From the Desk Of: Harry Campbell, PA Director Chesapeake Bay Foundation

The Lower Susquehanna River is sick and so are the fish within it—just look at the sightings of intersex and lesion-covered smallmouth bass found in the waters.

We all know this story. For far too long, agricultural runoff, acid mine drainage, and polluted urban runoff have been fouling the Susquehanna River. This toxic brew threatens a powerful economic engine, a part of Pennsylvania’s heritage, and the critters that call the river home.

In the coming weeks, Pennsylvania’s leaders have a chance to step in and start cleaning up our river, but if we want them to act, we must speak out in these next few crucial days.

Stand with CBF-PA and its partners in urging Gov. Wolf and the Department of Environmental Protection to save our river by listing the Lower Susquehanna River as impaired.

Listing the Susquehanna as “impaired” isn’t about recognition for a problem we already know about. It’s the first step to getting the state to act.

DEP is preparing draft recommendations for the 2016 “Impaired Waters List”—a list that identifies waterways that are polluted and starts the process of developing plans to make them healthy again.

If DEP were to add the Lower Susquehanna to the list, it would be provided a new level of restoration, resource investment, and pollution study for the river.

DEP intends to make its final recommendations by the end of the year.

Click Here now to urge DEP and Gov. Wolf to take action to restore the Susquehanna's health. They’re making their decision on which waterways need help any day now, and our river can’t wait any longer.

It’s far past time that the Lower Susquehanna River see the resources and attention it needs to be the healthy, swimmable, and fishable waterway that it once was and can be again.

Just Part Of The Problem

The Susquehanna’s problems are emblematic of the nearly 19,000 miles of Pennsylvania streams that are impaired.

The Commonwealth must accelerate efforts to restore these waterways through the Pennsylvania Clean Water Blueprint, the science-based federal/state strategy to reduce pollution.

If the Wolf Administration doesn’t deliver its Commonwealth-wide action plan soon, we will be asking your help in urging them to do so.

For more information on Pennsylvania and Chesapeake Bay issues, visit the CBF-Pennsylvania webpage.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from CBF-PA (bottom of left panel).

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12/7/2015