Press Release

Reports Signal Importance of Climate Resiliency, Tree Conservation, and Clean Water Restoration

As a heat wave hits Virginia this week, twin challenges fueled by climate change could also send the state deadly and damaging weather that increases pollution to waterways, according to two recently released reports. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued its May hurricane forecast, predicting 8 to 13 hurricanes this season in the Atlantic. This marks the most aggressive May outlook ever produced by NOAA.  

At the same time, Climate Central reports that a warming planet will send extreme rainfall across Virginia, raising risks of floods and threatening efforts to repair key waterways across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. 

The Climate Central report details how much more rainfall is likely to fall in each Virginia city or county during severe storms if the climate warms by 3.6 °F (2 °C). That includes Charlottesville, 21.7 percent; Norfolk, 12.8 percent; Petersburg, 17.9 percent; Fredericksburg, 22 percent; Alexandria, 20 percent; Richmond, 17.6 percent; Roanoke City, 19.7 percent; and Virginia Beach, 17.4 percent. 

The predictions underscore the urgency of Virginia’s investment in flood protection, wastewater upgrades, tree conservation and efforts to clean up polluted waters. These forecasts come after Virginia’s governor pulled the state out of two major efforts to reduce the effects of climate change impacts including the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and clean car standards approved by the General Assembly, which mandated a gradual shift to electric vehicles. 

Warmer ocean waters serve as a key ingredient for hurricanes, and scientists expect the lingering above-average temperatures in the Atlantic to increase the intensity and frequency of one of nature’s deadliest storms this hurricane season. Experts attribute these record-breaking temperatures to the ocean’s absorption of heat caused by increases in fossil fuel emissions.  

Further inland, the increasing frequency of heat waves within rivers threatens plants and animals like trout and salmon, in addition to accelerating the creation of toxic algal blooms. 

A warming planet also means heavier and increased rainfall. For every 1°F of warming, the air can hold an extra 4 percent of moisture, according to Climate Central’s report called “Extreme Precipitation in a Warming Climate.”

As a result, heavy downpours, flooding, and stormwater runoff that overwhelms overburdened sewer systems, erodes backyard streams, and pollutes local waters will increase. One inch of rain falling on an acre of hardened surface, such as streets and parking lots, produces 27,000 gallons of runoff, according to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF). Stormwater passing over such surfaces often picks up oil, grease, dirt, and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and flows into nearby waterways.  

The state’s most recent “Dirty Waters” list declared more than 75 percent of Virginia’s estuaries and tidal rivers and 86 percent of Virginia’s lakes impaired. 

It’s a new chapter in a continuing trend. Between 1958 and 2021, Climate Central noted, the heaviest storms now drop 60 percent more rain in the Northeast (including Pennsylvania, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New York, and West Virginia) and 37 percent more in the Southeast (including Virginia).  

This increases the chances of heavier downpours that contribute to flash floods like those that killed an 85-year-old woman in Buchanan County in August 2021.  

Climate Central reported that flood damage costs in Virginia totaled roughly $855 million in 2020 and that figure could exceed $1 billion by 2050 as global temperatures continue to rise.  

Joe Wood, CBF Virginia Senior Scientist, issued the following statement:  

“Virginians experience climate change threats in many ways. As we head into what is forecasted to be another abnormally warm summer, Virginians must also contend with heavier downpours, damaging floods, and dangerous hurricanes.  

“More rainfall across Virginia has ripple effects across the Bay watershed, not to mention homes and businesses. The increasing frequency of severe storms causes more dangerous and costly flooding, overburdening sewer systems as well as local waterways that receive more polluted stormwater. Runoff from sweltering impervious surfaces is laden with pollutants which degrade Bay species, and lead to algal blooms that choke underwater life. Heat waves in rivers pose similar threats to plants and animals who depend on cooler, cleaner water to thrive.” 

“It’s critical to support local and state efforts to preserve and expand the state’s trees, which are natural sponges that soak up rainfall and pollutants. Trees alongside streams and streets, particularly city streets devoid of shade within what are known as urban heat islands, come with environmental benefits and benefits for communities disproportionately impacted by climate change. It’s also urgent to continue efforts to control emissions of climate-warming greenhouse gases.” 

