Bay Restoration: Developing Policy Options to Support Local Actions

1. Bay Restoration:Developing Policy Options to Support Local Actions Jack E. Frye, Virginia Director Chesapeake Bay Commission 201 N. 9th Street, Room 270 Richmond, Virginia 23219 jfrye@chesbay.us(804) 370-5888

2. Who is theCHESAPEAKE BAY COMMISSION? • Tri-State Legislative Commission • Maryland • Pennsylvania • Virginia • Congressional Liaison • 21 Members • 15 General Assembly Members • 3 Governors • 3 Citizens A Bay Policy Leader for 32 years

3. YOUR VIRGINIA COMMISSION MEMBERS • Senator Emmett Hanger – Chair • Senator Frank Wagner • Delegate John Cosgrove • Delegate Lynwood Lewis • Delegate Scott Lingamfelter –V. Chair • Governor McDonnell/designee • Anthony Moore, Depty Sec. Ches. Bay • John Reynolds

4. Future for Virginia (circa 2000) • Increasing reliance on citizen advocacy, local governments & watershed-based approaches • Nutrient mgmt; P-based for all organic fertilizers; urban turf practices/education • Improved E&S Control; Require SWM; holistic watershed water quality & quantity plans • “Green Card” farming - farm conservation plans Bay TMDL- a “driver” for change 2010

5. Information to Policy December 2004: Chesapeake Bay Commission Report, “Cost-Effective Strategies For the Bay” • Wastewater treatment plant upgrades • Diet & feed adjustments • Nutrient management • Conservation tillage • Cover crops 2005- Chesapeake Bay Watershed Nutrient Credit Exchange Program 2006- Regulations to offset new of expanded facilities; controls on existing and Nutrient Credit Exchange to help cost-effective upgrading 2007- DCR sets 5 priority practices NM,CT,CC + riparian buffer and exclusion; Diet & Feed management for dairy/ Poultry Phytase MOUs

6. Recent Examples of Chesapeake Bay Commission Actions • Reducing urban source nutrients; N & P controls • Nutrient trading economics & policy issues • Land conservation & water quality goals/access • Manure-to-Energy • Value added waste stream/distributed energy • Sustainable agriculture • Improved practice progress reporting • Connecting local land use to local fisheries

7. Pollution Control Policy Agriculture Forestry Urban built environment Urban new development QUESTION: For each source above, what is your perception about the current level of regulation or voluntary cooperation that drives actions to protect local water quality? Mostly regulatory Mostly voluntary

8. For any program that engages governments, businesses and individuals, what is necessary to provide Reasonable Assurance that actions are taken, schedules are met and goals are accomplished? “Trust, but verify”

9. Reasonable Assurance Challenges(Targets, Required Actions & Schedules) • Adequate practices & adequate funds • Voluntary (lots of individuals) • Cost-share & tax credit incentives; signed contracts and audits • Self certification? Compliance spot checks? • Recognition programs • “Green ticket” concepts • Regulation as threat/motivator

10. Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

11. Looming Policy Issues • Role of Land Conservation in the Bay TMDL • Verification of progress reporting data • Trading Program Expansion in Virginia/Bay-wide • Credit determination/Accounting/Transparency • Verification • Protecting local water quality • Local landuse, water quality & fisheries • Aquaculture or wild harvest