Chesapeake Bay Commission Recommends Increasing Federal Funding For Chesapeake Bay Watershed Cleanup

The interstate Chesapeake Bay Commission has released a set of recommendations for federal funding increases to support cleaning up water pollution in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.  

The Commission includes members of the legislatures that are part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed-- Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, the heads of environmental agencies in each state, a citizen member from each state and a representative of the federal government.

Pennsylvania’s representatives include-- Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Sen. Scott Martin (R-Lancaster), Rep.Keith Gillespie (R-York), Rep. John Hershey (R-Juniata), Rep.Michael Sturla (D-Lancaster), DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell and citizen member G. Warren Elliott, a former Franklin County Commissioner. 

Their priorities include--

-- Environmental Protection Agency: increasing basic Chesapeake Bay Program grant from $87.5 million to $90.5 million;

-- U.S. Department of Defense: Stormwater and Environmental Resiliency on federal installations to reduce stormwater loads and enhance climate resiliency - $100 million;

-- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: New Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense - $15 million; and

-- U.S. Geological Survey: Chesapeake Ecosystem Science & Monitoring - $16 million.

Specific line items recommended include--

Interior, Environment and Related Agencies--

-- EPA — Geographic Programs — Chesapeake Bay: $90,500,000

-- EPA — Nonpoint Source (Sec. 319) Grants: $177,000,000

-- EPA — Pollution Control (Sec. 106) Grants: $230,000,000

-- EPA — Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund: $2,000,000,000

-- DOI-USGS — Chesapeake Ecosystem Science and Monitoring: $16,050,000 

-- NPS — Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Trails Program: $3,000,000

-- DOI-USFWS — Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense (WILD): $15,000,000

-- DOI-USFWS — Cooperative Landscape Conservation: $12,500,000

-- DOI-USFWS — Habitat Conservation — Coastal Programs: $13,360,000

-- USDA-Forest Service — Forest Stewardship Program: $11,902,000

-- Land and Water Conservation Fund (all agencies): $900,000,000

Energy and Water Development--

-- USACE-Construction — Environmental Restoration and Compliance: $110,000,000

-- USACE-Investigations — Coordination with Other Water Resource Agencies: $1,000,000

-- USACE-Construction — Poplar Island: $8,600,000

-- USACE-Construction — Mid-Bay Island: $38,000,000

-- USACE-Construction — Continuing Authorities Program — Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration (Sec. 206): $11,000,000; and Emergency Streambank and Shoreline Protection (Sec. 14): $8,000,000

Commerce and Justice, Science and Related Agencies--

-- NOAA-NMFS — Habitat Conservation and Restoration: $58,499,000

-- NOAA-NMFS — Regional Councils and Fisheries Commissions: $41,500,000

-- NOAA-Office of Education — B-WET Regional Programs: $7,910,000

-- NOAA-Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research — National Sea Grant College Program: $107,900,000

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food & Drug Administration & Related Agencies--

-- USDA-NRCS — Conservation Operations: $1,200,000,000

-- USDA-NRCS/FSA — 2018 Farm Bill Programs: Full Funding of Mandatory Programs

Click Here for a copy of the recommendations.

For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming meetings and more, visit the Chesapeake Bay Commission website.

[PA Chesapeake Bay Plan

[For more information on Pennsylvania’s plan, visit DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Office webpage.

[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 Water Quality Report.]

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-- Funding Flashback 2017:  PA Chesapeake Bay Commission Members Spotlight Need For Clean Water Fund In PA

-- Funding Flashback 2020: Senate Environmental Committee Puts Spotlight On Funding Needed To Implement PA Clean Water Plan At Chesapeake Bay Briefing

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[Posted: March 1, 2021]  PA Environment Digest