Advocates are calling on Maryland to take stronger action to reduce polluted runoff from state highways as the public comment period opens for a major stormwater management permit. Stormwater runoff is the fastest growing source of pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Later this summer, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) will issue a new Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit to the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT)’s State Highway Administration (SHA). This permit will work to mitigate the harmful effects of oil, gas, and other pollutants that rainfall washes off highways into local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay.

The permit, which is designed to control pollution on the state’s extensive highway system, will be crucial for preserving water quality. MDOT SHA manages nearly 15,000 lane miles and roughly 2,600 bridges. Maryland’s section of the Capital Beltway (I-495) and Baltimore Beltway (I-695) alone see volumes of over 220,000 vehicles per day, according to MDOT data. 

Given the immense surface area covered by this permit, it will mark a pivotal opportunity to effectively implement Maryland’s municipal stormwater program.

“As development in the Bay watershed grows and rainfall frequency and intensity increases from climate change, robust stormwater management will be more essential than ever,” said Allison Colden, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Maryland Executive Director. “This permit has the potential to greatly enhance stormwater management, but it must include comprehensive and forward-thinking measures.”

In many cases, Maryland’s MS4 permits have fallen short for water quality improvements by relying on outdated rainfall data and prioritizing “check-the-box” practices that do little for habitat preservation and fail to sufficiently reduce pollution. SHA heavily depends on stream restoration to control pollution under its current permit, even though the practice is under fire for its questionable effectiveness. In 2023, the agency reported over 4,700 acres were treated via stream restoration, the most utilized mitigation practice by far. The second highest was outfall stabilization, or repairing erosion below storm drain pipes, at 700 acres treated.

“Some of the stormwater mitigation projects that have been proposed and are taking place in my community do more harm than good,” said Sharon Boies with Columbia-based grassroots organization, Protect Our Streams. “Stream restoration projects that receive MS4 credits too often allow environmental degradation like deforestation and, in the case of mitigation credits, allow the development of sensitive areas in additional locations as well. These shortcomings must be fixed by MDE statewide.”

Stormwater runoff is the fastest growing source of pollution in the Bay watershed, leading to erosion, habitat destruction, elevated levels of nutrient and chemical contaminants, and increased sedimentation.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and other environmental advocates are calling on MDE to incorporate the following critical enhancements into MDOT SHA’s new permit:

• Ensure the permit accounts for increased storm intensity and other impacts of climate change;
• Require a range of effective practices to mitigate stormwater pollution, such as riparian plantings, “green infrastructure” infiltration structures, and removal of unused impervious surfaces, to reduce reliance on in-stream projects;
• Expand monitoring requirements to include temperature changes and impacts to wildlife and their habitats from polluted runoff; and
• Track and address pollutants like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and ‘forever chemicals’ such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

These measures are vital for protecting our waterways and communities from the damaging effects of stormwater runoff. Maryland residents can learn more about the Highway Authority’s MS4 permit and get involved here. MDE’s public comment period ends July 18.

MIA’s Program, Minorities on Course, Provides Support for the Next Generation of Black Maritime Captains

Minorities in Aquaculture (MIA), a non-profit organization founded by Chestertown native Imani Black in July 2020, has been making waves in the aquaculture industry by offering the underrepresented demographics, specifically women of color, invaluable professional development opportunities, hands-on job experiences, and access to critical maritime technical skills. One of its flagship programs, Minorities on Course (MOC), launched in 2021, is dedicated to empowering the next generation of African Americans who aspire to build a maritime career of various kinds by providing scholarships, and impactful maritime instruction to obtain a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Captain’s License and other applicable maritime certifications.

The number of Black commercial captains has declined significantly during the past decade as older captains leave the industry without a younger generation in place to take the helm. A recent Chesapeake Quarterly report estimated only 10 remaining black headboat captains are operating out of Kent Narrows, with more than half of the captains over 70 years old. The MOC Program aims to reverse the declining number of licensed Black headboat captains on the Chesapeake Bay while alleviating historical barriers by covering instructional course costs and providing essential knowledge and practical experience. Since the inaugural year, MIA has graduated 11 African American men and women with their USCG 100-ton Captain’s License while also overhauling the program’s structure, forging new partnerships, and enhancing resources to boost maritime engagement within the Chesapeake Bay.

