By Chris Hoffman, Kristin Reilly, Julia Krall, and Marel King
The Chesapeake Bay and Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams are becoming cleaner because to an extraordinary period of collaboration between two gubernatorial administrations, legislative leaders, farmers, municipal governments, and innumerable volunteers.
Two miles of Union County’s Turtle Creek Tributaries were taken off the list of impaired waters in April.
In July, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s 2023/2024 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Report Card gave the Bay its highest rating in 20 years, a C+.
More hope is being generated by the state government’s and grassroots organizations’ ongoing leadership.
Commonwealth lawmakers this year included $50 million in new yearly funding for the Clean Streams Fund and $35.75 million for the Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) in the state budget, under the leadership of Senators Scott Martin and Gene Yaw, the former chair and current vice chair of the tri-state Chesapeake Bay Commission, respectively.
The Clean Streams Fund was created in 2022 to address urban/suburban stormwater runoff, acid mine drainage, and some agricultural activities that affect our rivers while supporting creative clean water initiatives. ACAP offers targeted investments to assist farmers in planning and funding the implementation of conservation measures like planting trees and storing manure.
More significantly, this type of audacious investment and leadership fosters cooperation, trust, and a shared dedication to conservation that unites people for the benefit of all.
In Lancaster County, more than 22 landowners in the 896-acre watershed of the Hammertown Road tributary to the Conestoga River joined forces to make improvements to grassed waterways, barnyard waste storage facilities, streamside fencing and crossings, rock-lined waterways, and nutrient management plans. They also planted 35-foot forested buffers along their streams.
Under a county-based strategy that gives local officials the authority to determine priorities for state and federal Bay money, this is just one of many local-scale initiatives taking place throughout Pennsylvania’s section of the watershed.
Consequently, the Bay watershed’s headlines have shifted from portraying Pennsylvania as being far behind in achieving its clean water targets to more upbeat ones about the state making tangible strides and gaining momentum.
Without a doubt, there is still more work to be done by Pennsylvania and the other Bay states.
By 2025, the combined Bay states will fall short of their pollution-reduction obligations under the Chesapeake Watershed Agreement. However, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s leadership is more important than ever since we have the wind at our backs and new challenges are on the horizon.
The annual meeting of the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council will take place in Annapolis on December 10. Attending the sessions is crucial in the majority of years. Attendance is essential this year. If our leaders band together, renew their commitment to the historic federal/state Bay cooperation, and work toward amending the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement by the end of 2025, they have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a legacy of clean water.
We encourage Governor Shapiro to be present. Attendance has already been confirmed by Virginia Delegate David Bulova, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. All members of the Executive Council, including Administrator Michael Regan of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, must also be present.
Beyond the event’s formalities, Governor Shapiro’s presence would make it abundantly evident that Pennsylvania’s progress is permanent, and he will assert the recognition that Pennsylvania’s leadership is due.
When Governor Shapiro stated, “We are not talking about fixing the Bay anymore, we are fixing the Bay, and we are making sure Pennsylvania does its fair share,” his comments reverberated throughout the watershed. I promise to keep working on this project. Pennsylvania is fully committed. This type of leadership has the power to motivate action at all governmental levels, across party lines, and across states.
We appreciate this type of leadership, advancement, and movement from the governor’s office to the Conestoga’s banks. However, now is not the time to take it easy on our achievements. Now is the moment to step up.
This December, Governor Shapiro and the Chesapeake Executive Council must continue to provide bold leadership, partnership, and accountability for 2025 and beyond in order to leave a legacy of clean water for Pennsylvania and the Bay.
Marel King is the Chesapeake Bay Commission’s director for Pennsylvania.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s executive director is Julia Krall. \
The director of the Choose Clean Water Coalition is Kristin Reilly.
Chris Hoffman is the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s president.
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