Gov. Rendell joined the governors of other states in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed at the annual Bay Executive Council meeting this week and urged Congressional action on the Federal Farm Bill. He also announced an upcoming biofuels summit.

The Governor also pointed to recent efforts like the enactment of the Resource Enhancement and Protection Program (REAP) farm conservation tax credit and the Agricultural Communities and Rural Environment Initiative (ACRE) as efforts Pennsylvania is making to help farmers contribute to the cleanup of the Bay.

Gov. Rendell urged his fellow executive committee members to call on the U.S. Congress to pass the 2007 Farm Bill before year's end.

"Our farmers need help in order to continue reducing the amount of run-off going into our streams and rivers," said Gov. Rendell. "The version currently being considered by Congress is better for Pennsylvania's farmers and the bay, because it provides new resources to support conservation measures and best management practices that will reduce pollution."

The Farm Bill authorizes and guides the nation's agricultural, rural development, soil and water conservation, and domestic and foreign food aid programs. The current set of bills that was passed in 2002 will expire at the end or the year.

In the Chesapeake Bay region, Farm Bill conservation programs are especially critical due to the cost-effective water quality benefits achieved by the best management practices it funds.

The biofuels summit will take place in Pennsylvania next year, and will include experts on the emerging issues and opportunities associated with cellulosic ethanol who will meet with state and federal policy makers. Together the group will focus on issues such as sustainability, forest and wildlife health, energy demands, water quality and how best to develop the technology within the bay region.

The panel will build upon the Chesapeake Bay Commission's “Biofuels and the Bay” report, which provides suggestions on how to proceed with the biofuel development in such a way as to not harm local waterways or the bay.

"While corn-based ethanol represents a viable and readily available alternative to foreign oil, I believe there is an even more promising approach just over the horizon in cellulosic ethanol technology – and Pennsylvania is uniquely situated to take the lead in developing it," said Gov. Rendell. "Rather than depending on corn to produce fuel, with cellulosic ethanol, we can take plant materials, biomass and agricultural waste and convert that into fuel.

"With such a promising economic and environmental opportunity at our feet, I think we should do everything we can to spur its development," said the Governor.

12/7/2007