“This program is not just about getting more Black people on the water,” said Imani Black, Founder and CEO of Minorities in Aquaculture. “This is about career development skills and honoring the Chesapeake’s traditional commercial fisheries legacy through actively preserving the Black maritime presence and heritage as an avenue to do that. We aim to equip and amplify the next generation of African American watermen, boat captains, and industry influencers with the tools to forge sustainable careers on their own terms while honoring the legacy of the influential maritime leaders, especially those from historic Black fishing communities who have made the Chesapeake Bay a cherished natural resource and thriving commercial fisheries that we all known and love today.”

“Living on the Chesapeake Bay and observing the watermen, I have taken great interest in being on the water,” said Rupert Walters, 2022 Cohort Participant and 100-ton Master Captain. “I have also taken notice of the dwindling population of minorities on the Bay and thought this was the time to further my interest and pursue my passion.”

In 2024, MIA has added new MOC partners to achieve their mission by collaborating with esteemed maritime professionals like Captain Michael McQueen, owner of Reel Altitude Fishing Charter and son to Captain Sonny McQueen of Solomon’s Island, the oldest living Black captain on the Chesapeake Bay today, Captain Bill Tynall of R&D Boat Supply in Cambridge, MD, Mahogany Yacht Charters, a Black female-owned luxury charter business in Washington, D.C. These partnerships additionally extend to field gear and in-kind sponsorships with business such as XTRATUF Boot Company and The Jetty Rock Foundation to provide the necessary supplies to participants among all MIA programs. These new alliances complement ongoing partnerships with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), providing program participants access to CBF educational vessels to obtain their USCG-required sea time and well-rounded maritime education.

“Making a career on the water shouldn’t be limited to those with family or personal connections to people already working on the Bay,” said Tom Ackerman, CBF’s Vice President of Education. “At CBF, we know that to protect the Chesapeake Bay, we must ensure everyone can access and enjoy it, whether they come from the city, the suburbs, or the countryside. Growing a diverse workforce on the water to match the diversity of the watershed will ensure that happens. We’re proud to partner with Minorities In Aquaculture and Founder Imani Black on this effort to train a diverse new generation of Chesapeake Bay captains.”

MIA’s primary functions are to bridge engagement, education, and advocacy between the demographics it serves and the workforce development of the global aquaculture and maritime industries. Alongside the MOC Program, MIA also offers an aquaculture internship program throughout the year, partnering with over 30 businesses, institutions, and operations nationwide to foster future industry professionals with the ultimate goal of continually cultivating a motivated network of over 400 members globally through mentoring, job boards, and networking opportunities.

Looking ahead, Minorities In Aquaculture is preparing for its third cohort of Minorites On Course participants this Fall 2024, raising $25,000 to support six new commercial Black captains on the Chesapeake Bay. Contributions come in many forms, from financial donations to essential gear, with companies like XTRATUF and Jetty Rock already providing significant support.

For more information on how to contribute, become a program participant and/or support Minorities In Aquaculture further as an organization, please visit the Minorities In Aquaculture website and/or contact the MIA team at resources@mianpo.org.

A free, family-friendly event presented by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) on June 12 at Historic Poole Forge, will celebrate the Upper Conestoga River in Lancaster County and a restoration plan to clean and protect it.

“Experience the Upper Conestoga: Connecting with Our River,” from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Historic Poole Forge, 1940 Main St., in Narvon, is among Lancaster Water Week activities between June 7 and 15.

At 6:30 p.m. on June 12, a presentation in the main pavilion on the restoration plan to restore the health of the Upper Conestoga River will be given by Brian Gish, CBF Pennsylvania Senior Watershed Planner.

“For a lot of people, the Upper Conestoga River is there, but not something they engage or interact with,” Gish said. “This event will give the Upper Conestoga real presence in their lives.”

