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Pennsylvania Submits Revised Phase 2 Chesapeake Bay Implementation Plan
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The Department of Environmental Protection submitted Pennsylvania’s Final Phase 2 Chesapeake Watershed Implementation Plan to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency on March 30.
The final Phase 2 WIP was the subject of a public comment period extending from December 17, 2011 to January 30, 2012.
The Plan describes the state’s plan to address EPA’s expectations that the states develop a Phase 2 WIP so that local partners (1) are aware of the WIP strategies; (2) understand their contribution to meeting the TMDL allocations; and (3) have been provided with the opportunity to suggest any refinements to the WIP strategies.
The final Phase 2 WIP was developed to meet EPA’s August 1, 2011 revised nutrient and sediment planning targets for the Chesapeake Bay TMDL. The planning targets are the result of EPA’s development of a revised watershed model.
In response to public comment, DEP will develop revised draft county planning targets based on reported year 2010 BMP implementation levels. These will be developed following EPA acceptance of DEP’s watershed model input deck for the year 2025 and posted online.
The draft county planning targets estimate the nutrient and sediment reductions that will help Pennsylvania meet its Chesapeake watershed planning targets. Should a county want to improve upon the watershed model generated draft county planning targets, DEP will support the county in the use of the Chesapeake Assessment and Scenario Tool. CAST is a new web-based tool designed by EPA to help states and counties assess the most effective ways to reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
DEP also provided to EPA, Pennsylvania’s Programmatic Two-Year Milestones for the year 2012 through 2013. The milestones identify on-going activities to implement Pennsylvania’s Phase 1 and 2 WIPs.
A copy of the Phase 2 Plan is available online. |
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4/9/2012 |
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