Farm Bill Will Make More Money Available For Chesapeake Bay, Md. Senator Says

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- A Maryland senator says the federal farm bill makes more money available to help the Chesapeake Bay.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen said Tuesday the measure includes parts of his Chesapeake Bay Farm Bill Enhancements Act.

The measure contains $300 million for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program each year.

It provides funding to conservation groups and farmers to work together to cut pollution and improve water quality.

It was created in 2014 to prioritize conservation resources that once were handled in separate conservation programs.

The percentage of funding for critical conservation areas like the bay will rise from 35 percent to 50 percent.

The measure brings $50 million more a year to the program for Maryland and other states that participate.

Lawmakers have reached a final agreement on the bill.

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