The family-friendly event on June 12 will include free demonstrations by Upper Conestoga River Conservation Partners of fly fishing, water safety, water ecology presentations, stream restoration information, soil health simulations, pollinator garden exploration, and raptor rehabilitation. Free food, beverages, and giveaways will also be available.

Because of pollution, the Upper Conestoga River does not meet water quality standards. Gish said the goal of the restoration plan is incremental progress toward cleaner waters that people can enjoy. “The plan focuses on aquatic life, as it really struggles there,” Gish said. “The goal is to make the waterways and farms work in harmony.”

The plan is built on equal parts scientific analysis and community input. Once approved, the Upper Conestoga plan will make restoration projects in the watershed eligible for millions of dollars in public and private grants.

Gish coordinated a restoration plan for the Pequea Creek Watershed that became eligible for federal funding. Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) also secured $2.18 million for the Pequea plan.

“At the end of the day, this is the community’s river, and the choices are theirs to make,” Gish said. “We need to find solutions that work for them and ways that serve their broader needs, not just those of the river. No plan is going to work unless the community feels a sense of ownership.”

Now in its 8th year, Lancaster Water Week features 60 events to celebrate the 1,400 miles of rivers and streams in Lancaster County.

CBF and the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership will be participating in other Lancaster Water Week events:

• First Friday at Penn Square, downtown Lancaster, June 7, 4-8:30 p.m.;
• Summer Music Series at Longs Park, June 9, 4-9:30 p.m.; and
• Concert in the Park at Greenfield Park, June 13, 5:30-9:30 p.m.

“Partners in Lancaster County have been doing some impactful work for the resiliency of local rivers and streams, and CBF is proud to be part of this important effort,” said Julia Krall, CBF Executive Director in Pennsylvania. “CBF appreciates Lancaster Water Week as a time for exploring, learning, volunteering, and taking action.”

Historic Poole Forge has partnered on numerous environmental projects to improve the beauty of the facilities and downstream. To learn more about current and future projects at Poole Forge, contact Executive Director Dr. Dawn Rise Ekdahl at hpf1940@gmail.com, or call 484 797-5302.

To learn more about Lancaster Water Week and for a schedule of events, visit www.lancasterconservancy.org/water-week.

More than 100,000 pounds of litter will not flow into Virginia’s waterways thanks to thousands of volunteers who participated Saturday in the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s (CBF) annual Clean the Bay Day, Virginia’s largest and longest-running litter and shoreline cleanup.  

On June 1, 4,470 volunteers and more than 60 CBF partners gathered at more than 200 sites in Richmond, Hampton Roads, the Eastern Shore, Northern Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley, and at Virginia State Parks. Totals show more than 100,000 pounds of litter and debris were removed from beaches, parks, shorelines, streams, rivers, and lakes.  

Since 1989, this Virginia tradition has engaged more than 168,375 volunteers who have removed approximately 7 million pounds of debris from more than 8,200 miles of shoreline.    

“What began as a discussion among four residents sitting around a kitchen table is now Virginia’s largest cleanup event. And that was clear across Virginia Saturday. Volunteers cleaned up their communities, experiencing that unique connection from coming together for that common goal of restoring the Bay,” said CBF Grassroots Coordinator Lisa Renee Jennings.    

As in previous years, the most common items found during this year’s cleanup were plastic and glass bottles, plastic wrappers, plastic bags, and cigarette butts. But volunteers recovered many larger items, including a mattress, toilet, car bumper, and the carpeted floor of boats. Unusual items included the skull of a dog and toadfish, a gun safe, an empty R-22 refrigerant canister, and a bird cage. Volunteers also rescued a box turtle entrapped in a pile of Styrofoam. 

Among the volunteers were many elected officials, other community leaders, service members, small businesses, large corporations, and thousands of other Virginians.  

Fines Levied Against Darling Ingredients, Owner of the Valley Proteins Facility

The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has levied $15,000 in fines against Darling Ingredients, owner of the Dorchester County Valley Proteins animal waste rendering plant, for repeated violations that could pollute waterways. 

