Readers respond to last week’s Feedback Friday topic, which was:
2025 Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Goals Unlikely to be Met
Last week’s unsurprising news is the unfortunate realization that the Chesapeake Bay watershed states of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania are unlikely to meet their pollution limit goals as set by the EPA by the target 2025 deadline outlined in the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint. For those of you counting, that’s just three short years away. This news comes from a newly-released Chesapeake Bay Foundation report, which tracked the states’ progress in nitrogen and phosphorus pollution reduction via a variety infrastructural mitigation strategies, policies, and practices. The report also cites urban and suburban development (and by consequence stormwater runoff), and agriculture, as some of the largest contributors to pollution in the Bay watershed. In 2020, CBF filed suit against the EPA for lack of enforcing the clean water blueprint. That suit is still pending before U.S. District Court in Washington.
Our questions to you were:
What do you think needs to be done at the local, state, and federal levels to make actual progress in the Chesapeake Bay’s restoration?
What areas of concern do you feel are most important to address?
Here’s what you said:
It has to hurt to not comply. A child with bad behavior and no consequences continues to exhibit those bad behaviors. Choose, carrot or stick, maybe a little of both!
August Pasquale, Severna Park
In Maryland the Chesapeake Bay is not our backyard, it is our front yard. It needs to be clean, beautiful, and respected for everyone to enjoy. If your business, farm, or home is polluting the bay, shame on you. Stop now and fix it. The bay's front yard needs a sign saying, "Pick-up after yourself."
Paul Bollinger, Annapolis
