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Pennsylvania Most Effective Basins

Photo courtesy of Will Parsons, Chesapeake Bay Program

The intent of the Pennsylvania Most Effective Basins program is to assist the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in achieving its 2025 water quality goals for the agricultural sector under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and Pennsylvania’s Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP).

Partners

The Pennsylvania Most Effective Basins Program will fund projects that accelerate implementation of cost-effective agricultural best management practices (“practices”) in selected basins of the Chesapeake Bay watershed of Pennsylvania. 

EPA and NFWF have identified a list eligible practices for the PA-MEB program, based on the demonstrated ability of these practices to yield relatively low-cost reductions in agricultural nitrogen loading. Notably, these eligible practices include both annual (i.e., “management”) practices that require ongoing implementation to yield creditable load reduction benefits in future years, as well as structural (i.e., “engineered”) practices that, once implemented, generate multiple years of creditable load reductions based on their continued performance on the landscape. Eligible practices include:

  • Tillage Management
  • Tree Planting
  • Wetland Restoration
  • Prescribed Grazing
  • Animal Waste Management Systems
  • Manure Incorporation
  • Manure Injection
  • Manure Transport
  • Barnyard Runoff Control
  • Loafing Lot Management
  • Alternative Crops
  • Retirement of Highly Erodible Land
  • Cover Crops – Traditional
  • Cover Crops – Commodity
  • Forest and Grass Buffers
  • Forest and Grass Buffers with Stream Exclusion Fencing
  • Core Nutrient Management – Nitrogen
  • Supplemental Nutrient Management – N Rate
  • Supplemental Nutrient Management – N Placement
  • Supplemental Nutrient Management – N Timing
  • Soil and Water Conservation Plan

The Most Effective Basins Program will follow these priorities:

  • Cost-Effectiveness for Agricultural Nitrogen Load Reductions
  • Readiness to Proceed
  • Conservation and Farm Management Co-Benefits

Application Information


Pennsylvania Most Effective Basins Grants - 2023 Request for Proposals - CLOSED View Now
2023 Pennsylvania Most Effective Basins Grant Slate Download the PDF
2022 Pennsylvania Most Effective Basins Grant Slate Download the PDF
2021 Pennsylvania Most Effective Basins Grant Slate Download the PDF
2020 Pennsylvania Local Government Implementation Grant Slate Download the PDF
2019 Pennsylvania Local Government Implementation Grant Slate Download the PDF
Staff Representatives

Program Director, Chesapeake Programs

Regional Program Coordinator