News

Farms Need Support Now, for Their Own Sake and for the Chesapeake Bay

March 29, 2023

The way we produce food has profound consequences for the health of our communities, our environment and our local economies. Unfortunately, the status quo isn’t working for us or our environment. Legislators and policymakers need to support farmers' efforts to make critical changes.
CBF Thanks Baltimore Leaders, Mayor Brandon Scott for Move to Block Wastewater From East Palestine Toxic Train Crash

March 28, 2023

CBF thanks Baltimore leaders, including Mayor Brandon Scott, for their quick action to modify a company’s wastewater permit to prevent potentially toxic wastewater contaminated by the train crash in East Palestine, Ohio from arriving in Baltimore.
CBF Questions Hazardous Waste Disposal at Back River

March 27, 2023

Following the announcement that waste water from the East Palestine, OH, train crash will be ultimately disposed of at the Back River Wastewater Treatment plant, Doug Myers, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Maryland Senior Scientist, issued a statement.
Save the Bay News: Blue Catfish, Oyster Gardening, and a Trout's Journey

March 24, 2023

This month, we explore the Bay's remarkable fisheries—from surveying blue crabs to controlling blue catfish to examining a trout hatchery. Read these stories and more.
Many Questions Remain for Blue Crab Outlook

March 22, 2023

The season for catching Chesapeake Bay blue crabs is already underway in Virginia, and recreational crabbing will officially kick off in Maryland on April 1. Several boats have been plying the waters the past several months, however, to pursue the crustaceans not for steaming but for science.
CBF Endorses A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act

March 22, 2023

CBF announced its endorsement of the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act, which was introduced today by House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.).
A Trout’s Journey: Behind the Scenes of Pennsylvania’s Fish Hatcheries

March 16, 2023

Getting 3.2 million hatchery-raised trout into waterways, as well as sustaining wild trout populations, is a critical part of the worldclass fishing for which Pennsylvania’s mountain streams are renowned. Both require good water, and lots of it.
CBF Calls for Safety and Process Improvements at Back River and Patapsco Wastewater Treatment Plants After Fire and Explosion

March 16, 2023

CBF is urging Baltimore city and Maryland officials to act quickly to review and fix problems related to biosolids processing at the two largest wastewater treatment plants in the state after an explosion and fire Wednesday damaged a building at the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant in Dundalk.
Blue Catfish Disaster Declaration Sought

March 16, 2023

Today the Moore-Miller Administration issued a formal request to the Secretary of Commerce requesting the declaration of a federal fisheries disaster due to the impacts of invasive catfish and snakeheads in Chesapeake Bay.
Oyster Advocates Fight for Better Aquaculture Lease Process

March 15, 2023

A delegation of environmental advocates, aquaculture operators, and scientists met with legislators to support important aquaculture bills being considered in the Maryland General Assembly.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Old Dominion University Launch Resilient and Adaptable Communities Partnership

March 15, 2023

Marking an important step in Virginia’s efforts to adapt to climate change and sea level rise, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and Old Dominion University (ODU) launched a new Resilient and Adaptable Communities Partnership this week.
Eastern Shore Poultry Sludge Tank Failure Demonstrates High Risk of Storing Polluting Substances

March 15, 2023

CBF is calling on Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to conduct a rigorous investigation into why a massive above-ground storage tank filled with processed poultry sludge failed earlier this month, causing more than 30,000 gallons of pollutant-laden waste to spill into nearby wetlands.
Fisheries Win in Virginia’s Legislative Session

March 9, 2023

Last month, Virginia wrapped up its legislative session and with it came big wins for the Chesapeake Bay’s fisheries. Read more about the strides made to control blue catfish and protect oysters, blue crabs, and menhaden.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Leader Calls for Shifts in Bay Cleanup

March 8, 2023

A little over a year ago, Hilary Harp Falk took over as president and CEO of CBF. Thirteen months later, she sat down with Tim Wheeler of the Bay Journal to talk about the future of the restoration effort and CBF’s role in it.
Virginia Backs Oyster Shell Recycling with New Fund

March 7, 2023

The best surface for baby oysters to grow on is the shell of another oyster. Virginia's adoption of a fund to help recycle oyster shell will give a much needed boost to this natural resource.
Henrico County and Conservation Groups Finalize Settlement to Reduce Sewage Pollution

March 1, 2023

In an important step toward reducing sewage pollution to the James River and its tributaries, conservation groups and the County of Henrico have finalized a settlement agreement to reduce violations at the County’s Water Reclamation Facility and the system of pipes that send sewage to that plant.
Virginia Oyster Harvest Could Be Highest in 35 Years After VMRC Approves Season Extension

February 28, 2023

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) today extended the Virginia oyster season in certain waters after a recent evaluation found the Virginia oyster stock at its best condition in a generation.
Save the Bay News: The Future (and Deep Roots) of Regenerative Farming

February 24, 2023

This month, we explore the roots of regenerative agriculture, how winter is unfolding on CBF’s own regenerative farm (and why we have one), and what the future of agriculture in the watershed could look like.
Salt for Snow and Ice: Effects on Waterways Not Very Nice

February 24, 2023

For creek critters, salty streams are a toxic brew. But road salts also pollute nearby soils, kill trees and plants important for wildlife, corrode bridges, and pollute drinking water supplies.
A Family's Legacy Along the Yeocomico

February 23, 2023

There is a special part of the world at the edge of the Yeocomico River in Virginia’s Northern Neck. For 146 years, the Wilson Family has called this land and water home.
Agriculture's Future Is Now

February 22, 2023

What does a farm have to do with saving the Bay? How we can produce enough nutritious food while also reducing pollution and restoring the health of our waterways? Jared and Elissa Planz look at how CBF's Clagett Farm is answering those questions.
Coming to Life: A Winter Day on CBF’s Clagett Farm

February 21, 2023

Get an inside look at how CBF's Clagett Farm team is preparing for the growing season. The farm is a place to ground-truth how holistic farm systems, often termed ‘regenerative agriculture,’ can help improve soil and water quality.
Maryland Environmental Organizations Seek Judicial Review of New Valley Proteins Wastewater Permit

February 21, 2023

On Friday, Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), Dorchester Citizens for Planned Growth (DCPG), Friends of the Nanticoke River, ShoreRivers, and Wicomico Environmental Trust filed a legal challenge against Maryland Department of the Environment’s (MDE) newly issued wastewater discharge permit for Valley Proteins’ animal waste rendering plant in Linkwood.
Virginia House and Senate Commend Chesapeake Bay Foundation Environmental Education Program’s 50th Anniversary

February 21, 2023

Today legislators in the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates commended the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s (CBF) environmental education program on its 50th anniversary with a joint resolution.
Breaking Through Concrete Ceilings

February 17, 2023

Dr. Mamie Parker has spent her life making history as a Black, female conservationist, paving the way for young Black women who want to pursue a career in the environmental world.