Sewage Treatment Plant mandate

[Bill Latchford]

- So My2Cents doI take it you are in favor of rate increases in operating the local WasteWater Treatment Plant?

My2Cents said: "We, the tax payer, should be taking care of our own neck-of-the-woods in assuring our rivers are unpolluted and our sewage treatments plants are up to par so that all will be well down stream".

The mandates that are being put upon the local treatment facilities are unfunded by the State. That is the big deal right now. It does not seem fair that Municipalities are being held solely responsible for the Bay Clean Up. The State needs to, and it appears some of our local Representatives and Senators feel the same way. I feel that there should be something from the State to help us out with this so, our Borough is not hit with an exorbitant rate increase. I believe things are looking up for this mandate though.

[My2Cents]

- So My2Cents doI take it you are in favor of rate increases in operating the local WasteWater Treatment Plant?

My2Cents said: "We, the tax payer, should be taking care of our own neck-of-the-woods in assuring our rivers are unpolluted and our sewage treatments plants are up to par so that all will be well down stream".

The mandates that are being put upon the local treatment facilities are unfunded by the State. That is the big deal right now. It does not seem fair that Municipalities are being held solely responsible for the Bay Clean Up. The State needs to, and it appears some of our local Representatives and Senators feel the same way. I feel that there should be something from the State to help us out with this so, our Borough is not hit with an exorbitant rate increase. I believe things are looking up for this mandate though.

Absolutely not !! Now you know I didn't mean it that way. Perhaps I didn't make it clear enough with my last post. We should not be paying for cleaning up the bay. The state should be paying for cleaning up the bay. Whatever it takes to clean up the bay, even if it takes upgrading sewage systems throughout the state to do so. The state should do whatever it takes to fix thing up so that clean water is running into the bay from PA, and the state should pay for it. After all is said and done, the state should constantly monitor and assure that the waters do not become polluted again. Our responsibility as tax payers should only be limited to maintaining our neck-of-the-woods, constantly assuring we are contributing our share in keeping the waters pure. If a problem arises... the state should be responsible for checking it out and paying for the fixer-uppers.... not the community and not a wind mill farm !!!

[banksy]

So if the state should pay for it, how does the state generate income?

[Bill Latchford]

So if the state should pay for it, how does the state generate income?

Good Point Banksy....No matter which way you cut it...Rate Increase or Tax Increase....Just in the case of a Tax Increase though you are spreading the burden across more people. It is one of those no win situations. Just hurts less one way over the other.

[My2Cents]

So if the state should pay for it, how does the state generate income?

More casinos....??

[My2Cents]

Tourist attractions... there are many ways the state can generate extras. I bet if everyone in the state of PA gave $5.00 towards whatever is necessary to the cause... I bet it would pay for the total cost of the clean up.
Tell the people.... this is how much we need, there are X # of residents in the state of PA, so, we are asking that each and every individual who is a resident in the state of PA contribute this amount of money, by a certain date, and all will be paid for and everyone should be happy.... we all paid our share.

[sandstone]

Dear Governor Rendell,

Millions of wastewater system ratepayers and thousands of farmers, future homeowners and businesses need your immediate help to deal with the financial cost of meeting new nutrient reduction limits being imposed now by the Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a result of federal Clean Water Act mandates.

These new nutrient limits are now in place in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed that covers over half the Commonwealth, but already wastewater plants in Southeast and Western Pennsylvania have been given these new standards by EPA as well.

For the first time a broad coalition of interests involved in water quality cleanup, including the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Pennsylvania Builders Association, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Chesapeake Bay Foundation and many other supporting groups, have put together a plan that asks state government to be a partner in these efforts.

The Pennsylvania Fair Share for Clean Water Plan proposes to invest $500 million to help finance the upgrades needed by wastewater plants to meet the new nutrient reduction standards and $390 million to help farmers install conservation practices over seven years. In both cases, local wastewater system ratepayers and farmers would shoulder half the costs of the upgrades and practices.

The proposal also calls for improvements to the state’s Nutrient Credit Trading Program that will help reduce the costs of complying with these new limits by promoting wastewater plant-farmer cooperation on projects to reduce nutrients and allow for future growth and development.

