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Government shutdown looms after Trump-backed bill fails; Environmental groups sue CA Air Resources Board over biogas credits; NY elected officials work to electrify municipal buildings; Need a mental health boost? Talking hot dog is here.

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President-elect Trump repeats his threats to jail Jan. 6th committee members, while also putting a stop-gap spending plan in jeopardy. A court removes Fani Willis from Trump's Georgia election interference case. The FAA restricts drones in New Jersey, and a Federal Reserve rate cut shakes markets.

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Rural folks could soon be shut out of loans for natural disasters if Project 2025 has its way, Taos, New Mexico weighs options for its housing shortage, and the top states providing America's Christmas trees revealed.

Legislation Could Bring Funding to PA for Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

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Monday, August 23, 2021   

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania is behind on its goal to reduce pollution into Chesapeake Bay, and clean-water proponents say legislation in Harrisburg focused on sustainable agriculture could help the state get on track.

One step PA could take would be establishing an Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program, which would fund projects for farmers to plant trees or bushes next to streams or waterways near their land.

Half of the fresh water that flows into the bay comes from Pennsylvania, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Pennsylvania Executive Director Shannon Gority said these so-called riparian buffers could help filter out nitrogen and phosphorous from the farms before they reach the local water and, ultimately, the bay.

"But having the funding to train the people," said Gority, "to implement and then be able to reimburse the farmers for some of their expenses in operating it, is pretty much the only thing that's going to get us to where we need to be with respect to reduce nitrogen and phosphorous in our local waters and in the bay."

The Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program, or A-CAP, was introduced by State Sen. Gene Yaw - R-Williamsport. It was re-referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee in June.

Gority said other pieces of legislation that could help the state reach the necessary blueprint milestones, include U.S. Senator Bob Casey's REVIVE the CCC Act, which would bring back the 1930s work relief program to address the climate crisis.

Yaw has also proposed a Clean Streams Fund, which would use a portion of the state's American Rescue Plan funds for the A-CAP program.

"It's really important that all of the watershed work together to protect the waters in the bay," said Gority. "Because not only is it saving the bay, but when we save all the local waters that go into the bay, we're impacting our own water quality, our own environment, our local environment."

According to the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, which was signed by the six states that are part of the watershed, Pennsylvania is required to have a pollution reduction plan in place by 2025.



Disclosure: Chesapeake Bay Foundation contributes to our fund for reporting on Energy Policy, Rural/Farming, Sustainable Agriculture, Water. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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