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

Matt Ehrhart, PA Director of CBF, was joined by Rep. Jerry Stern (R-Blair), the prime sponsor of REAP in the House, LeDon Young, Progress Grange Master, and Gary Swan, PA Farm Bureau, at the meeting to rally farmer, environmental and other citizen support for the proposal.

See comments from each speaker on the PA Environment Digest Video Blog:

Video Blog: LeDon Young, Progress Grange Master Hosts REAP Town Meeting

Video Blog: Rep. Stern Describes Background, Need for REAP

Video Blog: Gary Swan, PA Farm Bureau, Talks About PFB Support for REAP

Video Blog: Matthew Ehrhart, CBF, Urges Citizens To Make Their Voice Heard

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. Waugh (R-York) and Sen. O’Pake (D-Berks) 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.

So far over 250 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.

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

NewsClip: Editorial: Tax Credit Program Would Cut Bay’s Farm Pollution

Legislators Work for Bigger Farm Bill Share

4/27/2007