Advertisement

Chesapeake Bay cleanup restrictions upheld in court

By Tomas Monzon

PHILADELPHIA, July 7 (UPI) -- A U.S. appeals circuit court defended a federal program to reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed Monday.

Facing challenges from farmers, builders and 21 states located mostly outside the region, the ruling on the program was unanimous. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia upheld the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposals on wastewater treatment and the runoff coming from farms and construction.

Advertisement

The EPA has said that the bay gets too much nitrogen, phosphorous and sediment from these sources, harmfully affecting the country's largest estuary. Agricultural trade groups and the National Association of Home Builders said the EPA had stepped out of line and entered state purview with its proposed restrictions, which call for a 25% reduction of nitrogen and phosphorous and a 20% reduction of sediment though establishment of pollution limits for the 92 waterways that feed into the bay.

Had the restrictions been overruled, the EPA's goals would be delayed beyond the currently estimated 2025 timeline.

The Wicomico River, for example, will have to cut its phosphorous runoff by 30%, nitrogen by 28% and sediment by 12%.

Advertisement

President Will Baker of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation said Monday marked a milestone for clean water and the 17 million people that live in the Bay's watershed.

Latest Headlines