[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 29, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1842]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          INTRODUCING THE SAVE THE BAY HOME OWNER ACT OF 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN P. SARBANES

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 29, 2010

  Mr. SARBANES. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Save the 
Bay Homeowner Act of 2010. This legislation would allow the 17 million 
citizens of the Chesapeake Bay watershed to become citizen stewards of 
the Bay and give them an active role in restoring it.
  The bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop 
a ``Save the Chesapeake Bay Home'' designation program that identifies 
various steps homeowners could voluntarily take around their property 
to reduce nutrient and sediment runoff and improve water quality in 
local streams and rivers that feed into the Bay. If a participating 
home meets certain standards, such as installing rain barrels or 
reducing fertilizer on their lawns, that home could be designated a 
``Save the Chesapeake Bay Home.'' The legislation further directs the 
EPA to give credit to states and local jurisdictions for nutrient and 
sediment level reduction based upon the number of homeowners that 
achieve the ``Save the Chesapeake Bay Home'' designation.
  Under the Clean Water Act, the EPA must develop a Chesapeake Bay 
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) because the Bay has failed to meet 
water quality goals and segments of the Bay are classified as 
``impaired'' water ways. The TMDL will limit the amount of nitrogen, 
phosphorous and sediment that may enter the Chesapeake Bay and its 
tidal tributaries based on what is required to restore the Bay. Each 
state within the watershed will be required to meet pollution limits 
and water quality goals under this new framework. There are different 
ways that state and local governments can meet these standards but many 
require relatively expensive infrastructure upgrades or storm water 
runoff retrofits. This bill gives those state and local jurisdictions a 
voluntary tool to meet TMDL standards while engaging the 17 million 
citizens of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Furthermore, if states and 
local jurisdictions receive credit towards their TMDL limit for ``Save 
the Chesapeake Bay Homes,'' they can pass along those saving to 
homeowners who choose to participate in the program through reductions 
in their water and sewer bills or their property taxes--a meaningful 
incentive for citizens who do right by the Bay.
  Madam Speaker, to truly Save the Chesapeake Bay, we need the 17 
million people who live in the Bay's watershed to become citizen 
stewards of the streams and rivers in their community. If each 
individual within the watershed were to contribute to clean-up efforts, 
even in small ways, the aggregate would yield significant results in 
moving Bay restoration forward. I hope my colleagues will join me in 
supporting this legislation.

                          ____________________