EPA to Step Up Federal Actions in PA for Water Pollution
April 18, 2022
Pennsylvania’s Bay Cleanup Plan Falls Short of Target, PA has 90 Days to Submit Improved Plan, Lacks Sufficient Legislative Funding and Programs
PHILADELPHIA (April 18, 2022) – After the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reviewed Pennsylvania’s updated plan to address pollution reduction goals for the Chesapeake Bay watershed, it found that the plan falls short of those goals largely due to the lack of resources provided by the state. Approximately 25,000 miles of streams in the state – more than the Earth’s circumference – are considered unsuitable for fishing, recreation or other uses.
Pennsylvania’s draft amended Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) meets 70 percent of its nitrogen reduction target – 9.7 million pounds short, the EPA evaluation found. Much of this is attributed to uncontrolled manure runoff into streams, although there are other contributing pollution sources.
