9/13/2010
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) is sponsoring two meetings on the agricultural portion of the state’s watershed implementation plan mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program.
The TMDL program outlines broad nutrient reduction goals. States within the Bay watershed are responsible for allocating portions of those goals among nutrient sources.
The first meeting will be held at Moorefield Middle School, Wednesday, September 15, at 7 p.m. The second meeting will be held at James Rumsey Technical Institute in Martinsburg Thursday, September 16, at 7 p.m. Previous public meetings on the subject have been very well attended, according to West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass.
“This is an opportunity for us to formulate a fair and equitable game plan on how the agricultural sector can best meet EPA’s goals,” said Commissioner Douglass. “We want to hear from our farmers and hope for good turnouts at these meetings. Agriculture has far and away exceeded other sectors in the amount of nutrient reduction they have achieved over the past 30 years.”
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
Contact Information
Gus R. Douglass
(304) 558-3200