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    In 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established a Total Maximum Daily Load, (TMDL), to address chlorophyll-A, dissolved oxygen and clarity impairments within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. A TMDL is a regulatory term in the U.S. Clean Water Act, describing a value for the maximum amount of a pollutant that a body of water can receive while still meeting water quality standards.

    Pennsylvania's progress in meeting the TMDL goals is tracked through the development of two-year milestones (currently 2020-2021), which estimate the expected level of implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) and expected programmatic improvements to occur over the milestone period. A TMDL Mid-point Assessment was conducted in 2017. EPA expected that this assessment would show that a 60 percent of load reductions needed to reach the TMDL was put in place. The assessment found that Pennsylvania did not achieve its statewide 2017 targets for nitrogen, phosphorus, or sediment. Failing to restore Pennsylvania’s impaired waters will mean that our drinking water resources, outdoor recreation, wildlife, and public health and safety will remain impacted. Local communities will continue to suffer from pollution-related problems such as stormwater and flood damage, contamination of drinking water sources, fouled waterways, and lost recreation opportunities.

    Additionally, if EPA determines that Pennsylvania cannot meet its goals on its own, EPA has stated it may increase federal enforcement and compliance efforts. The EPA Expectations for the Phase III Watershed Implementation Plans has outlined possible consequences including:

    1. New nitrogen and phosphorus numeric water quality standards for streams and rivers in Pennsylvania;
    2. More animal feeding operations, industrial and municipal stormwater sources, and urban areas to obtain Clean Water Act permits;
    3. Stricter nutrient or sediment reductions for those that already have permits;
    4. Redirection of EPA grant funding away from the state’s priorities to its own priorities.

    The Mid-point assessment showed that Pennsylvania did meet its 2017 reduction goal with the Wastewater Sector and is on track to meet the 2025 goals without any more enhancements.

    According to EPA, Pennsylvania has committed to reduce its annual nutrient and sediment pollution loads by 34.13 million pounds of nitrogen per year, 0.75 million pounds of phosphorus per year and by 2.16 million pounds of sediment per year by 2025.

    DEP is in the process of creating The Pennsylvania Clean Water Tool to enable citizens, counties, and state agencies to transparently view and share measurable progress toward implementing Pennsylvania’s Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan. (currently in development).

    Clean Water Partners and Progress

    In October 2023, DEP’s Bureau of Watershed Restoration and Nonpoint Source Management (BWRNSM) hosted the first Clean Water Gathering of State Program Action Leaders and Countywide Action Planning (CAP) leaders. Over 80 partners, representing county, state and federal organizations, came together to celebrate successes and discuss high level needs, issues and challenges to continued progress. BWRNSM's Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Division continues to work collaboratively with state and county leaders on Clean Water Progress Teams that are utilizing the Clean Water Gathering recommendations to focus on "Strategies for Success" that address challenges and build on successes from Phase 3 WIP and CAP efforts.

    On January 23, 2025, DEP’s BWRNSM hosted over 120 key stakeholders at the second Clean Water Gathering to share and respond to recommended Success Strategies to accelerate Pennsylvania’s clean water projects and progress. Stakeholders included policymakers and multiple state program and local county action leaders in various sectors representing public, private, and non-profit organizations.

    The Gathering featured 25 actionable Success Strategies developed by three collaborative, multi-level Clean Water Progress Teams involving over 60 participants contributing nearly 1,000 people hours to address priority action area challenges generated at the inaugural October 2023 Clean Water Gathering.

    The second Clean Water Gathering facilitated connection and action among attendees as they engaged with the recommended Success Strategies. The Success Strategies are aimed at accelerating Pennsylvania’s clean water progress to reach Pennsylvania’s Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) and Countywide Action Plan (CAP) nutrient pollution reduction goals benefitting local water quality throughout Pennsylvania’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

     

    TMDL and Milestones​

     

    Pennsylvania's BMP Verification Program

    The Chesapeake Bay Program has called for increased transparency and scientific rigor in the verification of the best management practices that are implemented as part of the states' Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs) and the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).

    To respond to this request, Strengthening Verification of Best Management Practices Implemented in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: A Basinwide Framework, Report and Documentation from the Chesapeake Bay Program Water Quality Goal Implementation Team's BMP Verification Committee (Verification Framework) (Chesapeake Bay Program 2014), was developed. The Verification Framework is intended to serve as a guide for the states to document the methodology for verification of BMP installation, function, and continued effectiveness of practices over time. This Verification Framework provides the requirements for reporting and documentation of practice verification for the states to follow. Specific guidance is provided for each of the source sectors (agriculture, forestry, urban stormwater, wastewater, wetlands, and streams).