NORWICH – New York’s representatives need “big pressure” from counties in order to beat back a federal proposal intended to clean up the Chesapeake Bay watershed, said Chenango County Finance Committee Chairman Lawrence Wilcox, R-Oxford.

The longtime dairyman and public official commented in support of a resolution adopted unanimously by the Chenango County Board of Supervisors last Monday that opposes the new Environmental Protection Agency draft regulation.

The EPA’s plan, which is slated to be finalized Jan. 1, would limit levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment flowing from the Susquehanna River by 2025, and require 60 percent implementation of what’s called Total Maximum Daily Load standards by 2017. But because only 10 percent of the total Chesapeake Bay watershed lies in New York, the standards are seen as imposing a disproportionately heavier restriction for water quality in New York in order to help other states meet their overall TMDL goal.

“It behooves us to convince our representatives to put really big pressure on the EPA ... Particularly small farmers are going to be destroyed. I’m in no way opposed to cleaning up water quality 100 percent, but is has to be at least doable,” said Wilcox.

According to the county board’s resolution, it would cost New York State $250 million over the next 15 years in order to meet the new standards. In addition to agriculture, municipal wastewater treatment facilities and storm water controls would require upgrades.