Bay Program Giving Bucks to Farmers

EPA Awards Pennsylvania $3.7 Million for Bay Restoration

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced last week that it is providing $3.7 million to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to implement best management practices on agricultural lands in Pennsylvania’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

These practices will reduce the loads of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution going to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

“The Chesapeake Bay Program is an excellent example of cooperative federalism at work,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “This funding will help Pennsylvania accelerate its progress in improving local water quality and restoring the Chesapeake Bay.”

“Clean water is a top priority for EPA,” said EPA regional administrator Cosmo Servidio. “This funding will help Pennsylvania continue putting the necessary pollution control measures in place to restore local waters and the Chesapeake Bay.

“In addition, it helps to demonstrate our commitment in working with the agricultural community where we see first-hand the successes and challenges of growing food and having local streams, as well as ensuring available water supplies, to support our farming communities,” Servidio said.

It's not a lot of money, in terms of what's being spent on the Bay cleanup (estimated to be around $25 billion), but one of my criticisms of the Bay Program has been that when it comes to agriculture they've been much quicker with the stick than the carrot. I hope this helps to bring a more positive relationship between the farmers and the regulators. Is this a result of a change in the Trump administration? I'm inclined to think it might be.