CBF Says New Policy to Require Phosphorous Controls 
on Farms Will Reduce Runoff Pollution

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation applauded a new policy requiring that agricultural nutrient management plans limit the application of phosphorus in areas at risk of runoff into waterways, saying it will reduce pollution in Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams.

The policy, driven by a recent decision of the Environmental Hearing Board, ensures that Pennsylvania farmers will reduce the two major water quality pollutants coming from farms – nitrogen and phosphorus.  Pollution from agricultural operations is a major source of water quality impairment in the Commonwealth and in the Bay. Many waterways in Pennsylvania, and nearly the entire Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, are on the nation’s dirty waters list largely due to nutrient pollution. The most recent data (2002) shows that Pennsylvania contributes approximately 109.2 million pounds of nitrogen and 3.58 million pounds of phosphorus to the rivers and streams in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. In March, 2003, the Commonwealth committed to take substantial actions to reduce annual contributions of nitrogen to 71.9 million pounds, and phosphorus to 2.26 million pounds. In 1997, Pennsylvania was the first jurisdiction in the Bay watershed to require nutrient management plans, and was in the process of amending the nutrient management regulations to require phosphorus planning when the board decision was issued. For more information, visit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s website at http://www.cbf.org.