Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) signed a letter with a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers urging the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees to allocate funding for the Chesapeake Bay in the final version of the Farm Bill.
The letter requests the Senate-passed provision that would increase the funding available under the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) – which contributes significantly to the Bay – supports conservation areas, boosts technical assistance, and provides implementation support for farms to reduce fertilization run-off into the bay.
“The Chesapeake Bay is vital for my district, for the Commonwealth and for mid-Atlantic states that border it. The Bay provides jobs, transportation, food and tourism dollars for communities around the Bay. For generations, the Chesapeake has provided a livelihood for many Virginia families, from fishing to the industries that process seafood to boating and other recreational water sports that create supporting jobs,” said Congressman Donald McEachin. “We have worked hard in past years to clean up the bay. Or work is not done and we must not move backwards. I hope the conferees will appreciate the significance of the Chesapeake Bay for both the economy and the lives of Virginians.”
“The RCPP provisions in the Senate farm bill contain many provisions from legislation that we introduced, the Chesapeake Bay Farm Bill Enhancements Act. The Senate-passed language would double the amount of mandatory funding for RCPP, bolster critical conservation areas, boost technical assistance to provide more opportunities for effective conservation efforts, and help farmers implement best practices to reduce the need for excess fertilizers that run off into the Chesapeake Bay,” the Members wrote. “These restoration efforts are key to improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay, and a healthy Bay is vital to a strong local economy. Furthermore, RCPP benefits conservation efforts on water quality, drought, and wildlife habitat to protect agricultural lands and wetlands across the country.”
Full letter text is available here.
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