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Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Hogan proposes curbs on farm pollution

A month after blocking hotly disputed environmental regulations drawn up by his predecessor, Gov. Larry Hogan announced Monday that he is putting out his own rules to curb Chesapeake Bay pollution from farms — including an immediate ban on spreading poultry manure on some Eastern Shore fields where the water-quality threat is greatest.

But Hogan also vowed to look out for poultry and grain growers, saying he's more slowly phasing in the restrictions on farmers' use of animal manure as fertilizer so that the costs of compliance won't put them out of business.

Flanked by aides, Hogan outlined what he described as a "fair and balanced" plan for tackling runoff from farms that for years have overfertilized their crops with poultry manure rich in bay-fouling phosphorus. He said his approach should bring together environmentalists and farmers, who've been at loggerheads over the issue.

Hogan's announcement drew guarded praise from environmentalists, who had sharply criticized his earlier move to stop the O'Malley administration's rules.

"We're happy that they're taking the problem seriously," said Alison Proust, Maryland director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. But she and other environmentalists said they needed to review the details of his proposal to decide whether it's strong enough.

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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is there PROOF that there is actually significant runoff from these fields, or are we "assuming" it to be so?

Anonymous said...

1016-Yes, there is plenty of proof. When 1B chickens are raised on the tributaries of the Chesapeake, the math isn't hard to figure.


fyi, the most polluted river in Maryland is the Wicomico. Now what company processes chicken on that river? Ding ding ding.

Anonymous said...

This is the same old PMT with just a few minor tweaks. Looks like ole Hogan did not keep his word on this matter.

Anonymous said...

10:37 - 1B chickens isn't proof.....results of scientific studies (unlike the junk Marty O'Moron relied upon), may contain information that could support an assertion though.....

So far, I haven't seen anything that 'proves' that something applied to a specific inland, non-waterfront sharing) farm showed up in the bay. Increased levels do NOT 'prove' the source or contamination method.

Anonymous said...

11:17
Have you even tried looking? You can find dozens of peer-reviewed papers published on the topic online in minutes, not to mention a whole host of scientific research projects.

Anonymous said...

Hey tree hugger it's the most polluted because of a state of the art non functional waste water treatment plant!

Anonymous said...

There is proof that much of the pollution (including phosphorus) in the bay is entering from Baltimore and areas north of it.
Well, and of course my septic tank.

Anonymous said...

11:28 - No, I didn't look...I was responding to the poster's proof!

Read what I wrote - not what you think I'm thinking.....

DEMOCRAT VOTER ON FOOD STAMPS said...

BAN ALL CHICKENS AND FARMS....save the WORLD FROM CLIMATE CHANGE...