In the Chesapeake Bay Watershed alone, Pennsylvania wastewater system ratepayers will be asked in the next seven years to pay up to $1 billion for treatment plant upgrades to meet these new standards. The Department of Environmental Protection has estimated the cost to farmers, who cannot pass along these costs, will be $600 million.

We note that Maryland and Virginia have already committed over $1.6 billion to help their wastewater plants meet these new mandates.

We appreciate your efforts in convening the Governor’s Sustainable Water Infrastructure Task Force to develop a long range plan for funding infrastructure improvements across the state. However, the specific permit deadlines imposed by the DEP require wastewater plants to make design and project financing decisions now on how they are going to comply with their new nutrient limits and achieve the necessary reductions.

Over the last few months wastewater system ratepayers have received letters from their local system operators saying they will see their sewer rates double and triple over the next few years to meet these mandates and are loudly expressing their concerns about the devastating impact such rate increases will have on homeowners and businesses.

Ratepayers and farmers are not asking for a “bailout.” They will do their share to finance these improvements-- but they are asking state government to be a partner in meeting these requirements as it has been since the 1970s.

At last December’s Chesapeake Executive Council meeting, you said you would work with the General Assembly to provide additional state funding to help comply with the nutrient reduction mandates, if the federal government provided more funding.

Congress has now acted. In the new federal Farm Bill passed by Congress, over $440 million is provided to the Chesapeake Bay states to help farmers install conservation practices. In addition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency increased funding for clean water projects in Pennsylvania by $20 million.

The coalition proposing the Fair Share Plan asks for your support and leadership in helping to resolve this time-sensitive issue and to keep the commitment you made last December.

Thank you for your past leadership on environmental issues and we look forward to working with you to help state government to again be a partner in taking the next step in cleaning up Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams.

Sincerely,

Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Pennsylvania Builders Association, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts.
Other supporting groups include: Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, County Commissioners Association of PA, Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, Pennsylvania Association of Realtors, Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmens Clubs, American Farmland Trust, Environmental Defense Fund, Middletown Township Land Conservancy, Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper, Northumberland County Conservation District, Lancaster Farmland Trust, Brubaker Farms, Juniata Valley Audubon, PA Landscape and Nursery Association, Tioga County Conservation District, Chester County Economic Development Council, Tioga County Concerned Citizens Committee, Inc., PA No-Till Alliance, PA State Grange, PA Project Grass, GreenTreks Network, Inc., Warwick Township Municipal Authority, PA Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Cedar Meadow Farm, Somerset County Conservation District, and Dover Township

[sandstone]

This week the PA Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 2 (Earll-R-Erie), the H20 Water Infrastructure Funding Program, that provides $800 million in gaming revenues to fund drinking water, wastewater, flood protection and dam repair projects. The bill includes a priority for wastewater systems facing mandates, like nutrient reductions, imposed after January 1, 2007.

Sen. Earll said many areas of the state, such as the sprawling Chesapeake Bay watershed, are under federal and state mandates to clean up their water and that should be a priority for state funding.

[sandstone]

‘Fair Share’ Bill Passes Senate, House Ag Committees

HARRISBURG, Pa. —The Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs unanimously voted to pass an amended version of Senate Bill 1449 (SB 1449) this week. The proposal would provide additional funding to assist farmers and others to assist in the nutrient load reduction in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Roger Madigan (R-23), establishes the Fair Share Nutrient Reduction for Farmers Act, offering grants and tax credits for agricultural nutrient and sediment reduction projects. The legislation would provide millions of dollars to the Conservation District Fund, the State Conservation Commission, the Resource Enhancement And Protection (REAP) tax credit program, and the Nutrient Management Fund through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
In a press release issued Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau noted the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee also took action on the legislation. The House version, HB 2656, was introduced by Rep. Mike Hanna (D-76).
In a press release, Senate Ag Committee Chairman Mike Brubaker (R-36) said, “Almost 70 percent of Pennsylvanians obtain their drinking water from surface water sources, and we have a vested interest in helping farmers, businesses and wastewater facilities meet water quality standards all across the state”

Funding for the Conservation District Fund, State Conservation Commission and Nutrient Management Fund will come from The State Stores Fund, according to Kristin Crawford, executive director for the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. The proposed funds include $70 million for the next five years and then starting in 2013 through 2015, funding will drop to $20 million.

