WAMU 88.5 : News

Filed Under:

Chesapeake Cleanup Survives Cuts To Senate Farm Bill

Play associated audio
Funding for Chesapeake Bay cleanup survived the cuts to the Senate version of the Farm Bill.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29388462@N06/5413497643/
Funding for Chesapeake Bay cleanup survived the cuts to the Senate version of the Farm Bill.

The region's lawmakers helped the Senate pass a major agriculture bill Thursday, which could go a long way in restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

The Senate version of the farm bill, as it is known, slashes $23 billion from the U.S. agriculture funding and includes 100 reforms to various sections of the bill. With all those cuts and tweaks, the region's lawmakers were worried the Chesapeake Bay would see cuts to conservation funding, which is covered by the far bill.

But area lawmakers say they've received assurances that under a new formula, the bay should come out with at least the $50 million it's received in the past.

"The pool of dollars that are available for critical conservation areas has been significantly increased," said Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), who chairs the Senate Water and Wildlife subcommittee. "The criterion very much favors a regulated watershed such as the bay, and we've had clear indications from those who are going to be administering the law that the Chesapeake Bay should do extremely well under these revised programs."

Conservation funding was cut about 10 percent overall nationwide, but lawmakers kept funding for a key assistance program to help farmers reduce runoff that pollutes bay waters, according to Doug Siglin, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's federal affairs director.

Now the Senate's version of the farm bill has to be reconciled with a House version that's still being crafted. The House Agriculture Committee expects to tweak their bill after they return from their July 4 break.

NPR

NFL Sideline Reporter Michele Tafoya Plays Not My Job

As one of the first female reporters to be allowed inside the NFL locker room, Tafoya has been a pioneer in her field. But there are still places out there where they believe in cooties, so Tafoya will answer three questions about men's-only clubs.
NPR

The Great Charcoal Debate: Briquettes Or Lumps?

Does the kind of charcoal you use really make a difference when it comes to grilling up a tasty steak or other food on the grill? Yes — but deciding which one to use depends on what you're after. Both briquettes and lump charcoal — aka "natural" hardwood charcoal — have their advantages and disadvantages.
NPR

Obama's Terrorism Fight Is Colored Gray, Not Black And White

If President Obama's newly recalibrated counterterrorism strategy demonstrates anything, it is his penchant for nuance.
NPR

Google Reportedly Faces FTC Antitrust Probe Over Display Ads

The Federal Trade Commission is in the early stages of opening an antitrust probe into how Google runs its online display advertising business, according to a report by Bloomberg News, citing sources who want to remain anonymous because the FTC has not announced the probe.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.