The Bay Journal reports that the EPA will ramp up oversight of Pennsylvania’s programs to control farm runoff, which the agency says are falling far short of what is needed to meet the state’s nitrogen reduction obligations for the Chesapeake Bay.

The recent action stems from the agency’s review of states’ progress during 2012–13 in implementing their watershed plans intended to meet Bay nutrient and sediment reduction goals, as well analysis of additional actions planned through 2015.

By the end of 2015, the EPA is projecting that the Chesapeake Bay region will be about 6 million pounds of nitrogen short of the trajectory needed to meet goals. Almost all the shortfall is in Pennsylvania, which is actually projecting a slight nitrogen increase over the next two years. >Read Full Story via http://www.bayjournal.com/article/citing_slow_progress_epa_steps_up_oversight_of_pennsylvania_agriculture