BALTIMORE, MD—The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved bipartisan legislation yesterday that would reauthorize several key Chesapeake Bay restoration programs. The bill, known as the America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Reauthorization Act, passed with a vote of 366-21. The legislation would extend the ACE Act of 2020 for another five years, through fiscal year 2030. The bill designates $92 million annually for […]
BALTIMORE, MD—The Chesapeake Bay’s dead zone, an area of hypoxia where low oxygen levels can’t sustain life, was about average in size in 2024, according to a release from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The annual report, released by the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program, comes as leaders in the region prepare to meet in December to discuss the Bay’s cleanup efforts […]
BALTIMORE, MD—The Chesapeake Bay Program this week released new data that shows the underwater grass population in the bay remained steady in 2023. This is a key indicator of water quality and habitat health. According to the data, the total amount of underwater grass in the bay was 82,937 acres. This is a 7% increase from 2022. All or part […]
BALTIMORE, MD—The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced that it will award a $10 million grant for the construction of a new oyster sanctuary in the Chesapeake Bay. The funding will help establish a sustainable future for the Chesapeake Bay’s oyster population, which is critical to the health of the bay’s ecosystems and economy. The new reef will […]
ANNAPOLIS, MD—This week, Governor Wes Moore was unanimously elected to serve as chair of the bipartisan Chesapeake Executive Council during a meeting hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C.. The council, which serves as the primary policy and leadership body of the formal Chesapeake Bay Partnership’s effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, is comprised of the nine signatories […]
BALTIMORE, MD—In response to the lowest abundance of crabs ever counted in the 33-year history of the Chesapeake Bay’s winter blue crab dredge survey, fishery managers at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Virginia Marine Resources Commission this week adopted new regulations designed to reduce the crab harvest. The regulations aim to help the overall Chesapeake crab population rebound. […]
ANNAPOLIS, MD—The Chesapeake Bay Foundation hailed Friday night’s passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. The bill boosts funding for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program by a historic $238 million over five years. The House approved the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act by a vote of 228-206. The U.S. Senate passed the […]
ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan, chairman of the Chesapeake Executive Council, wrote to congressional leaders on Wednesday calling for a reversal of proposed cuts to federal funding for Chesapeake Bay restoration. Maryland is urging an increase in funding to $90.5 million, while the Trump administration’s proposed FY21 budget cuts funding for these programs by more than 90 percent, to $7.3 million. […]