Bay Journal, Bay Program figures show PA led region in 2020 cleanup progress
Long considered a laggard in Chesapeake Bay cleanup efforts, Pennsylvania last year led the watershed in nitrogen reductions reported by the state-federal Bay Program partnership.
The state was recognized with making nearly 4.5 million pounds of nitrogen reductions in 2020, accounting for nearly half of the 10 million pounds attributed to the entire watershed, according to Bay Program computer models.
Still, the recently released figures show that the region as a whole remains far behind the pace needed to meet its 2025 pollution reduction goals for nitrogen, a key nutrient affecting Bay water quality.
From 2009 to 2020, watershed states reduced the amount of nitrogen reaching the Bay by just 29%, leaving more than 70% of the work to be accomplished in just five years.
Much of the shortfall is in Pennsylvania, largely because the great majority of its nutrient runoff comes from the 33,000 farms in its portion of the Bay drainage. All states have struggled to control farm runoff, according to the models.
The nitrogen reduction credited to Pennsylvania for 2020 was more than the state had accomplished in the entire previous decade, according to model estimates. But they show that the state would have to control another 32.5 million pounds to meet its 2025 goal.
The 2020 progress did not represent a dramatic ramp-up in effort, though. About 75% of the credited reductions resulted from improved reporting of nutrient discharges from wastewater plants that had previously been upgraded. Similarly, much of the reduced agricultural runoff stemmed from better accounting for actions previously taken by farmers.
So, despite all the screaming about Pennsylvania falling short of it Bay Diet goals, it had been doing better, and just failed to account for an report the improvements? Whoday thunk?
They'll never reach the 2025 nutrient reduction goal. Then what would they do, disband the EPA Bay Program and the Bay Foundation?
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