Algae by the Bay; Nutrients From Sewage Plants, Farmland Blamed for Rise in Chesapeake Pollution

And he offered a litany of common-sense solutions to curbing other pollution, such as collection areas for storm sewer runoff so street wash won't flush straight into the bay; seepage holes built into parking lots to percolate rainwater; contour plowing, no-till farming, timely application of fertilizers and containment of manure in agricultural areas to reduce nitrogen runoff.

Brown believes the bay's problems are soluble if the political problems of organizing and financing a cleanup in five states and the District of Columbia (New York and West Virginia also are in the watershed) can be overcome.

To that end, workshop committees with representatives of all the states, the District and EPA are preparing a menu of bay initiatives for consideration before a "summit" of the big-three governors in December.

EPA is awaiting congressional approval of a $4.2 million budget to continue overseeing and collecting data on the bay cleanup.

Virginia has pledged $6 million to generate bay initiatives in 1984. Maryland's Hughes is committed to spending state funds to upgrade sewage treatment plants where federal money is unavailable.