2 groups will help fund cleaner-bay program

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Ducks Unlimited Inc. are chipping in to help Maryland farmers adopt conservation practices to help clean up the Chesapeake Bay.

The environmental group and the waterfowl conservation organization have reached a final agreement with the state to contribute $5.5 million to help cover the costs of farmers protecting environmentally sensitive land along streams and rivers feeding into the bay.

The funds will be added to the $170 million in federal funds that Vice President Al Gore announced in October that Maryland would be receiving to pay farmers not to grow crops on land where harmful nutrients could run into streams and rivers.

For its part, the state contributed $25 million to the Maryland Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, commonly referred to as CREP.

State Agriculture Secretary Henry A. Virts said the additional funding from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Ducks Unlimited will enable farmers to receive up to 100 percent of the cost to install certain conservation practices to enhance water quality.

Pub Date: 3/26/98

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