453 Chesapeake Bay tributary strategy public meetings

Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy Public Meetings

[35 Pa.B. 1713]

   The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) will host five public meetings on Pennsylvania's Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy (Strategy). The meetings will be held as follows:

   *  March 17, 2005, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the Northeast Regional Office, Susquehanna Room, 2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre

   *  March 22, 2005, at 7 p.m. in the Lebanon County Conservation District, Penn State Extension Meeting Room, 2120 Cornwall Road, Lebanon

   *  March 23, 2005, at 7 p.m. in the Adams County Conservation District, Penn State Extension Meeting Room, 670 Old Harrisburg Road, Gettysburg

   *  March 30, 2005, at 7 p.m. in the Northcentral Regional Office, Goddard Conference Room, 208 West Third Street, Williamsport

   At the meetings, Department staff will review the recently published Strategy, answer questions on the development of the Strategy and seek public input on Strategy implementation. The Strategy identifies a suite of nonpoint source Best Management Practices and point source management approaches that would be necessary to meet new Chesapeake Bay water quality goals adopted in 2004. The Strategy calls for reducing nutrient and sediment loads to streams in this Commonwealth and the Chesapeake Bay from a variety of sources such as agriculture, wastewater treatment plants, urban stormwater and septic systems. For the first time, the Strategy is built upon 13 individual strategies for watersheds in the Susquehanna and Potomac basins. The Strategy identifies the full range of activities needed, regardless of their cost, so planning can begin for the new initiatives that will be needed to support Strategy implementation.

   With the signing of the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement, the Commonwealth made a commitment to help remove the Chesapeake Bay from the Federal Clean Water Act's list of impaired waters by 2010. This Commonwealth is critical to this effort as 50% of the fresh water to the Chesapeake Bay flows from the Susquehanna River. The formation of watershed restoration partnerships thatbenefit local waters in this Commonwealth and the Chesapeake Bay is the foundation upon which the Commonwealth will build support for Strategy implementation. Key partners include conservation districts, agricultural organizations, watershed organizations, engineers, municipalities and industrial and municipal point source facilities.

   Copies of Pennsylvania's Chesapeake Bay Nutrient Reduction Strategy may be obtained by contacting Denise Caudill, [phone], [e-mail]. Copies may also be obtained by writing the Water Planning Office, Attention: Tributary Strategy, Department of Environmental Protection, 10th Floor, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P. O. Box 8555, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8555.

   Copies are also available on the Department's website: www.dep.state.pa.us (DEP keyword: Chesapeake Bay).

   Questions concerning these meetings should be directed to Patricia A. Buckley, Water Planning Office, P. O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063, [phone], [e-mail].

   Persons with a disability who require accommodations to attend the meeting should contact the Department at [phone] or through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Services at [phone] (TDD) to discuss how the Department may accommodate their needs.

KATHLEEN A. MCGINTY,   
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 05-453. Filed for public inspection March 11, 2005, 9:00 a.m.]