Opposing Senate Bill 994

PA Municipal Authorities Assn. Joins Chesapeake Bay Foundation In Opposing SB 994

"The PA Municipal Authorities Association this week wrote to members of the Senate expressing its opposition to the Senate Bill 994(Vogel-R-Beaver) nutrient reduction proposal saying it does not have a funding source to make the program work. PMAA joins the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA and other groups opposing the legislation. The text of the letter follows-- “The Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association (PMAA), at their recent annual conference, took a position opposing the current version of SB 994, P.N. 1209.  The biggest concern expressed by our members with SB 994 was the lack of a delineated funding source.  “In addition, they expressed concern over potential inequity if a funding source such as a “flush tax” would be implemented.  Finally, they felt a minimum 10-year provision of credits from a sewage treatment plant would be too long, instead preferring a 3-5 year term. “PMAA represents over 720 authorities in Pennsylvania providing sewage treatment, drinking water, solid waste disposal, recycling and other services to over six million citizens.  In particular, PMAA represents many sewer authorities that invested millions of dollars to comply with EPA and DEP requirement to reduce nutrients to the Chesapeake Bay. “In total, authorities and municipally-owned sewer plants are estimated to spend $1.4 billion to meet their mandated nutrient reductions for the Bay." For More on this topic Original Blog Post Senate Bill 994 - Competitive Bidding - Low-Cost Watershed Nutrient Reduction -In Act providing for the creation of a major watershed improvement program, for establishment of a verified TMDL parameter credit program, for the powers and duties of the Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority and for completion of a study by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee Comments 1. Again our focus should be on controlling - phosphate, solids, BOD, oxygen demand, and ammonia.  2. Manure is a asset - not a waste and it is a potential biofuel. Lets not be short cited on this issue.

No-till Field Day In Pennsylvania Good Agricultural Practices

Soil plays an extremely important and large role in farming along with water, nutrients, sunlight, and air. Soil quality is the capacity of a soil to function in a manner to provide sustainability of plants and animals, maintain or enhance water and air quality, and support humans. Agricultural practices can either positively or negatively affect soil quality depending upon the manner they are implemented. Organic matter plays a very critical role in soil quality in that keeping organic matter levels high, or adding new organic matter every year is perhaps the most important way to improve and maintain soil quality.

Charlie Miller and his family have been farming vegetables and hay for over 50 years. The family began no-tilling grains in the 1960’s, limited no-till vegetables over the last 15 years, and the entire farm is now no-till for one year. This no-till field day will provide insight into the Miller Family Farm’s practices and how they focus their operation on increasing organic matter and soil quality through no-till corn and vegetable planting, crop rotations, cover crops, manure/compost additions, irrigation, and a high tunnel pilot project. Also discussed will be the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)

Program and why it is so important for producers to consider for their operation, and how it will affect their future onfarm operations.

Presentations at the informational sessions will include:

No-till Corn Planting
Matt Schaffer, Schaffer Farms, Wayne County

No-till Vegetable Transplanting
Charlie Miller, Lackawanna County Conservation District

Seasonal High Tunnel System for Crops
Jennifer Matthews, USDA-NRCS & Charlie Miller, Lackawanna County Conservation District

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Program- Why it is so important for producers

John Esslinger, PSU Cooperative Extension & Kim Carlin, Crop Scout
 
Location -
Charlie Miller’s Farm
13046 Lower Maple Drive
Clarks Summit, PA 18411
July 9, 2010

Lunch will be provided therefore an RSVP is requested no later than Tuesday, July 2nd to the

Pocono Northeast RC&D Council at (570)282-8732 ext.4