Board of Public Works approves funding for clean water, Chesapeake Bay

BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Board of Public Works on Wednesday approved more than $16 million in grants to reduce pollution and improve water quality. The board is composed of Governor Larry Hogan, Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp, and Comptroller Peter Franchot. Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford chaired Wednesday’s meeting. “These are smart investments to protect public health and prevent water pollution in […]

Chesapeake Bay blue crab population shows healthy spawning stock

BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday announced the results of the 2020 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey, a cooperative effort with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, which estimates the number of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay annually. The 2020 results showed that the Chesapeake Bay blue crab population maintains a healthy number of spawning-age female […]

Attorneys General Frosh, Herring, Racine file notice of intent to sue EPA

BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh, joined by the Attorneys General of Virginia and the District of Columbia, on Monday filed a Notice of Intent (NOI) to sue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over its failure to require Pennsylvania and New York to develop and implement plans to achieve 2025 Chesapeake Bay restoration goals. Under the Clean Water Act, […]

Attorney General Frosh joins lawsuit challenging Trump administration’s changes to Clean Water Act

BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh this week joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s final rule narrowing the definition of the “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act. The final rule continues the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) effort to weaken water quality protections under the Clean Water […]

Governor Hogan urges congressional leaders to protect, increase funding for Chesapeake Bay restoration

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. […]

Governor Hogan issues statement on Federal Government’s proposed cuts to Chesapeake Bay funding

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan, chairman of the Chesapeake Executive Council, issued the following statement this week after the Trump administration proposed cutting funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program by 91 percent to $7.3 million: “The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure, and our administration has committed $6 billion, the most ever in history, to restoration efforts. “Maryland is leading the […]

Midwinter waterfowl survey shows rise in bird count

ANNAPOLIS, MD—In early January, aerial survey teams of pilots and biologists from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources made visual estimates of the ducks, geese, and swans along most of the state’s Chesapeake Bay, Potomac River, and Atlantic coast shorelines. This year, the teams counted about 627,000 waterfowl, which was higher than the 566,300 birds observed during 2019, but lower […]

Governor Hogan recognizes project to reduce pollution From Patapsco Wastewater Treatment Plant, advance Chesapeake Bay restoration

ANNAPOLIS,MD—Governor Larry Hogan on Thursday recognized the completion of a project to significantly reduce water pollution from one of the state’s largest wastewater treatment plants. Maryland Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles joined Baltimore City officials at the Patapsco Wastewater Treatment Plant to celebrate this achievement on Thursday morning. The completion of Enhanced Nutrient Removal facilities will bring the largest reductions of […]