Construction and CAFOs Likely Focus of EPA Crackdown on Bay Pollution

New tools to clean up the Chesapeake Bay being considered by the Obama Administration include the possibility of strict controls for construction runoff and tighter regulations on concentrated animal feeding operations, according to a news service called Inside EPA.

What do you think about this?  Are these the kinds of actions that you think are likely to reduce pollution in the Bay?

On Sept. 9, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is scheduled to release its proposed next steps to accelerate the restoration of the nation’s largest estuary.  The proposal is being drafted in response to President Obama’s May 12 Executive Order, which said the EPA and other federal agencies must take a leadership role and “define the next generation of tools” needed to reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay.

Inside EPA reports that these new steps might include “calling for stricter stormwater control standards for new development and new rules for municipal stormwater permits -- which could, for instance, require rain guards on parking lots."

The federal agency “would be making major, aggressive changes to target urban and suburban stormwater -- and those changes would necessarily have to target new development,” Inside EPA writes.

In addition, the EPA might issue new regulations for hog, cattle, and poultry feeding operations. These could include rules that set more strict pollution discharge standards, and define a broader number of farms as regulated under federal rules for “Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations” or CAFOs, Inside EPA reports.


 

Comments

[Comment on CBF Facebook Page]

Think it is about time to overcome these flagrant disregard to the health of this national treasure!

[Jim Werner]

stop hiding behind blaming buisnesses and go for the counties who keep dumping sewage....start with AA co. we should not have closed waterways. it's been 30 years now HELP NOW!!!

[Comment on CBF Facebook Page]

It's a decent first step, but until they address nonpoint sources, it's no way near enough. Read this--

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090817190741.htm