Development of phase three of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan is about to get underway.
On Monday, the first steering committee for the plan will hold their first meeting in Harrisburg, and their goal will be to coordinate a broad-based effort by work groups and partners in the 43 counties of the watershed area, including a portion of north-east Indiana County. The state is required by the federal Environmental Protection Agency to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment levels in the bay watershed counties by 2025, and while the state did not meet its goals in the first two phases of the plan, a lot of work has already been done. This year, the EPA is conducting a mid-point assessment of the pollution levels, and will define the goal that Pennsylvania needs to hit in this phase of the project.
During the meeting on Monday, the committee will discuss the EPA’s expectations and establishment of work groups that will reach out to locals.