The plant processes poultry byproducts, including dead birds, feathers, bone, meat, fat, blood, and other poultry parts.

The fines are linked to 51 recent violations of a requirement to leave at least two feet of empty capacity in wastewater lagoons. The empty space, called freeboard, is needed to prevent overflows and spills during heavy rains or other conditions that could cause pollution to be washed into rivers and streams. 

MDE inspections revealed violations occurring between August 2023 and March 2024, as detailed in a May 24 enforcement letter that MDE sent to the company. Recent MDE inspections have found dozens of other pollution violations not listed in the letter. Darling Ingredients has fourteen days to respond to MDE’s letter.

Due to violations in previous years, the plant has been under a consent decree since October 2022 with MDE, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), ShoreRivers, and Dorchester Citizens for Planned Growth. That agreement ordered the facility’s owners to pay $540,000 in civil penalties to the state of Maryland to partially account for more than 40 violations to a state-issued discharge permit.

MDE’s action this week is for new violations observed since the consent decree went into effect. The consent decree, approved by Dorchester County Circuit Court, authorizes MDE to order financial penalties for failures to comply with the agreement’s terms. 

In a separate matter, in February 2023, CBF, Dorchester Citizens for Planned Growth (DCPG), Friends of the Nanticoke River, ShoreRivers, and Wicomico Environmental Trust challenged the renewed wastewater discharge permit that MDE issued for the facility. The suit filed in Dorchester County Circuit Court states the permit is not sufficiently stringent to protect water quality in the downstream Transquaking River, Higgins Mill Pond, and Chesapeake Bay.

CBF Maryland Advocacy Director Alan Girard issued the following statement. 

“Time and again, the Darling Ingredients plant has committed violations that could cause harm to Eastern Shore waterways. We’re grateful that the Maryland Department of the Environment is stepping up to levy fines and enforce the terms of the consent decree. The Bay’s health depends on consistent and timely enforcement of laws and regulations designed to protect our environment.”

May 30 Visit Convenes Federal, State, and Local Officials to Confront Sea Level Rise and Erosion Challenges

Seeking solutions for Tangier Island, one of the country’s communities most at risk from sea level rise, federal, state, and local officials met on Tangier Island on May 30 with Tangier community leaders and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF).  

The officials visited sites by boat where land is being lost due to sea level rise and erosion, followed by a discussion that explored challenges and solutions for the island. Tangier Island has lost about two-thirds of its land since the 1850s, and research finds that much of the rest of the island could be lost within 50 years.  

At this meeting, partners discussed working with the Tangier community to develop a state-certified resilience plan for the Tangier Island system, including neighboring Port Isobel Island. The plan would help the community secure funding and implement projects to protect this unique place. An existing partnership between CBF and Old Dominion University’s Institute for Coastal Adaptation and Resilience can support Tangier in pursuing this plan.  

“Nowhere is the ever-present threat of climate change felt more strongly than on Tangier Island,” said CBF President Hilary Harp Falk. “Now is the time to stand with Tangier and all the coastal communities along the Chesapeake Bay facing unimaginable change.”  

The Tangier visit included representatives from Tangier, the Virginia state government, the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, and academic institutions and nonprofit organizations. 

“I’m very encouraged,” Tangier Mayor James Eskridge said following the meeting. “To accomplish something, it’s vital to get different groups working together on the same page.” 

Next steps for the future of Tangier could encompass the following:  

• Working with the Tangier community to develop a certified resilience plan; 
• Identifying federal, state and private funding opportunities for projects to protect the island; 
• Investing in an engineering study for mitigation and resiliency strategies for Tangier Island; 
• Beginning implementation while community infrastructure on Tangier can still be saved; 
• Assessing the viability of using beneficial dredge spoils to protect the island; 
• Including nature-based coastal adaptation strategies, including living shorelines of marsh grasses and oysters that protect shorelines from erosion while creating wildlife habitat and reducing pollution; 
• Sharing strategies and outcomes with other coastal communities throughout the watershed and across the country. 

Work on Tangier Island can serve as a model for nature-based practices for climate change mitigation and adaptation along the Chesapeake Bay and beyond.  

