So, Which is It?

Contrasting headlines in the Chesapeake Bay News feed today:

The Baltimore (Md.) Sun - Feds don't care about clean water so now it's up to us

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Vice President Kim Coble is correct: States and localities not only should but must have their own plans for maintaining clean water – especially when a president like the one currently in office doesn’t have a clue (“Trump administration moves to withdraw clean-water rule,” June 27). Our president’s vow to rescind certain clean water actions is being described as federal overreach. In truth, President Donald Trump is being short-sighted as usual but he is not preventing us from doing what we know we must do. Maryland will continue to clean up the bay watershed and reap the benefits.

I agree with that, at least in part. Local, county and state jurisdictions should keep their own messes cleaned up, using their own money to the greatest extent possible. Now compare that to:

ABC 47 (Salisbury, Md.) WMDT - TV - Maryland senators announce $4.6M in federal funding for Chesapeake Bay

U.S Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen announced $4.66 million in federal funding for the Chesapeake Bay, given by several U.S Environmental Protection Agency grants, on Thursday afternoon.

Officials say that the EPA is the top federal partner in a multi-agency efforts that supports regional execution of programs that help a healthier Chesapeake Bay.

Officials said that the Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure and an economic engine for Maryland and the region.

• $4.01 million will go towards assisting the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to create a Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant program.
• $536,808 will go towards assisting the Chesapeake Research Consortium Inc. in supporting the outcomes and goals of the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.
• $61,017 will go towards assisting the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, which offers data management and analysis services to the Chesapeake Bay Program and produces accessible water quality and biological monitoring data and information that help science-based decision-making.
• $54,100 will go towards assisting the Chesapeake Stormwater Network Inc. in giving technical information to local, state, and federal stormwater managers to push the implementation of the most cost-effective nutrient and sediment load reduction practices at existing development, new development, and redevelopment sites

Senator Cardin, a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee says, "These grants represent a federal investment in the Chesapeake Bay and the countless locally-owned businesses, watermen and farmers whose livelihoods depend on a healthy Bay. It is precisely why I just led a bipartisan bill reauthorizing the EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program: it funds projects like these, which are absolutely critical for the Bay's health and our region's economic growth. A healthy Bay means a healthy economy. I'll keep fighting to ensure the Chesapeake Bay Program is fully funded in the 2018 budget."

That doesn't sound like neglect.