News

CBF Statement on Passing of A. Linwood Holton Jr.

October 29, 2021

CBF Virginia Executive Director Peggy Sanner issued the following statement on the passing of former Virginia Governor A. Linwood Holton.
CBF Issues Statement on Water Quality Assessment

October 28, 2021

The most recent data from the Chesapeake Bay Program estimates that only a third of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers are healthy enough to support essential aquatic species. The score is lower than the previous assessment, which the Bay Program attributes to unusually wet weather.
New Report Raises Questions about Maryland Department of the Environment’s Draft Wastewater Permit for Massive Eastern Shore Development

October 27, 2021

An engineering report being released today found several issues with Maryland Department of the Environment’s issuance of a draft wastewater permit that would enable the proposed Lakeside at Trappe development to spray wastewater onto fields near Miles Creek and the Choptank River.
CBF Applauds NFWF Grants to Improve Pennsylvania’s Water Quality and Urges Greater Federal Support

October 15, 2021

Shannon Gority, Executive Director for CBF in Pennsylvania, issued this statement applauding National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grants totaling roughly $3.88 million to clean and restore polluted rivers and streams in the Commonwealth.
Juvenile Striped Bass Numbers in Chesapeake Bay Remain below Average in Maryland

October 15, 2021

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources today released the results of annual surveys of the juvenile striped bass population in the Chesapeake Bay. For the third consecutive year, the Maryland numbers are below average, while the Virginia numbers are about average.
CBF Commends the Selection of Adam Ortiz as EPA Region III Administrator

October 12, 2021

Alison Prost, CBF Vice President for Environmental Protection and Restoration, commended the selection of Adam Ortiz to be the new EPA Region III Administrator.
Chesapeake Executive Council Falls Short: CBF Issues Statement

October 1, 2021

The Council’s job is to lead Bay restoration efforts, establish the policy direction for the restoration and protection of the Bay and its living resources, and be accountable to the public for progress made under the Bay agreements. By those measures, the Executive Council has fallen short.
Alexandria Renew Enterprises to Prevent Millions of Gallons of Sewage Pollution

September 30, 2021

This morning, Alexandria Renew Enterprises (AlexRenew), Alexandria’s wastewater treatment provider, celebrated the groundbreaking of a major initiative to control millions of gallons of raw sewage polluting the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay.
CBF Applauds Support for Growing Greener and Clean Streams Fund and Urges Passage by Full Senate

September 29, 2021

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation issued a statement commending the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for passing to the full Senate legislation that would allocate $500 million to conservation and clean water programs that help farmers, local governments, and projects across the state.
Ann Jennings Appointed Virginia Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources

September 22, 2021

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam today appointed Ann Jennings as Virginia’s Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources. Jennings has served for more than three years as Virginia Deputy Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources, helping to implement Governor Northam’s priorities for the Chesapeake Bay, water quality, and natural resources.
CBF Praises Watershed Farm Leaders’ Letter Urging More Money for USDA Conservation Programs

September 20, 2021

CBF applauds the state Farm Bureaus of the Bay watershed’s six states for urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to devote nearly three quarters of a billion dollars to reducing agricultural pollution in the Chesapeake Bay and the local creeks, streams, and rivers that feed into it.
Virginia Environmental Leader W. Tayloe Murphy Passes Away

September 16, 2021

Longtime Virginia environmental leader and Chesapeake Bay advocate W. Tayloe Murphy passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 15. Murphy served as Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources from 2002 to 2006 and as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates representing the Northern Neck throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Maryland Environmental Groups Respond to Newly Released Draft Wastewater Permit for Valley Proteins’ Eastern Shore Rendering Plant

September 16, 2021

Yesterday, Maryland Department of the Environment issued a new draft wastewater permit for the Valley Proteins chicken rendering facility, which is the largest point source polluter in the Transquaking River watershed on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
400,000 Dead Fish Spilled in Hampton Roads Waters by Omega Protein

September 10, 2021

This week Omega Protein, a Canadian owned seafood company, spilled more than 400,000 dead menhaden fish into Hampton Roads waters, according to a Sept. 8 letter by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. The fish spilled during two separate incidents this week.
CBF Issues Statement on EPA Proposal to Add Bear Creek Sediments Site to Superfund List

September 8, 2021

Today, the federal Environmental Protection Agency proposed adding at least 60 acres of Bear Creek in Baltimore County to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL lists hazardous waste sites eligible for cleanup financed by the federal Superfund program.
CBF Applauds Governor Wolf’s Call for $737 Million to Support Farmers’ Clean Water and Climate Change Efforts

September 7, 2021

CBF issued a statement from Pennsylvania Executive Director Shannon Gority today, commending Governor Tom Wolf for urging U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to implement the $737 million Chesapeake Bay Resilient Farms Initiative (CRFI).
CBF Urges Support for Pennsylvania Program to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions

September 1, 2021

CBF issued the following statement from Pennsylvania Executive Director Shannon Gority today, supporting proposed regulations to establish a Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Budget Trading Program (CDBTP) and the Commonwealth joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
CBF Urges Baltimore Department of Public Works to Fix Major Issues at Maryland’s Two Largest Wastewater Treatment Plants

August 31, 2021

CBF is urging Baltimore’s Department of Public Works to take swift action to address the litany of pollution problems revealed at the Back River and Patapsco wastewater treatment plants. The issues have the potential to significantly harm the success of Maryland’s ongoing Bay cleanup work, which depends on significant pollutant reductions from wastewater treatment plants.
CBF Urges Congress to Direct Large Share of USDA Budget Boost to Conservation Programs

August 24, 2021

CBF applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for adopting a budget resolution that boosts USDA funding by $89.1 billion. CBF urges lawmakers to invest a significant amount of those funds in conservation programs that improve soil health, reduce pollution, and bolster resilience to climate change.
Shenandoah’s North Fork under Health Advisory Due to Harmful Algal Bloom

August 13, 2021

The Virginia Department of Health this week urged people to avoid the water on more than 50 miles of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River due to dangerous toxic algal mats recently reported in Shenandoah and Warren counties. These harmful algal blooms can contain toxins that cause illnesses and rashes in people, pets, and livestock.
Statement from CBF President William C. Baker on Senate Passage of Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill

August 10, 2021

CBF welcomed today's passage by the U.S. Senate of a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that would increase funding for EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program by $238 million over five years.
Virginia Farmers Now Eligible for Portable Fencing Funding to Protect Streams

August 10, 2021

This summer, farmers in Virginia became eligible for state cost-share funding to pay for portable fencing to keep livestock out of streams and rivers. Fencing livestock out of waterways has significant benefits for clean water because it prevents erosion and waste from polluting streams. The practice also contributes to healthier herds.
Virginia House and Senate Boost Budgets for Clean Water Programs

August 9, 2021

The Virginia Senate and House of Delegates, meeting in a special session today, approved appropriations that will substantially increase investments in programs that lead to cleaner water in rivers, streams, and the Chesapeake Bay.
CBF Praises Additional USDA Funding in Senate Budget Resolution

August 9, 2021

CBF praised the fiscal year 2022 Senate budget resolution introduced today for including an increase of $135 billion over ten years for U.S. Department of Agriculture programs.
CBF Hails Senate Appropriations Committee's Fiscal 2022 Spending Plan for Army Corps

August 6, 2021

The Senate Appropriations Committee’s fiscal year 2022 spending plan for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers includes a dedicated $9.6 million to restoration projects in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.