1 / 12

Update on Chesapeake Bay Restoration Issues

Briefing to the Water Resources Technical Committee January 8, 2009. Update on Chesapeake Bay Restoration Issues. Presentation Overview. CBF’s lawsuit against EPA Scientists’ Statement Press Attention Most Recent Progress Results Costs. CBF’s Lawsuit.

zaide
Download Presentation

Update on Chesapeake Bay Restoration Issues

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Briefing to the Water Resources Technical Committee January 8, 2009 Update on Chesapeake Bay Restoration Issues

  2. Presentation Overview • CBF’s lawsuit against EPA • Scientists’ Statement • Press Attention • Most Recent Progress Results • Costs WRTC Meeting January 8, 2009

  3. CBF’s Lawsuit • Lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation on Monday, January 5th. • For ‘Failure to Comply with Chesapeake 2000 Agreement’ • Jointly with Bay Watermen associations • Outlines how poor water quality has destroyed fisheries, etc. (i.e., blue crabs, SAV, oysters, Bay fish) • Cites EPA’s failure via a detailed history of missed deadlines (21 pgs. Total) • Focus on ‘Reasonable Assurance’ & Penalties for Failure to Meet Deadlines • “…this lawsuit is going to put the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay directly on the desk of the new EPA administrator…” • Will Baker, President of CBF WRTC Meeting January 8, 2009

  4. December 8, 2008 Scientists’ Statement • Current Bay Program is not working. • Mandatory enforceable measures needed. • Axioms for restoring the Bay: • Pollution reduction by everyone. • Change development patterns & no net loss of forest and wetlands. • Mandatory agricultural pollution controls. • Stronger fisheries protection. • Fully implement existing tributary strategies. • Make the Chesapeake Bay a high priority for funding and enforcement. WRTC Meeting January 8, 2009

  5. Recent Press Attention WRTC Meeting January 8, 2009

  6. Common themes • Bay Program is a failure. • More regulation is needed. • Development & growth • Farming • No mention of costs. • No mention of cost effectiveness. WRTC Meeting January 8, 2009

  7. Goal WRTC Meeting January 8, 2009

  8. WRTC Meeting January 8, 2009

  9. Costs – the big picture • Unfunded gap in 2003 estimated to be $12.8 billion • Just MD, VA, & PA • Costs higher now • Budgets worse • Does not include costs to maintain or replace existing infrastructure, which is a huge expense. WRTC Meeting January 8, 2009

  10. The challenge according to Jeff Lape… • “…growth and development are the greatest challenge to restoring and protecting the Chesapeake Bay.” • Stormwater management and growth appear to be the primary focus of CBF, the Potomac Conservancy, and other groups. WRTC Meeting January 8, 2009

  11. WRTC Meeting January 8, 2009

  12. Is growth the biggest challenge to a clean Bay? • Increasing numbers of chickens, turkeys, and beef cattle. • Declining agricultural acres • More animals on smaller farms. • Crops the highest loading land use. WRTC Meeting January 8, 2009

More Related