In 1976, Congress directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct a five-year study of the environmental quality and management of the Chesapeake Bay. At the end of the study, the EPA concluded that nutrients and toxic chemicals released from both point and nonpoint sources had seriously impacted the Bay's water and sediment quality and, subsequently, the vitality and abundance of its living resources. In 1983, Pennsylvania joined with the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and the EPA in signing a Chesapeake Bay Agreement providing for a comprehensive and coordinated Bay restoration.

Pennsylvania's program has emphasized agricultural nonpoint source pollution control providing funding assistance in four subprogram areas: Planning, Educational, Technical, and Financial. Currently, major budget expenditures include approximately $200,000 for water quality monitoring to River Basin Commissions, and about $3,900,000 for staff and best management practice (BMP) implementation to county conservation districts. Today, 38 conservation districts participate in the Financial Assistance Funding Program providing up to $30,000 per landowner voluntarily agreeing to implement a nutrient management program. This program is intended to prevent the pollution of surface and ground waters by addressing the most critical farm nutrient problems through measures to manage fertilizers and animal wastes and to reduce soil erosion.

Perry County Conservation District’s County Implementation Plan provides further explanation of the county’s strategy to assist in the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. 

Many projects have been completed in Perry County under the State Chesapeake Bay Cost-Share Program since its inception in 1990. Perry County Conservation District has assisted 36 cooperators in the installation of 15 ag-waste structures, 17 barnyard/heavy use area protection projects and four ag-waste transfer systems, 36 nutrient management plans, 200 acres of cover crop, and other BMPs.  Total project cost has totaled in excess of $1.5 million with Chesapeake Bay cost share funding totaling over $780,000.

In recent years, the Bay Program has provided funding through Special Projects that benefit multiple farms or help improve individual problem areas.  Recent projects include cover crop incentive payment, cover crop seed purchase, animal mortality composting pad, stream bank stabilization, stream crossing, subsurface drainage, and purchase of an additional no-till drill.

Special Project funding is available through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on an annual basis.  The Conservation District evaluates potential projects and applies for special project funding.  All projects completed through Special Project funding are cost shared at 80%.  For more information on Chesapeake Bay Special Project funding, or if you have a project that may qualify for funding, contact Scott Flanders at the Perry County Conservation District by calling 717-582-8988 ext 118 or e-mailing sflanders@perryco.org.

Scott Flanders is a PCCD Agricultural Conservation Technician and is in charge of Chesapeake Bay Program, No-till Drill and Cover Crop Program.