(File Photo: Source for Photo: President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

(Reported by Danielle Smith of Keystone News Service)

(Harrisburg, PA) Environmental advocates warn that President Donald Trump’s proposed budget could cripple Chesapeake Bay restoration. Federal agencies have long partnered with six watershed states to protect its waterways. Harry Campbell with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation says the cuts would severely impact Pennsylvania and beyond. He adds that the EPA, which oversees the Chesapeake Bay Program, faces a 54-point-5 percent budget reduction, from $9-point-1 billion to 4-point-2 billion. Campbell notes that the EPA supports states in improving water quality by funding projects and offering low-interest loans for upgrading drinking water and wastewater systems. He adds that the agency also offers scientific guidance, helps develop monitoring and reporting systems and, in some cases, aids in enforcing pollution-reduction measures.