Chesapeake Bay Foundation Blog

REAP Has Passed!

Last night, the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Governor Rendell passed the Resource Enhancement Protection Act (REAP), the innovative transferable tax credit program that will help farmers clean up our waters. What a proud moment for Pennsylvania!  What a victory in CBF's work to save the Bay!

Together we are making a difference!

Matthew Ehrhart, Chespeake Bay Foundation, on REAP

Matthew Ehrhart, Pennsylvania Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, comments on proposed Resource Enhancement & Protection Tax Credit Program legislation pending in the Pennsylvania Senate and House. (From PA Environmental Digest) “I introduced House Bill 2878 because I firmly believe that this new and innovative approach to encouraging the implementation of best management practices merits serious discussion by all stakeholders,” said Rep. Stern. “As the Representative from a district where there is a large and viable agricultural sector dominated by family farms, I am very aware that the vast majority of these farmers put a high priority on managing their farm operations in an environmentally friendly manner.

What have we been doing for 19 years?

An article in today's Washington Post includes the following quote from J. Charles Fox, a former head of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources about efforts over the past 19 years to clean up the Chesapeake Bay:

"We have done a truly tremendous job of defining the problem, and we have done a truly tremendous job of defining the solution. But we have not yet succeeded in actually implementing the solution."

National and local legislators throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed will be tackling tough questions during this session. Keep David Fahrenthold's article in mind when the time comes to decide what efforts need your support.

More from the Washington Post:

• A picture is worth a thousand words. What will you do to protect the beauty of the Bay?
• Staggering amounts of work and funding are still needed.

Lamonte Garber explains REAP

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CBF - Helping Farmers Help the Environment. A new, invovative proposal would give farmers tax credits for installing best management practices which reduce stormwater runoff, sediments going into streams and nutrients running off fields of up to $150,000 and to other landowners who install forested riparian buffers. (Video from the PA Environmental Digest Video Blog) Lamonte Garber, Senior Agriculture Consultant with CBF, talks about the Resource Enhancement and Protection Act at the Keystone Farm Show in York. The Resource Enhancement and Protection Act was introduced last year as Senate Bill 1286 by Sen. Wenger (R-Lancaster, now retired), Sen. Waugh (R-York), Sen. O'Pake (D-Berks) and others and as House Bill 2878 by Rep. Stern (R-Blair), Rep. Hershey (R-Chester) and Rep. Daley (D-Washington). It is expected to be reintroduced shortly in the new legislative session. Issue NoteBook: Resource Enhancement and Protection Act