“With a clear plan and the right investment, we can preserve Tangier and neighboring Smith Island for at least another generation,” said Harp Falk. “These islands are a fantastic place to demonstrate solutions for what responsible climate adaptation can look like.” 

With a CBF environmental education center near Tangier on Port Isobel Island, this living laboratory would also provide the opportunity to educate the next generation about innovative, large-scale restoration efforts to protect the Bay and its communities in the face of climate change. 

In the fight for environmental justice and cleaner air and water, advocates from South Baltimore have filed a civil rights complaint with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on behalf of people suffering from pollution from Maryland’s largest trash incinerator. 

South Baltimore Community Land Trust (SBCLT), represented by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), filed a Title VI administration complaint on May 28 regarding the Baltimore City Department of Public Works’ (DPW) 10-year solid waste management plan. 

The complaint states that DPW failed to adequately plan a transition away from reliance on the highly polluting municipal waste incinerator called the Baltimore Refuse Energy Systems Company (BRESCO), formerly known as the Wheelabrator. This contributes to the unequal health risks faced by people living in the Mt. Winans, Westport, Cherry Hill, Lakeland, Brooklyn and Curtis Bay neighborhoods.

“As someone raised in Cherry Hill who now suffers from an incurable lung disease as a result of air pollution, I am hopeful that our call for a just transition away from burning trash in our communities is finally heard and acted upon. I don’t want another generation to have to grow up worried about the air they breathe,” said Cherry Hill resident Cleo Walker.

Shashawnda Campbell, Environmental Justice Director for SBCLT said, “We’ve already seen our three former neighboring communities of Fairfield, Wagner’s and Hawkins Point be involuntarily displaced because of city planning decisions to concentrate more and more polluting waste infrastructure in South Baltimore.”  

“Residents tireless organizing over the past decade has led to our officials promising they’ll do everything they can to end trash incineration and build new zero waste infrastructure, but we still aren’t seeing it where it counts—in policy and budgets,” Campbell said. “We are taking this action now because residents of South Baltimore have a right to finally live free from air polluted by burning trash.” 

Located in one of Baltimore’s most disadvantaged communities, BRESCO is the largest stationary source of industrial air pollution in Baltimore. People living nearby face health risks from the facility’s air emissions, which include mercury, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and fine particulate matter. These emissions contribute to respiratory issues, heart conditions, and other serious health problems. 

“Way too many of my family members and classmates at Ben Franklin High School suffer from asthma and other respiratory problems made worse by air pollution,” said Carlos Sanchez-Gonzalez of SBCLT. “I’m proud to be able to commit my life to solving this problem of how to get our city to break its addiction to funding trash incineration because it will mean a better future for my community of Lakeland and all my friends and neighbors from across South Baltimore.” 

BRESCO’s emissions cost Maryland and neighboring states $55 million in human health problems annually, according to a 2017 study commissioned by CBF. The study concludes that living near the incinerator is similar to living with a smoker, at least for some children, senior citizens, and others with sensitive lungs.

Residents also describe heavy truck traffic carrying trash into the incinerator and waste ash out to the Quarantine Road Landfill, which is a large emitter of methane, a pollutant driving climate change, and has a history of water quality violations. 

“Even though our youth and community members have literally created a zero-waste plan and started businesses to prove we can do it, our city gave us another 10-year solid waste plan that will keep putting the same environmental injustice on us here in South Baltimore,” said lifelong Mt. Winans resident Angela Smothers. “I won’t continue to sit by while my friends and neighbors suffer from so many health issues worsened by having that giant white smoke stack standing over us spitting out toxins into the places we love the most.” 

The air pollution eventually falls down and pollutes waterways. Based on 2011 emissions data, BRESCO’s NOx emissions deposited an average of 6,570 pounds per year of nitrogen pollution directly into the Chesapeake Bay. Excess nitrogen in the Bay fuels harmful algal blooms that can lead to low-oxygen dead zones. These emissions make it harder for Maryland to meet requirements to reduce pollution to the Bay, putting the burden on taxpayers rather than the polluting facility. 

