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$2.9 million in federal dollars are back on the table to help farms meet federal EPA clean water goals.

John Vogel, Editor, American Agriculturist

February 2, 2016

2 Min Read

American Agriculturist recently reported that U.S. EPA was withholding nearly $2.9 million targeted for Chesapeake Bay work, until the Pennsylvania meets EPA’s expectations. See Pa faces clean water regulatory armageddon.

Apparently, those expectations were met by the commonwealth’s rebooted strategy to improve water quality in Pennsylvania’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. On Tuesday, Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection announced that EPA had restored that program funding. The commonwealth’s comprehensive strategy was developed collaboratively between DEP and Pennsylvania departments of Agriculture and Conservation and Natural Resources.

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The funding will primarily support installation of best management practices on farms and the operations of County Conservation Districts. EPA will award the funds to DEP when federal budget authority for the new fiscal year is finalized.

“EPA appreciates Pennsylvania’s commitment to get back on-track with nutrient reduction measures necessary to achieve the Chesapeake Bay goals,” noted EPA Regional Administrator Shawn Garvin. The “submission, 18-month strategy and draft implementation plan contain many actions that can serve as building blocks to accelerate the pace of implementation.”

“This restored funding will be targeted by DEP to begin implementation of our rebooted strategy,” added DEP Secretary John Quigley. “It is a start – but only that. We have a long way to go in our efforts to assemble additional resources and to do the work to improve local water quality in Pennsylvania, and that of the Chesapeake Bay.”

If progress isn’t made, U.S. EPA still threatens additional actions, so-called backstops, that would increase the federal agency’s role in inspections, permitting and compliance.

Agriculture has a pivotal role in meeting Pennsylvania’s nitrogen and sediment reduction goals. The rebooted strategy relies on a mix of technical and financial assistance for farmers, technology, expanded data gathering, improved program coordination and capacity and – only when necessary – stronger enforcement and compliance measures.

For more information about Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake Bay strategy, click here.

About the Author(s)

John Vogel

Editor, American Agriculturist

For more than 38 years, John Vogel has been a Farm Progress editor writing for farmers from the Dakota prairies to the Eastern shores. Since 1985, he's been the editor of American Agriculturist – successor of three other Northeast magazines.

Raised on a grain and beef farm, he double-majored in Animal Science and Ag Journalism at Iowa State. His passion for helping farmers and farm management skills led to his family farm's first 209-bushel corn yield average in 1989.

John's personal and professional missions are an integral part of American Agriculturist's mission: To anticipate and explore tomorrow's farming needs and encourage positive change to keep family, profit and pride in farming.

John co-founded Pennsylvania Farm Link, a non-profit dedicated to helping young farmers start farming. It was responsible for creating three innovative state-supported low-interest loan programs and two "Farms for the Future" conferences.

His publications have received countless awards, including the 2000 Folio "Gold Award" for editorial excellence, the 2001 and 2008 National Association of Ag Journalists' Mackiewicz Award, several American Agricultural Editors' "Oscars" plus many ag media awards from the New York State Agricultural Society.

Vogel is a three-time winner of the Northeast Farm Communicators' Farm Communicator of the Year award. He's a National 4-H Foundation Distinguished Alumni and an honorary member of Alpha Zeta, and board member of Christian Farmers Outreach.

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