South Lancaster News

HARRISBURG – The week of June 2 through June 8, 2024, will be designated as "Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania under Senate Resolution 305. The resolution is sponsored by Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23), vice chairman of the Chesapeake Bay Commission (CBC) and chairman of the CBC Pennsylvania Delegation, and Sen. Scott Martin (R-13), a member of the CBC Pennsylvania delegation and former CBC chair.

“During Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week, we have the opportunity to celebrate and educate Pennsylvania’s success in reducing nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution into the Chesapeake Bay,” Yaw said. “We can also promote opportunities where citizens can act and help restore the Bay themselves. It’s also an opportunity to call attention to the challenges facing the Bay.”

“Some of the nation’s most productive farm and forest lands, intertwined with miles of rivers, streams and creeks, reside in our portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed,” Martin said. "We continue to make tremendous progress to be good stewards of our resources through the creation of the Clean Streams Fund, and I look forward to continuing to make gains in the ongoing battle to improve water quality in Pennsylvania’s waterways and downstream on the Bay in the years ahead.”

The designation encourages all Pennsylvanians “to commemorate Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week with events, activities, and educational programs designed to raise awareness of the importance of the Chesapeake Bay to the commonwealth, the region, and the United States.”

“Pennsylvania has no bay shoreline, but half of the commonwealth drains to the Chesapeake,” said Marel King, Pennsylvania Director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission. “As we work to improve one-third of Pennsylvania’s local rivers and streams that fall short of water quality standards, we will improve both Pennsylvania communities and downstream waters. This local-first approach is gaining interest from others in the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program as the partnership enters its fifth decade and we explore ways to make the Bay’s health more relevant throughout its watershed.”

The Chesapeake Bay is described as being one of America's largest estuaries spanning six states plus Washington D.C., fed by 50 major tributaries including Susquehanna River which alone contributes about half its freshwater volume.

Last session Senators Yaw along with Martin & Dan Laughlin collaborated establishing landmark PA Clean Streams Fund aimed at cleaning up rivers & streams affected by long-term non-point source pollution - enacted part state budget '22-'23 fund included Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) supporting cost-sharing for farmers' best practices reducing sediments/nutrients build soil health keeping them out waterways.

For more state-related news constituents can visit Senator Yaw's website at www.SenatorGeneYaw.com or follow him on Facebook/Twitter @SenatorGeneYaw; Senator Martin's website www.SenatorScottMartinPA.com or follow Facebook/Instagram @SenatorScottMartinPA Twitter @SenatorMartinPA.

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