Leaders from Chesapeake Bay-area states on Tuesday approved a revised agreement to steer the restoration of the bay and its watershed over the next 15 years.
The revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement outlines four goals for the nation’s largest estuary and its watershed: Thriving Habitat, Fisheries & Wildlife; Clean Water; Engaged Communities; and Healthy Landscapes.
Each goal includes specific objectives, such as improving conditions for blue crabs, oysters, and other species; reducing excessive levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution in the Chesapeake Bay by 2040; and more. In fact, most of the outcomes come with a 2040 deadline, as well as a 2033 mid-point check-in.
“Today we made a commitment to the Chesapeake Bay and a commitment to the people of Maryland and our neighboring states,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore said in a statement.
He continued, “The revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement will make our rivers and streams cleaner. It will bolster Maryland’s seafood, tourism and recreational businesses. Most importantly, it will ensure we protect the precious heirloom that is the Chesapeake Bay so we can pass it down to the next generations in a better condition than we received it.”
The Chesapeake Executive Council comprises the governors of Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and New York; the mayor of Washington, D.C.; the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission; and the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The council convened for a meeting Tuesday at the National Aquarium in Baltimore.
Moore, who has chaired the council for the past two years, will pass the torch to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, whom members unanimously elected to be their next chair.
“My Administration has accelerated Pennsylvania’s progress in restoring local waterways across the Commonwealth and reduced our share of pollution to the Bay, ensuring every Pennsylvanian has access to clean air and water while supporting our farmers and our agriculture industry,” Shapiro said in a statement. “I’m honored to be elected as the next chair of the Chesapeake Executive Council by my fellow governors and I’m looking forward to continuing this work to get stuff done together for the people we serve.”
The council also called for collaboration with the federally recognized tribal nations of the Chesapeake Bay watershed to develop recommendations for involving tribes in the Chesapeake Bay Program going forward.
Chief G. Anne Richardson of the Rappahannock Tribe, chair of the Indigenous Conservation Council of the Chesapeake Bay, attended the meeting with other board representatives.
The Chesapeake Bay Program Partnership will update and develop management strategies for the goals in the agreement, including how to achieve the desired results; how to monitor, assess, and report progress toward those goals; and how to coordinate with partners and stakeholders. New “Goal Teams” will help oversee the progress of each of the four major goals.
“The Chesapeake Bay Program is a model for the nation of what is possible with state-led, federally backed and community-driven restoration,” said Maryland State Sen. Sara Love, chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, in a statement. “This refreshed Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement marks a new chapter in our enduring partnership, made possible through contributions from experts in every field and input from every corner of the watershed. Together, we remain grounded in sound science and dedicated to providing a healthy Bay and watershed for the people.”
