmers’ Efforts To Improve Water Quality In Chesapeake Bay Watershed

-- Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership Plants Its 5-Millionth Tree In Franklin County Park; Thousands Of Volunteers Were Critical To Reaching This Milestone

[Posted: November 23, 2022]  PA Environment Digest