On January 18, Shannon Gority, executive director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in Pennsylvania, said that an increase in the number of miles of impaired waters listed in the Department of Environmental Protection’s Draft 2022 Integrated Water Quality Report sends a clear message that not enough is being done to clean and protect Commonwealth rivers and streams.

DEP’s latest biennial report lists 27,886 miles of Pennsylvania waters, 2,418 miles more than in its 2020 report, as being harmed by pollution.

The report found that 33 percent of Pennsylvania’s more than 85,000 miles of rivers and streams do not meet water quality standards for water supply, aquatic life, recreation, or fish consumption. [Read more here.]

The top three major sources of water quality impairment identified in the 2022 report are: abandoned mine runoff, 7,356; agricultural runoff, 6,430; and stormwater runoff, 3,502 miles.

In response to DEP’s report, Shannon Gority said:

“That the latest report includes over 2,400 more miles of impaired rivers and streams than in 2020 is a sad reminder that Pennsylvania must accelerate its rate of installing practices that reduce pollution to local waters.

“It is time for our Commonwealth to accelerate implementation of its Clean Water Blueprint by providing the funds necessary to do more than plan.

“State and federal leaders need to follow-through on pending legislation that supports the many boots on the ground, landowners, and communities working hard every day to protect and restore local rivers and streams. They want to do more.

“Following through on the commitment to clean and protect our rivers and streams is vital to our health, economic well-being, and quality of life.”

For more on Chesapeake Bay-related issues in Pennsylvania, visit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA webpage.  Click Here to sign up for Pennsylvania updates (bottom of left column).  Click Here to support their work.

Also visit the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership to learn how you can help clean water grow on trees.

CBF has over 275,000 members in Bay Watershed.

Check Streams Near You

The draft DEP 2022 Water Quality 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.

(Photo: Red is bad.)

Related Article This Week:

-- DEP Outlines 2022 Priorities: Make Up Deficit In Oil & Gas Funding; Get Resources Needed To Invest New Federal Mine Reclamation, Oil & Gas Well Plugging Funds

-- IFO: 2021 Act 13 Drilling Impact Fee Revenue $233.8 Million; Still Short Of 2018 Revenue Of $251.8 Million

-- DEP Invites Public Comments On Draft 2022 Integrated Water Quality Report

-- Penn State To Survey Farmers In 14 Counties On Their Use Of Conservation Practices  

Related Articles:

-- Two Bipartisan Bills Just Sitting In Senate Waiting To Address Record Number Of Water Quality Impaired Streams Reported In 2022

-- DEP 2022 Water Quality Reports Shows 27,886 Miles Of Streams With Impaired Water Quality In PA (33%) - An Increase From 25,468 In 2020

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Karl Blankenship: PA Contends Its New Cleanup Plan Will Meet Chesapeake Bay Goals

-- DEP Announces How Pennsylvania Will Meet Its 2025 Pollution Reduction Goals in Chesapeake Bay Watershed; All Counties On Board

-- EPA Points To Lack Of Dedicated Farm Cost Share Program As Major Gap In PA's Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Pennsylvania Far Behind Where It Needs To Be In Meeting 2025 Chesapeake Bay Milestones

[Posted: January 18, 2022]

1/24/2022