DOING A FEW THINGS WELL

WAY is a coalition of stakeholders being innovative leaders encouraging watershed-based planning, restoration and protection in York County, Pennsylvania, and beyond.

Monday, May 5, 2014

York County's Pollution Diet



How much pollution needs to be cleaned up by York County? The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) has distributed pollutant reduction targets to each county in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, including York County. Along with pollutant reduction numbers, a scenario by which York County could achieve these reductions through the establishment/construction of identified Best Management Practices (BMPs) was provided. Based on input from several local stakeholders with expertise in implementing agricultural, urban and other BMPs, the scenario provided with the Draft Targets would be difficult for the County to achieve. Thus, this Watershed Implementation Plan will establish another scenario that the York County Coalition for Clean Waters believes is the most efficient/practicable for York County to implement.

York County’s 2025 total maximum daily load pollution reduction targets are 3,860,342 pounds of Total Nitrogen, 56,408 pounds of Total Phosphorous, and 83,717,179 pounds of Total Sediment. Pollution load and reduction targets are displayed graphically in the WIP. For Nitrogen and Sediment, this number is about a 39% reduction from 2009; while, for Phosphorus, it’s about a 30% reduction. For the full York County draft planning targets as generated by PA DEP, see Appendix A.

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