Spring 2025
Budget Proposal Supports Clean Streams Fund
CBF is applauding the $50 million for the Clean Streams Fund (CSF) included in Governor Josh Shapiro's $51.5 billion General Fund budget proposal for fiscal year 2025-26.
The CSF allocates about 70 percent to the Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP). Cost-share investments through ACAP are passed through conservation districts, providing financial and technical assistance for local agricultural projects that reduce pollution.
The budget proposal also provides $615,000 to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to help farmers and conservation districts navigate federal and state funding programs. Farmers appreciate the value and importance of keeping soil and nutrients on the land instead of running off into the water. With support from ACAP, they don't have to implement needed measures on their own.
According to the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission, which administers ACAP, $141 million has been committed to 66 county conservation districts and Philadelphia.
Partnership Approaches Goal of 200,000 New Trees
The Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership (K10) plans to add nearly 200,000 new trees to Pennsylvania this year, approaching a lofty goal by the end of 2025.
With over 320 partners, the collaborative effort coordinated by CBF has amassed over 8.2 million new trees in Pennsylvania's portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed since it launched in spring of 2018.
"I am so thankful for all the hard work of our partners and growers alongside the K10 team," Partnership Manager Marley McKind said. "We couldn't have gotten to 8.2 million without them." This spring, CBF plans to directly fund and distribute roughly 90,000 trees and critical shelter supplies, with an additional 100,000 planned for the fall.
A $75,000 tree survival grant from the Foxwynd Foundation of Chester County will allow trees planted along streams by partners to live longer, grow stronger, and have a better chance to clean and protect local waters.
Hellbender Defenders Call Endangered Listing Long Overdue
Former CBF student leaders in Pennsylvania believe the proposed listing of the eastern hellbender as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is long overdue.
"It is a symbol of perseverance as we work together to solve environmental issues and highlights the impact a small group of motivated environmentalists can have on the trajectory of a species," Anna Pauletta said.
Pauletta was president of the CBF Student Leadership Council in 2016 when the high school students launched a successful campaign to have the hellbender designated as Pennsylvania's official state amphibian. Advocates for the endangered listing responded to a CBF action alert, submitting nearly 1,800 comment letters to USFWS.
Hellbenders are an indicator species, surviving in cold, clean, and swift running water. An endangered listing prohibits the "take" of species listed as endangered, which includes harming, harassing (such as removing it from the wild), or killing the species.
—Julia Krall
Pennsylvania Executive Director
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
