Your article “Farmers fear bay cleanup costs” outlined concerns that farm families have, but fell short on explaining the process.
EPA is under a court order to develop a science- based pollution budget for the region and is already moving to utilize their existing enforcement authority. Pennsylvania has one final chance to decide how to meet the pollution reduction goals and develop a strategy that fits the commonwealth. I urge everyone to make sure their voice is heard in that process.
Everyone will have to do more.
Legislation pending in Congress is critically important. The Chesapeake Clean Water Act would provide significant new funding to address urban and suburban runoff, as well as providing up to $96 million in technical assistance to farmers to address the Chesapeake and more than 7,000 miles of Pennsylvania’s impaired streams. In addition, it would initiate an interstate trading program that could bring more than $100 million annually in new revenue to Pennsylvania farms. Once a farm has met and exceeded environmental requirements, the farmer is eligible to sell credits for additional pollution reduction on the farm. Reducing pollution from agriculture is generally more cost effective than from other sources, so farmers will be able to sell the credits for significantly less than what a local government would pay to reduce the same amount of pollution from stormwater. Urban centers in Pennsylvania, Maryland, or Virginia could fund conservation efforts on Pennsylvania farms that improve local streams and the Chesapeake Bay.
Clean water for all Pennsylvanians will only be achieved when accountability is coupled with resources. The Chesapeake Clean Water Act achieves this. Senator Specter is on the committee that will vote on this legislation, and the Commonwealth needs his support to help fund the cost of the pollution reductions that will soon be mandated.
Matt Ehrhart,
Harrisburg
--Matt Ehrhart is Pennsylvania executive director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Letters
Clean water
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Difficult questions
Steve Chapman in a recent column entitled “Inconvenient Facts about Stem Cell Research” wrote: “What’s wrong with destroying a 5-day-old embryo that would be discarded anyway? Nothing, unless you think there is something wrong with killing a human embryo ostensibly for some greater good.”
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Continue the legacy
As a resident of the Central Susquehanna Valley, I am writing to express my gratitude to our state representatives, Merle Phillips and Russ Fairchild, for their many years of public service.
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Squeals on wheels
After reading two letters in less than a week complaining about wheelchairs riding in the street, I could not contain myself anymore.
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Get tested
Two and a half years ago, I held my father’s hand as I watched him leave this life at the young age of 60.
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Good Samaritan
I would like to take the time and say thank you. My father fell at the Lewisburg Market on Aug. 18.
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Louder than words
What a person does speaks louder that what he says. I have been taught that since I was a child and I believe that to be true.
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Selling poll results
I’d like to respond to the accusations and comments made by Yvonne Morgan regarding Congressman Carney.
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Fears over school site
The Lewisburg Area School Board is consid¬ering three options for a Master Facility Plan. One option involves developing a large, remote facility on Newman Road as a high school.
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$42G on junk mail?
As a supporter of U.S. Rep. Chris Carney, D-10, I am disappointed to read that he spent, each quarter, $42,000 tax-funded money for newsletter mailing, which I consider junk mail bragging about his accomplishments.
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They all do it
The recent editorial complaining about Congressman Carney’s mass mailings is an empty argument. Nearly all legislators send flyers to their constituents to keep us informed of their efforts in Harrisburg, Washington, etc.
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Difficult questions
