Press and NGO Roundup on Bay Cleanup Plans

Initial newspaper articles are coming out now on today's announcement of a draft federal plan for cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay (which I described in this post immediately below.)

The Washington Post reports that "EPA plans to get tough on states in bay cleanup effort," highlighting the mandatory nature of the WIPs, and the measures EPA intends to use against states that fail to meet goals. The Baltimore Sun reports that "Bay cleanup calls for expanded federal regulation," noting that EPA will be drawing up new rules about runoff from CAFOs and urban and suburban stormwater management, but has promised to "shelve bay-specific regulations if the states strengthen their own pollution controls enough to restore water quality." The AP has a very brief story here.

NRDC, meanwhile, lauds the plan, calling it "sensible and overdue - finally providing the federal leadership we need, with funding to back it up, to clean up this national treasure."