Clean Water Coalition Asks Agencies To Involve Groups Early In New Chesapeake Bay Plan

On February 3, members of the Fair Share for Clean Water Coalition wrote to the Acting DEP Secretary John Hanger and Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolf offering their assistance to help draft the next update to the Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy to reduce nutrient and sedimentation.

 

The Tributary Strategy will have to be updated this Spring to meet Chesapeake Bay cleanup goals since the states in the Bay Watershed will not meet 2010 nutrient reduction milestones.

 

"It is our understanding that discussion may take place this spring among states, during the Chesapeake Bay Executive Committee meetings, to reconsider the 2000 Chesapeake Bay Agreement and state tributary strategies devised per the Agreement. While it is not likely that Pennsylvania will fully meet the nutrient and sediment reduction goals prescribed in the 2000 Chesapeake Bay Agreement by the 2010 deadline, the Fair Share Coalition acknowledges the need to meet the reduction goals in compliance with the Clean Water Act. At the same time, it is imperative to do so in a way that builds on successes and does not create undue hardships on affected stakeholders.

 

"The organizations who comprise the Fair Share Coalition offer our help and assistance to you in surfacing ideas for nutrient and sediment reduction that are effective and feasible."

 

The Fair Share for Clean Water Coalition includes: the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Pennsylvania Builders Association, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association and more than 40 other environmental, business, sportsmen and conservation groups.

 

A copy of the letter is available online.

 

When the original Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy was released by the Department of Environmental Protection without prior consultation with interested groups, the Strategy became embroiled in controversy in the public and with Senate and House members. (9/26/05 PA Environment Digest)

 

In response to these concerns, DEP formed a series of work groups in February 2006 to involve interest groups in the development of a revised Tributary Strategy. Those groups all but concluded their work in December 2006.

 

 

The Fair Share Coalition also expressed concern about the lack of state funding to support nutrient and sediment reductions to meet Chesapeake Bay federal Clean Water Act mandates. They noted $1.2 billion in funding was approved last July, including a $400 million bond issue in November by voters, for a variety of water infrastructure projects, however, they noted a significant need for support for agricultural conservation projects.

 

An independent review of the cost for wastewater systems to comply with the Chesapeake Bay federal mandates is $1.4 billion. The DEP has estimated the cost to farmers of installing conservation practices is estimated to be $600 million.

 

"The woeful lack of commitment of adequate public funding for nutrient and sediment reduction in the Bay remains a key concern for Coalition members. Securing funding at levels that will allow farmers, municipalities and builders to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution in an effective and feasible manner should be the first priority for Pennsylvania and for our federal government. Last year, Pennsylvania failed to provide any increase in funding to improve availability of financial assistance or tax credits for agricultural and nonpoint nutrient and sediment control. And while Pennsylvania did commit public funds for improvement of wastewater infrastructure to reduce nutrient pollution, more concerted efforts need to be made to expedite the availability of these funds for use by municipalities. We would particularly urge immediate action to implement the $400 million bond issue approved by the voters last November."

 

 

The Coalition expressed an urgent need to adopt a nutrient credit trading program to help reduce the cost of complying with Chesapeake Bay mandates and allow for future development in the watershed.

"The failure to have a viable nutrient credit trading program in place that encourages participation of buyers and sellers and that fosters economic growth is another key concern for Coalition members. Pennsylvania needs to implement a nutrient credit trading bank approach in administration of its nutrient credit trading program. We believe this approach will both enhance demand and marketability of nutrient credits for sellers and better assure buyers who must rely on credit purchases to meet regulatory requirements that the credits they purchase are genuine. While we are encouraged by more recent efforts by the Administration to move the program toward this approach, these efforts must be swiftly completed."