U.S. Senator Bob Casey announced this week he would co-sponsor federal legislation-- The Chesapeake’s Healthy and Environmentally Sound Stewardship of Energy and Agriculture Act of 2007— to help reduce millions of pounds of nutrients and sediment flowing into the Chesapeake Bay.

The legislation, introduced by Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), would provide an additional $200 million or more in conservation funding to the region’s farmers.

“As part of the Chesapeake Bay region, Pennsylvania takes the health of the bay very seriously,” said Senator Casey. “Starting with my father’s Nutrient Management Act, Pennsylvania farmers have made it a priority to remove pollution from the watershed and have done a wonderful job. This bill is the next step to help our farmers to meet their obligation to clean up the bay.”

“The leadership of these eight Senators, along with 21 of their colleagues in the House, is critical if we are to have the programs and funding in place by 2010 to achieve the goal of removing our rivers, streams, and the Chesapeake Bay from the nation’s ‘dirty waters’ list,” said CBF President William C. Baker. “This proposal is a demonstration of leadership that, when combined with state and local dollars, would fully implement the agricultural conservation practices required in the restoration roadmap that Bay scientists have developed.”

The Chesapeake’s Healthy and Environmentally Sound Stewardship of Energy and Agriculture Act of 2007, or CHESSEA Act, will direct additional federal Farm Bill funding toward water quality improvement and farm viability in watersheds like the Chesapeake - with recognized nutrient pollution and water quality degradation, agreed-upon multi-state commitments to address that pollution, and identified restoration plans and goals.

If passed, CHESSEA will provide all Pennsylvania farmers: more money for conservation practices, such as streamside buffers; greater access to “green payments;” funding support for development of manure-to-energy systems; and greater technical assistance in conservation planning and implementation.

When combined with state and local funding, nitrogen pollution could be reduced by 65 million pounds annually.

For more information, visit CBF’s CHESSEA webpage.

5/11/2007