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.
