Political pressure is growing for EPA to ensure states will meet their next major goal in cleaning up and protecting the Chesapeake Bay. Whether that goal is attainable is another question. Senate Democrats yesterday called on EPA Administrator Michael Regan to "use all tools at your disposal" to ensure Pennsylvania and New York meet their obligations to reduce nitrogen flowing into the bay. What's at stake is a restoration effort that advocates hope could serve as a blueprint for preserving and protecting vulnerable water bodies across the nation. The Keystone State, an agricultural hub, is only on track to meet 75% of its nitrogen reduction targets under a multistate cleanup agreement forged years ago under the Obama administration. The Chesapeake Bay's 64,000- square-mile watershed, which crosses six states and the District of Columbia, is home to more than 17 million people.
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