Spreading the Word

There has been a great deal of attention paid to the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay, but due to the overwhelming amount of information and proposals many folks are understandably confused as to what is really going to happen and what they will be expected to do.

Here in Lancaster County, we have been under the gun for decades now, but the new Executive Order and TMDL have upped the anti on what will be expected of farmers and suburbanites in the county.  However, what these new regulations might mean and what they might look like in the future is difficult to determine.  However, it is clear the stricture water quality regulations will be in place and I'm working with local feed companies to update their farmer clientele on where the regulations stand now and what might happen in the future.  Although it isn't possible to answer all the questions I'm getting about this issue, I'm finding the many farmers are eager to gain a better understanding of what these regulations might mean to them. 

Farmers in Lancaster County are generally well read and aware of the issues facing due to the attention the county has received in the past, but the attention has been heightened recently with EPA targeting eight watersheds in the county and going door-to-door within those watersheds.  This prospect can be very daunting to an unprepared farmer, but hopefully by working with them we can help them be more prepared for these visits.  The Lancaster County Conservation District is doing a great job of bridging the gap between local farmers and EPA and I applaud their efforts. 

I encourage others to get involved and help educate not just farmers, but the general public about what they will be asked to do.  If you have any strategies that are working well for you in the area of watershed education please share.

Upcoming Water Webinars

The Water Resources team at Penn State University is hosting monthly webinars on water quality and quantity concerns.  More information and registration can be found at http://water.cas.psu.edu/webinars.htm  There is no cost, but registration is required.  To participate in the webinars a Penn State or "Friends of Penn State" account (directions on how to obtain found on above link) and a computer with access to the internet are needed.  All webinars will air at 12:00 pm and 7:00 pm on the listed days. The following is a list of dates and topics through May 2010.

• January 27, 2010 - Water Testing and Monitoring Strategies Near Gas Drilling Activity, Present by Bryan Swistock, Penn State University.  Strategies to monitor water wells, springs, and streams in areas where gas well drilling is occurring will be covered.
• February 24, 2010 - Saving Money and Your Septic System Through Water Conservation, Presented by Tom McCarty, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Cumberland County.  Tips on how to reduce water use in and around your home to save money on energy and water bills while also reducing the stress on your septic system.
• March 31, 2010 - Managing Your Pond and Lake, Presented by Susan Boser, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Beaver County.  Assessing pond and lake structures, testing water quality, identifying and managing aquatic plants, managing wildlife and fisheries.
• April 28, 2010 - Safe Drinking Water Clinic, Presented by Peter Wulfhorst, Penn Sate Cooperative Extension, Pike County.  How to construct and maintain your private water well, spring or cistern to ensure safe drinking water quality including water testing strategies and water treatment methods.
• May 26, 2010 - Managing Your On-Lot Septic System, Presented by Dana Rizzo, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Westmoreland County.  Proper strategies to locate, construct, and maintain a home septic system to prevent costly failures.

The Water Resources Extension website contains a lot of great information with more being added all the time so be sure to check it out.

Everyone is Facing New Regulations

I spent all day Tuesday at a local farm show and lost track of the number of people who came up wondering why people weren't concerned about the sewage treatment plants and/or lawn management in regard to the new regulations to clean up the Chesapeake Bay.  We were at a farm show, and I'm a dairy educator, so I tend to focus on the agriculture regulations, but sewage treatment plants and lawn care are certainly on the radar of EPA and more regulations are coming to these sectors as well. 

Sewage treatment plants are looking at very expensive upgrades.  Also, discharge from sewage treatment plants is easy to monitor because it all comes out of one pipe, therefore, regulations are relatively easy to enforce. Because sewage treatment plants may not be able to come up with the money for the necessary upgrades there may be opportunity for farmers to get involved in nutrient trading.

As for lawn care management, EPA is very much aware that lawn care is contributing a large proportion of the nutrient loading to the Chesapeake Bay.  There are more and more people moving into the Chesapeake Bay watershed so even though one little lawn may not be adding much, the large number of lawns really bumps up the nutrient loading. 

Because the focus of this blog is agriculture and the environment I won't spend too much on this topic, but I did want to set the record straight that farming is not the only focus when it comes to the Chesapeake Bay and everyone will have to make changes.