New technology: States look to develop and promote new techniques for curbing polluted runoff from farms (Md.), for converting potentially polluted animal manure into energy (Pa. and Md.)
Pollution "trading": Nearly all states propose expanding fledgling programs allowing farmers to get paid for reducing runoff from their fields in lieu of more costly pollution controls on sewage plants or on new or expanding developments.
Sewage: Maryland considers upgrading more and smaller sewage plants, expanding effort to replace household septic systems with less polluting ones or requiring as many as 7,000 septic-served homes to hook up to sewer lines.
Air pollution: Nitrogen-laden emissions from power plants and auto exhaust account for nearly one-third of nutrient pollution in some portions of bay watershed. States look to the EPA for action, because many sources come from outside their boundaries, and even the bay region.
Floating wetlands: If current efforts not enough, Virginia says it will consider deploying manmade marshes in state waters similar to tiny ones now floating in the Inner Harbor.
Money: Nearly all plans lack specifics about where funds will come from to pay for cleanup activities — though Virginia and New York say they won't be able to do much unless the federal government pays for it.
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