DEP Chesapeake Bay Program Healthy Waters Update Highlights Many Partner Accomplishments; Critical Federal Support For Bay Cleanup; 2,100 More Best Management Practices Installed Than In Previous Year

The latest Health Waters newsletter update on the Chesapeake Bay Program highlights accomplishments by many partners during 2024, including the installation of over 2,100 more best management practices than in 2023.

Nearly 16,700 BMPs Installed

The 2024 Chesapeake Bay Best Management Practice (BMP) Progress Year reporting process is nearing completion, with the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Division having finalized its nonpoint source data submissions ahead of EPA’s deadline.

Based on the initial submission of all of PA’s partners’ nonpoint source data, PA is currently reporting nearly 16,700 Best Management Practices (BMPs) for the 2024 Progress Year, which is an increase of more than 2,100 BMPs.

The reported number of BMPs is an estimated figure at this time. Some adjustments may occur during the final validation process.

DEP received 155 applications totaling approximately $44 million for the 2024 Growing Greener Plus grant round. 

DEP will award more than $15 million; 45 grants in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and 48 grants throughout the rest of Pennsylvania. 

Estimated reductions within the Chesapeake Bay watershed are more than 122,000 pounds of nitrogen, 25,000 pounds of phosphorus, and 4,900 tons of sediment per year. 

DEP also continued to support the rapid  stream delisting approach in agriculturally-impaired watersheds through the Growing Greener Watershed Renaissance Initiative and expanded it statewide.

DEP Chesapeake Bay IIJA [federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Act] funding accounts for a significant percentage of CAP grant funding for local partners approximately $7.1 million for 2025 projects and approximately $18.2 million over the entire 5-year grant cycle.

Critical Federal NRCS Support

The US Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) Pennsylvania office released their 2024 annual report, Pennsylvania NRCS Accomplishments FY 2024. 

The report highlighted the over 43,000 conservation practices and enhancements that have been installed within the state’s lands. 

Particular to the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the report noted $52.5 million in impact through multiple programs operating in the watershed covering 154,581 acres through 717 contracts. 

Those programs include the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Agricultural Management Assistance Program (AMA), the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).  

The report described the delivery of targeted financial and technical assistance, particularly through NRCS’ work with the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI). 

This effort delivers assistance to priority watersheds impaired due to agricultural nutrient runoff. 

These priority watersheds include: Warrior Run, Beaver and Upper Yellow Creeks, Upper Kishacoquillas Creek, Swatara Creek, and Maiden Creek. The majority of these are located in counties within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. 

Additionally, the report celebrated new fiscal year 2024 technical assistance available to Pennsylvania through the partnership of NRCS, the SCC [State Conservation Commission], and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) to provide six new conservation planner positions. 

Click Here for a copy of the report.

Other Updates

-- Nearly $15 Million In Watershed Restoration Grants Awarded

-- Commonwealth Financing Agency Awards $16 Million In Act 13 Grants

-- PennVEST Invests $288 Million In Water Infrastructure Projects With Federal Funds

-- DCNR Accomplishments In Planting Forest Buffers, Improving Water Quality

-- Recipients of the Nation’s First Agricultural Innovation Grant

-- State Invests $1.3 Million to Help Strengthen Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Workforce

-- ACAP Ag Conservation Conference April 1-3

-- Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program Releases Impact Video

-- Saving Turtle Creek Success Story Video Released

-- DEP Now Accepting Local Abandoned Mine Reclamation Treatment Grants (Federal Funds)

-- Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Vouchers Available

-- Adams County Completes Stormwater Basin Retrofit Project

-- Cumberland County Completes Willow Mill park Rain Garden Project

-- Lancaster Clean Water Partners Promote Cover Crops

-- Potter County CAP Grant Funds On-Farm Composting

Click Here to read the entire newsletter.  Click Here to sign up for your own copy.

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?

The draft 2024 report has an interactive report viewer that allows you to zoom in to your own address to see if the streams near you are impaired and why.

Click Here to check out your streams.  Click Here for a tutorial on using the viewer.

Resource Links:

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: EPA Deregulation Bombshell A Blow To The Chesapeake Bay  [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Poll - Chesapeake Bay Watershed Cleanup Faces Unprecedented Federal Upheaval; Restoring The Bay Is Now MORE Of A Priority  [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: What’s the State Of Bay Restoration 50 Days Into the New Administration?

[Posted: March 18, 2025]  PA Environment Digest