Pennsylvania draws fire for slowdown in bay pollution cleanup

Pennsylvania officials are warning that the COVID-9 pandemic could hamper that state’s efforts to reduce pollution that flows downstream into the Chesapeake Bay.

Environmental advocates continue to criticize Pennsylvania for failing to act to reduce pollution and for failing to meet goals that it has set. On Tuesday, those same advocates said leaders of six states and the District of Columbia that make up the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council failed to address that continued failure.

“Once again this year, Bay restoration leaders ignored the elephant in the room” Chesapeake Bay Foundation President William C. Baker said in a statement. “Pennsylvania’s plan to meet the goals that all agreed on is woefully inadequate and implementation is seriously off track. With only five years to go until the 2025 deadline, Bay restoration efforts are now in jeopardy. Unless the Commonwealth finds a way to meet its commitments, the investments that the other Bay states are making will improve local water quality, but the Bay will not be restored.”

Last week the foundation released a report that concluded that Pennsylvania was not on track in meeting its goals of controlling pollution from farms.

State Sen. Gene Yaw, a Republican who represents rural north central Pennsylvania and is chairman of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, acknowledged the contentious relationship between his state and others over water pollution. 

“We are very aware of the challenges that face our part of the watershed and our local communities,” said Yaw, adding that more funding would be required to help meet those goals.

“We can’t do this without adequate resources,” said Yaw. “This was a challenge before COVID, and it will only get worse as our states now face unanticipated unprecedented deficits”

Patrick McDonnell, Pennsylvania’s secretary of Environmental Protection, said the pandemic has affected efforts in other ways, such as “the virus hitting at a moment when we would be out planting trees.”

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation announced earlier this year that it intends to file a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to enforce a 2012 agreement to reduce pollution. 

In May, attorneys general from Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia filed notice of intent to sue the EPA, claiming it allowed New York and Pennsylvania to violate that agreement.

States within the bay watershed are required by that accord to reduce phosphorus, nitrogen and sediment pollution by 2025.

Hogan, the outgoing chairman of the Cheseapeake Bay Executive Council, has been critical of Pennsylvania’s failures to control pollution that flows downstream via the Susquehanna River and into the Chesapeake. On Tuesday, he did not mention the issue in public comments.

A spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

The meeting of the executive council, which includes a representative of the EPA, comes one day after the Environmental Integrity Project released a report showing the general health of the bay was improving as states within the watershed push to meet goals of reducing pollutants.

The report found that Maryland and Virginia are on track in meeting their goals. Both states, however, were urged to improve efforts regarding farm runoff and suburban stormwater management.

Maryland has fallen behind on stormwater pollution and is allowing 1.5 million pounds more in nitrogen pollution from runoff than it agreed to eight years ago, according to the report.

Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia contribute 90 percent of the stormwater pollution that runs into the bay.

“It is inexcusable that Maryland and Pennsylvania are backtracking on their commitments to control urban stormwater pollution at a time when climate change and increasing rainfall are having such a huge impact on the Chesapeake Bay,” said Abel Russ, Senior Attorney for the Environmental Integrity Project and co-author of the report. 

The report found Pennsylvania’s current plan will exceed its 2025 nitrogen pollution reduction requirements by  7 million more pounds. That 2019 plan also requires fewer projects to control stormwater pollution.

Water quality in Harrisburg showed bacteria levels 2.5 times higher than is considered safe for swimming.

“At a time of increased concerns about public health, Pennsylvania really needs to start getting serious about controlling its stormwater pollution, because our water monitoring shows it is creating a health hazard even down the street from the State Capitol Complex – which is a disgrace,” said Ted Evgeniadis, the Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper, who conducted the monitoring. “Pennsylvania needs to invest more in not only Harrisburg’s water quality, but clean water for everyone downstream.”