The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and other partners will hold a town meeting on April 26 at the Progress Grange Hall in Centre Hall, PA to talk about a new proposal to provide farmers tax credits to install best management practices to reduce nutrient and sediment runoff called the Resource Enhancement and Protection Act.

Nearly 175 miles of Centre County streams are listed on the nation’s “dirty waters” list, but not only are streams at risk, many of Centre County’s agricultural operations are struggling.

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.

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 town meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Progress Grange Hall, 217 South Pennsylvania Ave., Centre Hall, PA.

So far over 200 people have attended a series of town hall meetings the Chesapeake Bay Foundation sponsored 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

4/20/2007