SB 1449 is part of a larger legislative effort, the Fair Share for Clean Water Plan, to assist wastewater treatment plants with the cost of upgrades and farmers with establishing, implementing or improving best management practices.
Recently, the Senate approved Senate Bill 2, which addresses the commonwealth’s critical water infrastructure needs, including drinking water and wastewater facilities, high hazard dams, and flood protection and mitigation projects.
Crawford said support for the concept of the Fair Share program has been widely supported by senators as the bill heads to the Senate floor. The challenge remains meeting its budgetary needs.

Both Brubaker and Crawford recognize that Pennsylvania is going to fall short of reaching its 2010 nutrient load reduction for the Chesapeake Bay. Crawford noted while the agreement indicates that if the goal is not reached, the federal government could take oversight, she is hopeful that by showing a commitment through new programming and funds, federal agencies would be willing to work with the state.

“These investments are a significant step to getting Pennsylvania on track for cleaner water, benefiting everyone in the state,” Brubaker said.
“It is also important to note these programs not only benefit wastewater treatment plants or farmers. Anyone from across the state would be eligible to participate in this program if they meet the criteria,” said Crawford.
The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is one of the organizations lobbying for the “Fair Share” initiatives and are looking forward to this bill’s passage.

“Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is most appreciative of Senator Roger Madigan, Senator Mike Brubaker and Representative Mike Hanna for their leadership in achieving this important step in the legislative process for agriculture,” said Joel Rotz, PFB’s State Governmental Relations Director. “We are hopeful the legislature will view the PA Fair Share for Clean Water Plan as a vital component of this year’s budget for agriculture.”

Other groups supporting the measure include the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association, the Pennsylvania Builders Association and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts.

[sandstone]

$1.2 Billion Approved for Infrastructure Upgrades

The General Assembly and Gov. Rendell this week gave final approval to more than $1.2 billion in new funding for infrastructure improvements, including water and sewer system upgrades.

DEP ratings of Blair County sewage treatment plants:

HOLLIDAYSBURG REGIONAL Good
MARTINSBURG Good
LOGAN TOWNSHIP - GREENWOOD AREA Good
ROARING SPRING BOROUGH Needs Improvement
TYRONE BOROUGH SEWER AUTHORITY Unacceptable
ALTOONA CITY AUTHORITY - WEST Unacceptable
ALTOONA CITY AUTHORITY - EAST Unacceptable
DUNCANSVILLE Unacceptable

[sandstone]

Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Partners Help Secure Fair Share for Clean Water Funding from the Pennsylvania General Assembly

PA Leaders Make Key Commitment to Upgrade Wastewater Plants, Yet Critical Farm Conservation Needs Remain Underfunded


Thanks to you, we can celebrate a tremendous victory for clean water!

Late Saturday afternoon, the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Governor Edward Rendell approved funding that had been sought in the Fair Share for Clean Water Plan. The new budget authorizes $1.2 billion in bonds for water-related projects, of which approximately $500 million is intended to help communities pay for necessary sewer system improvements. CBF worked with a coalition of partners and grassroots activists—groups such as the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association, the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, and the Pennsylvania Builders Association—to secure the funding.

By taking these steps, Pennsylvania leaders ensured that local rate payers will not have to shoulder the entire cost of upgrading sewage treatment facilities. This funding, matched dollar for dollar by Pennsylvania communities, will enable Pennsylvania to upgrade its 184 sewage treatment facilities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and to meet its 2010 point-source pollution reduction goals, protecting the health of streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay into the future.

In a tight budget year, this recognition of the need for new funding for clean water is encouraging. We commend the work of the General Assembly and the Governor on this front, and in particular, we thank Senators Roger Madigan (R-Bradford) and Mike Brubaker (R-Lancaster) and Representatives Jerry Stern (R-Blair) and Mike Hanna (D-Centre).

Yet our work remains far from finished. Without increases in critical agricultural funding, significant non-point sources of pollution of the Susquehanna and Bay waters will continue to degrade local and regional water quality. CBF looks forward to working with Pennsylvania leaders, local groups, and citizen advocates to ensure the health of our rivers and Bay.

But today, we thank our members, partners, and the Pennsylvania executive and legislative branches. Together, we have achieved a great victory for clean water, healthy communities, and a sustainable economy!


Kim Patten
Pennsylvania Deputy Director
Chesapeake Bay Foundation