Matthew Ehrhart

Ehrhart is the Pennsylvania executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. A 1991 graduate in Environmental Resource Management who earned a master's degree in Engineering Sciences in 1996, he oversees the agricultural restoration program of the Pennsylvania area of the Chesapeake watershed. His leadership has resulted in the establishment of 2,100 miles of forest buffers and 4,500 acres of wetlands to improve water quality.

He has worked to build partnerships and funding to promote alternative uses of manure and implement precision dairy feeding. He recently secured $14.8 million in federal funding for agricultural best management practices in conjunction with conservation districts and private businesses.

Ehrhart's job often calls on him to work with local and state governments. He was heavily involved in the 2008 federal farm bill and in the related creation of the Fair Share for Clean Water Coalition, which is a collaboration among several Pennsylvania associations and committees. The coalition successfully pushed for $1.2 billion in bond funding and a $10 million tax credit program to address Pennsylvania environmental issues.

A recipient of the Pennsylvania Governor's Award for Watershed Stewardship, Ehrhart serves on the Pennsylvania Water Resource Advisory Committee and the state Department of Environmental Protection Chesapeake Bay Advisory Committee. He also is a member of the board of the Penn State Ag Council.