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Pennsylvania’s ongoing efforts to meet its pollution reduction targets established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2010 Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the Chesapeake Bay continue to fall short. Despite investing over $4 billion in restoration efforts, Pennsylvania will fail to meet the important milestone of 60 percent (of 2009 levels) pollution reductions by 2017. The mandatory reductions established by the TMDL must be achieved by 2025.

Pennsylvania has been successful in reducing point source pollution, but continues to struggle with nonpoint sources, including agriculture and urban stormwater runoff. Pennsylvania’s pollution reduction efforts are critical to restoring the water quality in the bay because the Susquehanna River is the largest source of fresh water as well as nitrogen pollution to the bay. Overall, agricultural operations are the largest source of nitrogen, phosphorous and sediment contamination in the bay. Pennsylvania has successfully reduced its phosphorous pollution and is on track to meet its phosphorus reduction target. However, Pennsylvania is far from meeting its nitrogen and sediment pollution reduction goals.