Is Enough Being Done to Clean Up the Bay?

Neal Augenstein, WTOP Radio
Colleen Kelleher, wtopnews.com

WASHINGTON – Every time a storm like Tropical Storm Cindy dumps several inches of rain on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, it's a reminder to you.

All that water will eventually end up in the Bay.

And, all that’s in that water – sewage, sludge and trash – will end up in there, too.

The question now being asked: Is enough progress being made to clean up the Chesapeake Bay and provide the region with clean water?

It’s been five years since Maryland, Virginia, D.C. and Pennsylvania agreed to meet 100 goals – all aimed at restoring the Bay’s health. The goals spelled out in the Chesapeake 2000 agreement – everything from establishing water quality standards in streams to planting riparian buffers to restoring shellfish – would be met over a number of years.

Meeting the goals would help remove the Bay from the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s list of impaired waters. By court order, Bay states have until 2010 to correct nutrient and sediment problems or face the loss of federal money.

“The Bay states run the risk of losing tens of millions of dollars in federal funds if the deadline is not met for the court order,” says Will Baker, president of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

“Bottom line: we don't see the urgency in getting that clean water provided for the Bay and meeting the goals of the Chesapeake 2000 agreement,” Baker says.

“Clearly, more work needs to be done to reduce pollution from sewage treatment plants, from airborne deposition -- power plants, factories -- from direct discharges from industrial outlets, and to provide funds to farmers to get the job done.”

Frank Dawson, director of the watershed services unit of Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources, says everybody who lives in the watershed’s 200 counties, six states and D.C. needs to be concerned and involved.

“It really is important for all of us to recognize that this is not a government problem,” Dawson says. “It's not an industry problem. It's not a private property owner problem. This is a problem we all have to be committed to try to resolve, and there are actions we know that we can each take to improve Chesapeake Bay.”

Some progress is being made on the state level.

There have been some reductions in the amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment entering the Chesapeake Bay, but they haven’t come at a fast enough pace, says Dave Goshorn, director of Maryland’s DNR’s resource assessment.

“Overall, we've seen some gradual improvements in the bay, but not to the degree that we'd like to see to get us to our goals,” Goshorn says.

WTOP Audio Extra - Excerpts From Interviews Virginia Gov. Mark Warner says more federal help is needed to fund Chesapeake Bay clean-up efforts. Sen. Paul Sarbanes, D-Md., says the Chesapeake Bay can be restored, if the effort is made. Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Will Baker says reducing water pollution is a non-partisan issue. DNR's Frank Dawson and Dave Goshorn talk about how difficult it's been to meet the Chesapeake 2000 goals. Maryland Watermen's Association President Larry Simns says failure to clean up the Bay will ultimately cost the region more -- in groceries. Economist Doug Lipton talks about the pressures and opportunities for Chespeake Bay's crab industry. Waterman Bob Evans talks with WTOP's Neal Augenstein about the waterman's way of life.

The current administrations in Maryland and Virginia have called the Bay a priority, but some people have questioned whether the political willpower exists to back up any promises that have been made.

"We've still got a long way to go in cleaning up the Bay and meeting the standards we all agreed to by 2010," Virginia Gov. Mark Warner tells WTOP.

But Warner says as the states have made progress, the federal government has backed off funding Bay-related projects. Warner says the feds need to step up and make a financial commitment to the nation’s largest estuary.

“The federal government stepped up in a major way on the (Florida) Everglades,” Warner says. “I think the Chesapeake Bay is every bit a natural treasure as the Everglades.”

The federal Environmental Protection Agency doesn’t see the need for any additional regulations, according to a 64-page ruling it issued June 13, 2005. The ruling came in response to a legal petition made by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation 18 months earlier.

"EPA has determined that existing regulations, coupled with the collaborative partnership outlined in the Chesapeake 2000 agreement, will get us results faster than developing new federal rules," said Benjamin Grumbles, EPA's assistant administrator for water, in a news release. "Recent actions taken by Maryland, Virginia and other Bay partners will help to ensure that we achieve and maintain our restoration goals for the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries."

But the EPA did side with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation on the issue of how much pollution sewage and treatment plants should be allowed to dump in the Bay. It says there should be enforceable discharge limits. Nitrogen and phosphorus from treatment plants contribute to the Bay’s pollution.

“The EPA agrees with CBF that EPA review should be expanded to ‘significant dischargers’ to the Chesapeake Bay,” the ruling reads. “Thus, the EPA intends to review permits for significant point sources (both major and significant minor permits) of nutrients within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.”

“We are pleased that the EPA agreed with us that there should be strict limit for pollutants in the discharge permits. That's good news. Now we've got to see that their promise is met,” says Baker, who expects a slew of clean water legislation before the Maryland and Virginia legislatures in January.

Some 16 million people who live in the Bay’s watershed are affected by pollution in its waters. They drink and eat from the 18-trillion-gallon estuary and its tributaries.

From an economic perspective, the Bay generates billions. Watermen may be the first to come to mind when you think of the Bay, but the fishing, seafood processing and marine construction industries aren’t the only ones affected. Real estate sales, restaurant profits and tourist attractions also benefit from the allure of the Bay.

Bay watchers say simple actions - every thing from fixing leaky faucets to writing lawmakers - will make a difference.

Yet, they also fear that without involvement from everyone in the watershed, there could be a change in the quality of life for this, and future generations.

(Copyright 2005 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)