On March 28, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation will sponsor a town hall meeting in York to discuss how Pennsylvania can encourage farmers to install best management practices on farms through the proposed Resource Enhancement and Protection Act (REAP).

This year Pennsylvania’s legislators have an historic opportunity to reduce pollution, protect the Commonwealth’s waterways and strengthen our economy by giving farmers better tools to reduce nutrient and sediment runoff.

REAP, introduced as House Bill 100 by Rep. Stern (R-Blair) and Rep. Daley (D-Washington) and as Senate Bill 690 by Sen. Brubaker (R-Lancaster), Sen. O’Pake (D-Berks) and Sen. Mike Waugh (R-York) would give farmers tax credits of up to 75 percent of the cost of installing best management practices like forested stream buffer, stream fencing and other measures.

"I applaud the REAP initiative because it will be a benefit to both farmers and the environment," said Vice Chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, Sen. Mike Waugh.

Pennsylvania has over 13,400 miles of rivers and streams that do not meet water quality standards and REAP is another tool that can help reduce pollution going into these streams and help the Commonwealth meets its commitment to cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay.

The March 28 town hall meeting will be held at the Good Will Fire Company #1, 1 South Main Street, Jacobus, PA. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m.

This is one of a series of town hall meetings the Bay Foundation is sponsoring to educate farmers, watershed groups and other interested citizens on this important issue.

RSVP to Trudy Uffleman by sending email to: REAP@cbf.org .

Visit the Resource Enhancement and Protection Act (REAP) webpage for more information.

Video Blog: REAP Promotes Clean Drinking Water

Video Blog: Stern Sponsors Innovative Approach to Reduce Nutrients

Video Blog: Daley on Water Quality Challenges Faced by Farmers

Video Blog: Helping Farmers Help the Environment

Video Blog: Help Farmers Help the Environment –Senate Ag Committee

3/23/2007