Water/Sewer Authority

Fill out this form to contact your local legislator about the Chesapeake Bay Initiative.

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Dear Honorable Chesapeake Bay Legislator:

I am contacting you as a rate payer of the Manheim Borough sewer system to express my concerns regarding the development and implementation of Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy (Strategy).

The purpose of the Strategy is to address Pennsylvania’s commitment for nutrient (total nitrogen and total phosphorus) and sediment reductions in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed under the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement. This Agreement requires a 30% reduction in nutrients and sediments by 2010. The Strategy is the document developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to meet these reductions. It consists of various initiatives but was developed without any legislation. The proposed nutrient reductions are to occur by upgrading wastewater treatment plants /industrial plants (point source); implementation of agriculture best management practices (BMPs), and the implementation of a nutrient credit trading program.

I recognize and support the efforts to improve the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed by reducing the amount of nutrients and sediment that flow into it. However, with regard to Pennsylvania, 11% of the total nitrogen is from point sources and 49% is from agriculture. For total phosphorus, 18% is from point sources and 63% is from agriculture.

Funding appears to have been made available to assist with the agricultural sources.  In order to assist farmers with compliance, the Pennsylvania Resource Enhancement & Protection Tax Credit program (REAP) was instituted. To be eligible for REAP, an agricultural operation must control runoff from animal concentration areas or improvements must be performed. The farmer receives credits worth 50%-75% of total project costs for practices including barnyard improvements; manure handling and storage systems and cropland conservation practices for instance.
 
I am, however, very concerned about the impact on the rate payers of the municipal wastewater treatment plants.  With regard to costs for wastewater treatment plants to meet the strategy, DEP has identified 184 significant plants within the Chesapeake Bay. The Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association (PMAA) is estimating that it will cost $1 billion to achieve compliance. Since no State or Federal assistance has been made available, these mandated costs will have to be funded by the individual users.

The Manheim Borough Authority is estimating a cost of approximately $10 million to achieve these reductions. In order to pay for the improvements, the current sewer rates will need to be increased nearly by 100%. My questions and concerns include; how will families be able to afford this; what impact will it have on existing housing sales; what will happen to the Authorities and Treatment Plants when users cannot pay their bills?

The State of Maryland and Virginia are also required to comply with reductions and their legislature, for instance Maryland imposed a state wide flush tax to help offset the costs. There is currently no such legislation proposed in Pennsylvania. Maryland provides 100% funding and VA has already provided $380 million to date with more expected. Pennsylvania needs to have a funding program to make the sewer rates affordable. WE NEED YOUR HELP. PMAA has proposed funding package to the DEP which recommends $300 million in state funds over 10 years with 50% local match. This appears to have fallen on deaf ears.

The other big question is whether spending upwards of $1 billion to upgrade point sources will really help the bay. Also, there are now discussions about imposing nutrient reductions state wide, beyond the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Are legislative and DEP representative looking ahead? How will those mandated reductions be funded?

This is a serious issue and will not go away. Please do not ignore it.

Thank you for any help you can provide to develop a financing package.

Sincerely,

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