A new Chesapeake Bay Foundation report, Bad Waters: Dead Zones, Algal Blooms, and Fish Kills in the Chesapeake Bay Region in 2007, documents this summer’s bad water events, and finds the resiliency of aquatic systems throughout the region stressed, underscoring the need to act quickly.

This summer millions of fish were sick or killed, from the Susquehanna River in the north, to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, and to the Potomac, James, and Shenandoah river systems in the south. Harmful algal blooms sucked the oxygen out of the water from Baltimore to Hampton Roads, lasted for months in the Potomac River, and in some cases produced toxins that killed fish and other aquatic life.

In late August, the area in the Bay’s mainstem devoid of oxygen was the fifth largest since the Chesapeake Bay Program began keeping records in 1985.

The vast majority of the Bay and its rivers and streams do not meet the simple, fundamental goal that the Clean Water Act mandates--that waterways provide “for the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife, and recreation in and on the water.” In 2000, the Bay states and federal government committed to achieving that standard and restoring the Bay by 2010.

“The tragedy is that while Bay scientists have identified the actions necessary to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay, and identified the costs of the most effective strategies, elected officials have only provided one-third of the necessary funding,” said CBF President William C. Baker. “With only three years to go, Governors Kaine, O’Malley, and Rendell, as well as the federal government, must act now to provide programs and funding to reduce pollution and comply with the law. We are not looking at problems in need of solutions, but solutions in need of funding.”

Even more troubling than the dead zones, fish kills, and algal blooms, evidence shows that while the amount of pollution entering the Bay has remained relatively unchanged, the size of the “dead zone” is increasing.

Scientists believe that the Bay’s ecosystem is becoming more and more unbalanced, and speculate that water quality in some of our rivers and the Chesapeake Bay is reaching a tipping point—that water quality conditions have deteriorated to the point that fish are now susceptible to infections that they could withstand under “normal” conditions.

This loss of resiliency can be reversed, and CBF believes that if state and federal elected officials work aggressively, funding and programs can be in place by 2010 to achieve healthy and restored rivers, streams, and the Chesapeake Bay.

Pennsylvania, with the largest portion of the Bay watershed, must reduce the most nitrogen pollution, 41 million pounds annually. Current programs and funding will reduce pollution by about 17 million pounds.

With bipartisan support, the legislature passed and the Governor signed legislation providing transferable tax credits for farmers and businesses to install conservation practices that reduce water pollution.

The Resource Enhancement and Protection Act (REAP), as originally proposed at $450 million over 10 years, would have achieved about half the additional reductions necessary. As enacted it will provide $10 million in tax credits per year. While the enactment of the program is a huge success, REAP needs to receive the full amount requested.

“Getting REAP passed in this fiscal climate was a tremendous victory for CBF, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, and all of the agricultural, watershed, and sportsmen’s groups who partnered together to pass this important legislation,” said Matthew Ehrhart, CBF Pennsylvania Executive Director. “We will go back to work to get the program up to full funding.”

The Virginia goal is to reduce nitrogen pollution by 27 million pounds annually. In recent years the Governor and the state legislature have made great strides in addressing nitrogen pollution from sewage treatment plants, earmarking more than $500 million for plant upgrades. With funding and programs currently in place, the Commonwealth expects to achieve a reduction of approximately 12 million pounds of nitrogen pollution.

But such progress will be undone if Virginia fails to address stormwater runoff from urban, suburban and rural lands. To bring Virginia closer to achieving its pollution reduction goals, CBF calls on Governor Kaine to implement the state's river cleanup plans and to fully fund cost-share programs that help the farm community reduce runoff. Farmers are willing to do their share but need state assistance to implement proven soil and water conservation programs.

“The need for significant, consistent funding to meet our water quality goals is well understood and increasingly urgent,” said Ann F. Jennings, CBF Virginia Executive Director. “Governor Kaine and the General Assembly have the opportunity to provide funding that is necessary to both sustain our farm economy and leave a legacy of clean water for future generations of Virginians.”

Maryland must reduce nitrogen pollution by 20 million pounds annually, and has programs and funding in place to achieve roughly half of that goal. A large portion of that success is due to the “flush fee,” which provides dedicated funding to reduce pollution from sewage treatment plants. To close the gap, the O’Malley administration must develop a “Green Fund,”--a dedicated funding source that would provide a minimum of $100 million per year to implement more of Maryland’s Tributary Strategies, the roadmap to restoration that Bay scientists have developed.

“The condition of Maryland's rivers and the Bay evidence the need for bold action and leadership.” said Kim Coble, CBF Maryland Executive Director. “Now is the time for Governor O'Malley and the General Assembly to implement the funding and programs necessary to restore the Bay. If not now......when?”

State funding must be matched by Congress in the federal Farm Bill. The House version of the Farm Bill, passed earlier this summer, contains approximately $100 million per year in conservation funding, thanks to the good work of a broad bipartisan coalition of the region’s Congressional delegation. Now it is up to Senators Robert Casey, Arlen Specter, and the region’s Senate delegation to fight for increased funding in the Senate.

“These investments in clean water pale in comparison to the economic benefits of a restored Bay for our children and future generations,” Baker said. “Clean water is not a luxury; it is a right and the law requires it.”

For more information, visit the CBF Bad Waters webpage.

9/22/2007