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The PA Fair Share for Clean Water Coalition this week praised the introduction of the Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Improvement Act-- House Bill 2441 (Perry-R-Cumberland)-- by 38 bipartisan sponsors which they said marked the opening of the legislative debate on how state government is going to help sewer system ratepayers and farmers fund improvements needed to meet Chesapeake Bay and statewide nutrient reduction mandates, while also providing a mechanism that will allow for future economic growth in Pennsylvania.

The PA Fair Share for Clean Water Coalition includes the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Pennsylvania Builders Association, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and a growing list of 20 other environmental, business and local government groups.

"We want to thank the sponsors of House Bill 2441 for drawing attention to Pennsylvania's most urgent water infrastructure problem—the need to reduce pollution and meet requirements under the federal Clean Water Act," said Matthew Ehrhart, Pennsylvania Executive Director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. "Other Bay states have assisted their citizens in funding improvements. Without financial help and policy reforms in Pennsylvania, sewer system ratepayers, farmers, and future homeowners and businesses would have to shoulder the entire burden of required farm conservation and wastewater treatment plant improvements on their own."

The sponsors of the bill include Representatives Scott Perry (R-Cumberland), Stephen Barrar (R-Chester), Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre), Martin Causer (R-Cameron), Paul Clymer (R-Bucks), Thomas Creighton (R-Lancaster), Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster), Peter Daley (D-Washington), Gordon Denlinger (R-Lancaster), Eugene DePasquale (D-York), Garth Everett (R-Lycoming), Russell Fairchild (R-Snyder), Mike Fleck (R-Blair), Will Gabig (R-Cumberland), Richard Geist (R-Blair), Glen Grell (R-Cumberland), Adam Harris (R-Juniata), Arthur Hershey (R-Chester), Harold James (D-Philadelphia), Rob Kauffman (R-Cumberland), Mark Keller (R-Franklin), Beverly Mackereth (R-York), Sandra Major (R-Susquehanna), Ron Miller (R-York), Dan Moul (R-Adams), Mark Mustio (R-Allegheny), John Myers (D-Philadelphia), Jerry Nailor (R-Cumberland), Thomas Petrone (D-Allegheny), Tina Pickett (R-Bradford), Marguerite Quinn (R-Bucks), Stan Saylor (R-York), Curtis Sonney (R-Erie), Jerry Stern (R-Blair), Rosemary Swanger (R-Lebanon), Katie True (R-Lancaster), Katharine Watson (R-Bucks) and Rosita Youngblood (D-Philadelphia).

"Mandated nutrient reductions under the state Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy for sewage treatment plants impose a heavy financial burden on communities and ratepayers that could see a doubling or tripling of sewer rates if no help is provided by state government," said John Brosious, Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association Deputy Director. "Unlike Virginia and Maryland, Pennsylvania has provided no significant funding to meet these mandates. House Bill 2441 would provide that help by including many of the elements of the PA Fair Share for Clean Water Plan."

"Production agriculture today is facing significant and potentially devastating economic burdens," said Joel Rotz, State Governmental Relations Director for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. "Farmers are more than willing to do their fair share in meeting federal and state regulations, but they cannot do it alone. House Bill 2441 significantly boosts one of the needed tools to help farmers face the potentially crippling costs of meeting these new state and federal mandates. However, additional tools are essential."

"House Bill 2441 identifies the need for more resources for county conservation district programs designed to help farmers install conservation practices," said Susan Marquart, Executive Director of the PA Association of Conservation Districts. "Without technical assistance provided by districts, Pennsylvania agriculture cannot meet their mandated nutrient reduction goals."

House Bill 2441 would provide up to $500 million over seven years to help finance wastewater plant upgrades and $250 million in tax credits over five years to help the installation of farm conservation practices.

In addition, the bill would establish a Nutrient Credit Trading Bank to help reduce the risk of credit buyers and sellers. Nutrient credits can help wastewater plants reduce their costs to comply with the nutrient reduction mandates by paying farmers to install conservation practices that result in the required reductions of nutrients. The bank would also help to ensure that sewage capacity is available for future economic growth.

"A functioning, viable nutrient credit trading program, combined with a funding plan that targets money where it can make the greatest environmental impact, can provide sewage treatment plants with a stable, economically feasible alternative to costly capital upgrades and protect future economic opportunity," said Robert J. Fisher, president of R. J. Fisher and Associates representing the Pennsylvania Builders Association. "But, without the kind of help provided in House Bill 2441, economic growth and development in large portions of Pennsylvania will be severely curtailed."

"House Bill 2441 opens this very important discussion on how to achieve the required pollution reductions," said Ehrhart of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. "Pennsylvania must have a holistic strategy to fairly and effectively meet this challenge, and our coalition continues to promote the Fair Share Plan and all of its provisions so that every sector has the resources necessary to meet its commitments."

For more information on the PA Fair Share for Clean Water Plan, visit www.PaFairSharePlan.org .

NewsClips: Op-Ed: Clean Water Efforts Missing State Dollars

Op-Ed: Pennsylvania Must Share Bay Improvement Costs

Op-Ed: State Must Help Improve Sewer Plants

Lawmaker Pushes for Revision to Bay Plan

State Funding for Sewer Upgrades May Become Reality

REAP Returns This Summer

Where’s $$$ for Watershed Cleanup?

Water Infrastructure Draws Concern

Sewer Repair Surge Past $1 Billion

Video Blog: Remarks By Coalition Partners on the Fair Share Clean Water Plan

Video Blog: Sen. Brubaker’s Remarks on Fair Share Plan

Links: Coalition Proposes Fair Share Clean Water Funding Plan, Original Announcement

16,000 Miles of Polluted Streams Add Urgency to Call for Clean Water Funding

CBF, Other Groups Ask State to Be a Partner in Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Plan

40,000 More Acres of Corn, Soybeans Increase Conservation Needs

Brubaker, Musto Say Senate Infrastructure Bill Should Be Expanded

New Federal Farm Bill Promises Aid, But PA Farmers Need $600 M for Cleanup

Rep. Perry, 37 Co-Sponsors Introduce Chesapeake Bay Nutrient Reduction Plan

5/23/2008