Today federal agencies released a draft of a comprehensive Chesapeake Bay clean-up plan, as directed by President Obama’s May 12th Executive Order. The draft outlines new steps the Environmental Protection Agency and six other federal agencies could take to restore the bay’s waters and ecosystem.
“What the bay desperately needs is strong, federal leadership to hold all polluters accountable. What we saw today was the EPA taking a step backward and not reaping the full potential of this new process,” said Tommy Landers, Policy Advocate for Environment Maryland.
Today’s draft follows the release of individual agency reports from Sept. 10th, and the final plan is due in May 2010.
“On Sept. 10th the EPA announced plans to initiate rulemakings to strengthen and broaden permits for stormwater systems and industrial farms, and we applauded that announcement. However, today’s draft strategy says new rulemakings would happen only if states don’t significantly strengthen their own pollution control programs to meet water quality standards. But states proven themselves incapable of that over the past 25 years,” said Landers.
Also today, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) is holding a hearing on his bill, Chesapeake Clean Water and Ecosystem Restoration Act. Along with renewed and increased funding, the bill establishes an accountability system whereby states must enforce limits on all sources of pollution entering the Chesapeake Bay.
“The federal agency action, combined with Sen. Cardin’s proposals, could mean new life for the Chesapeake Bay. The promise of both is still an accountability system whereby the EPA holds all polluters accountable to well-defined, biennial pollution reduction goals. But that promise will be met only if our federal leaders are bold, visionary, and decisive. We can’t let this tremendous opportunity go to waste,” said Landers.