Members of SCBLT have led zero-waste initiatives to reduce the amount of trash that must be burned or sent to landfills. Their work includes advocating for a city compost facility and challenging a new incinerator in Fairfield in 2009, which would have been the largest incinerator in the nation. The group holds the City of Baltimore accountable for its zero-waste commitments, which are not currently prioritized in DPW’s solid waste plan.

After DPW announced its intent to develop a 10-year solid waste plan in 2023, the agency held a multi-phase public comment process and received over 700 comments. SBCLT and many others cited the need for specific, measurable strategies that would effectively transition the city away from incineration at BRESCO.

However, DPW’s waste plan, which went into effect in early 2024, fails to chart a clear path away from the incinerator. 

The Title VI complaint addresses the unequal risks experienced in the neighborhoods of Cherry Hill, Brooklyn, Curtis Bay, Lakeland, Westport, and Mt. Winans. Each of these communities is categorized as disadvantaged by the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, indicating they’re above the 90th percentile for environmental burdens. 

The Title VI complaint is intended to halt federal funding for entities engaged in discriminatory practices—in this case, Baltimore DPW. EPA’s External Civil Rights Compliance Office may choose to either reject or accept the complaint for further investigation.

CBF was one of two organizations representing SBCLT in the complaint. 

“Baltimore’s 10-year solid waste management plan completely disregards the pervasive environmental injustices suffered by the people of South Baltimore. EPA must investigate,” said Taylor Lilley, CBF Environmental Justice Staff Attorney. “South Baltimore’s environmental justice status reflects the high concentration of harmful activities in the area—not only BRESCO’s waste incineration, but landfill operations, wastewater treatment, coal transfer activities, and more.”

EIP is also representing SBCLT.

“Trash incinerators and landfills produce unacceptable levels of toxic and climate-harming pollution and they are often sited in marginalized communities,” said Leah Kelly, a Senior Attorney with EIP. “We cannot continue relying on these facilities as our primary waste disposal options, as Baltimore City has in this plan. We must plan a transition to better alternatives; that is part of what South Baltimore residents are seeking in this complaint.”  

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Highlights Need for Protection

The Chesapeake Bay blue crab population showed some signs of improvement from a previous 33-year low in survey results released today, but concerns remain about their overall decline.

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission and Maryland Department of Natural Resources released results from the annual blue crab winter dredge survey, an estimate of the population of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.  

The 2024 survey estimated total crab abundance at 317 million blue crabs. This is a slight reduction from the last year’s survey, which estimated the population at 323 million blue crabs. This year’s numbers were still above the 2022 record low estimate of 227 million crabs. 

In 2024, the adult female crab population decreased to 133 million compared with 152 million last year. This figure falls far below the target of 215 million adult female crabs needed for a healthy population and sustainable harvest in the Chesapeake Bay.  

Juvenile crab numbers improved slightly when compared to 2022, but the juvenile population remained below average for the fourth year in a row.  Male crab numbers decreased from 55 million in 2023 to 46 million in 2024 despite male harvest limits instituted last year.

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Maryland Department of Natural Resources conduct this annual survey of the population of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Watch a video of how the survey is conducted. 

Covering more than 1,500 locations, the winter dredge survey is one of the most comprehensive studies of any species in the Bay, dating back to 1990. It is conducted jointly by Maryland and Virginia from December through March.  

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Executive Director Chris Moore issued this statement:

“The results of this year’s survey are less than hoped for  given the importance of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay region. The continued low numbers of adult females and males underscores the need to protect these segments of the population. 

“Given the lackluster results of this year’s survey, states should proceed with caution when considering regulatory changes for the upcoming seasons and avoid changes that would increase harvest.

“While juvenile population estimates can vary greatly from year to year, it is encouraging to see a slight increase in this segment of the population. However, given the population estimates from this year’s survey, there remains a significant need to continue to protect adult females and critical nursery habitats, like underwater grasses, in order help ensure better numbers in the future.  

“CBF looks forward to the March 2026 results of the ongoing blue crab stock assessment, which we hope will identify the key ecosystem factors influencing blue crab recruitment and survival so that they can be mitigated to secure a healthy blue crab population.”

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Supports Virginia’s Return to Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

In a press conference Tuesday, Virginia Democratic leaders underscored environmental accomplishments from the 2024 General Assembly session and expressed support for returning Virginia to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). 

The state’s two-year budget includes support for flood protection, conserving the state’s disappearing trees, continued investments in beloved species like oysters, and reducing pollution to critical waterways. 

In addition, thanks to new legislation from this year’s General Assembly session, Virginians will be protected from toxic pavement sealants, local leaders can conserve more trees, and homes and businesses will enjoy more state coordination to safeguard against flooding and sea level rise. 

The budget agreement did not include a provision to reinstate Virginia’s into the carbon emission reduction program known as RGGI, which ended in 2023 after two years of Virginia’s participation. Lawmakers said Tuesday that they were committed to return Virginia to RGGI.

These decisions come at a pivotal time for the Chesapeake Bay and the communities that live and depend on the watershed. The General Assembly session comes to a close as Virginia and other states are expected to miss many of the 2025 deadlines for Chesapeake Bay restoration goals. 

Highlights of this year’s General Assembly session included: 

Pollution Reduction  

• Toxic Pavement Sealant Ban
  • In a significant victory for water quality protection and Virginians’ health, Virginia will ban a harmful toxic sealant commonly used to coat driveways.  House Bill 985, patroned by Delegate Kathy Tran, D-Fairfax, prohibits any pavement sealant with a PAH concentration greater than one percent by weight. These products contain high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are toxic and carcinogenic chemicals that can harm people, birds, amphibians, fish, mammals, and plants.  
• Building off last year’s historic investment in farmers, the budget slates $231 million for Virginia’s agricultural cost-share program. The program supports practices like fencing cattle out of streams, and planting streamside trees, among the most cost-effective steps Virginia can take to restore the Chesapeake Bay and improve water quality.  
• A $20 million investment for a pilot Pay for Outcomes Program, where pollution reduction projects with verified, successful results are compensated.   
• Legislators recommended $400 million in bond funding for upgrades at wastewater treatment plants, which are essential to continuing progress in reducing nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution.   

Tree Conservation   

• With the state losing tree canopy at an alarming rate, the budget includes $1.16 million in funding to study the Commonwealth’s loss of trees and ways to expand tree canopy. In addition, approved bills (HB 459, SB 121, HB 309, SB 461) give localities the ability to preserve trees before they’re cut down, or restore them after they’ve been lost to construction. 

Climate Resiliency    

• The budget maintains the $100 million that the Governor proposed for the Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF). Communities from Southwest Virginia to Fairfax to the Eastern Shore have used the CFPF for projects that protect homes and businesses from flooding.    
• The budget also includes $1 million over the biennium to create the Office of Commonwealth Resilience, which will help coordinate climate adaptation efforts across Virginia government as we build towards a Climate Ready Commonwealth.   

Tackling Invasive Species & Rebuilding Keystone Species   

• The budget proposes $11 million over the biennium for oyster restoration and replenishment activities. This funding is vital to thriving waterways and local economies that until recently had long suffered from overharvesting, pollution, and disease.    
• Strengthening the blue catfish industry also received support from lawmakers. The final budget for this initiative includes $500,000 over the biennium. A robust commercial fishery for blue catfish will help reduce their predatory pressure on other commercial and recreationally important fishery species.    

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Policy Manager Jay Ford issued the following statement:    

“The victories for the environment were many in this year’s General Assembly session. Expanding and protecting tree canopy, continuing the progress of wastewater treatment plant upgrades, and supporting practices in farms and wastewater treatment plants that reduce harmful pollution flowing into our waterways are all key steps to healthier and more sustainable Virginia communities.” 

“While we are deeply disappointed that Virginia’s budget excluded a mandate to return the state to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, we are heartened by legislators’ commitment to Virginia’s future RGGI participation. Sea level rise and flooding isn’t going anywhere. The program not only reduced carbon emissions, but helped shift Virginia to becoming a Commonwealth resilient to the realities of climate change. Getting Virginia back into RGGI will complement the critical climate resiliency investments in this year’s budget.”