Press Statement

As 2025 Deadline Looms, EPA Seeks Input on Next Steps

As the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program seeks public input on the next phase of Chesapeake Bay restoration, this week a bipartisan group of 25 U.S. Senators and Representatives from Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, New York, and the District of Columbia urged regional leaders to recommit to the Chesapeake Bay. 

The June 24 letter from members of Congress to a committee of state and federal leaders comes at a pivotal time in the decades-old partnership to clean up the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers and streams. 

The most recent phase of this effort was galvanized in 2014, when the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement was signed by the governors of the six states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the mayor of the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay Commission, and the EPA Administrator. 

The agreement includes a 2025 deadline for having the practices in place to reduce pollution to the region’s waterways, as well as other key measures. That has led to important successes, including the largest oyster reef restoration projects in the world and dramatically reducing pollution from sewage treatment plants. 

But many goals will not be met by 2025, including legally-binding commitments by the states to reduce pollution to the Bay. Polluted runoff from agriculture, cities, and developed areas remain major issues. 

Seeking to chart a course on next steps for Chesapeake Bay restoration, the partnership formed a Beyond 2025 Steering Committee last year managed by the EPA and the Chesapeake Bay Commission. The committee recently issued a draft report with recommendations, and on June 27 voted to open it to a 60-day public feedback period beginning July 1. 

A critical next step comes in December, when the Chesapeake Executive Council—made up of the governors of Bay watershed states, the mayor of the District of Columbia, the EPA Administrator, and the Chesapeake Bay Commission—will meet. 

The Beyond 2025 Steering Committee’s recent report asks for the region’s leaders to affirm their commitments to working together in partnership to meet Bay restoration goals. It also recommends reviewing and updating the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement as needed, given updates in science and growing challenges such as climate change. 

In a letter this week, members of Congress urged action on several fronts, including: 

• Asking “signatories of the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement to affirm their continuing commitment at this December’s Executive Council Meeting to the partnership and ultimate goal of that Agreement – to restore the Bay and its watershed for the benefit of all residents.” 
• Asking state and federal leaders to “evaluate, amend and recommit to the Agreement by the end of 2025 to build on four decades of progress by strategically and expeditiously updating specific goals and outcomes to reflect the current, best available science.”

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Federal Director Keisha Sedlacek issued the following statement. 

“Unless our region’s governors pledge to continue working together with state and federal leaders on Chesapeake Bay restoration, we will never have a vibrant, healthy Bay. Decades of hard work would come undone, threatening the well-being of millions of people across the region. 

“Chesapeake Bay restoration experts and members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are all saying the same thing. Now is the time for governors across the Chesapeake Bay region to step up and publicly recommit to working together to meet goals for cleaner and healthier waterways. That includes updating the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement by the end of 2025 to reflect the latest science and growing challenges from climate change.

“This December’s Chesapeake Executive Council meeting is the greatest opportunity for our region’s governors and the EPA Administrator to come together and recommit to the Bay.” 

Choose Clean Water Coalition Director Kristin Reilly issued the following statement.

“We’re facing a critical juncture in the effort to protect and restore the rivers and streams feeding the Chesapeake Bay. Despite many challenges, we’ve seen tremendous progress under the 2014 Chesapeake Watershed Agreement. But we are off track on several goals that are critical to reaching our objective of healthy rivers and streams, thriving communities, and flourishing habitats.

“Now more than ever, we need bold and ambitious leaders to build on current momentum and move the Bay restoration effort forward. We applaud all the Members of Congress who demonstrated this leadership by calling on the Chesapeake Executive Council to recommit to and refresh the 2014 Agreement.”

A divided (5-4) U.S. Supreme Court today granted a request by industry groups and allied states to block EPA from implementing the interstate ozone reduction plan it finalized in February.  

EPA’s “Good Neighbor” rule requires major polluters like coal-fired power plants to reduce emissions that contribute to ground-level ozone pollution that prevents downwind states from meeting federal air quality standards.  

Also known as smog, ground-level ozone is a dangerous air pollutant that is especially harmful to children, older adults, people with heart and lung problems, and disadvantaged communities already overburdened by multiple sources of pollution. Nitrogen oxides (NOx), a key ingredient in smog, also contribute to excess nitrogen polluting the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.  

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is represented by Earthjustice and part of a coalition of environmental and public health groups that in February urged the Supreme Court to block opponents’ effort to shut down the Good Neighbor rule. 

CBF Director of Litigation Ariel Solaski issued the following statement: 

“Today’s Supreme Court decision has troubling implications for the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and people living in the region. Blocking EPA’s Good Neighbor rule undermines progress restoring the Bay and its tributaries and puts people’s health at risk. 

“In the wake of this disturbing decision, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation will continue to support EPA’s efforts to protect public health, including for the Bay region’s more than 18 million residents.” 

Ending 15-Year Winter Harvest Closure Imperils Vulnerable Species

Virginia state regulators removed an important protection for the blue crab Tuesday when they narrowly approved reopening the winter season after a 15-year closure, subjecting the vulnerable and keystone species to additional harvest. 

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) voted 5-4 on June 25 to reopen the winter crab dredge fishery, going against VMRC’s staff recommendation and nearly 200 public comments in opposition to the reopening.  

Crabbing is currently only allowed between March through the middle of December in Virginia. The winter dredge season, which could extend crabbing beyond December, primarily targets female crabs, which are key to a strong crab population.  VMRC is expected to decide the parameters of the reopened winter dredge season in September. 

The winter dredge fishery primarily harvests female blue crabs, whose numbers declined by nearly 20 million in the recent annual estimate of blue crab numbers in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. This reduction in the estimated population was the focus of much of the opposition. 

In addition, those opposed also noted the ongoing stock assessment, which is expected to shed new light on the Bay’s blue crab population in March 2026. 

In 2024, according to the survey, 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.  

The winter dredge fishery involves scraping crabs from the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay where they lie semi-dormant through the winter. Declines in the blue crab population led to a fishery disaster declaration in 2008. That year, numerous Chesapeake Bay–wide conservation measures were enacted that included closing the winter dredge fishery.   

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Executive Director Chris Moore released the following statement:  

“The Virginia Marine Resources Commission’s decision to reopen the winter crab season this year puts the prospect of a healthy blue crab population in the Chesapeake Bay in jeopardy. It is incredibly disappointing. The VMRC’s vote imperils not only the vulnerable blue crab, but the sustainability of harvests throughout the year and other species in the Bay that depend on the blue crab for food.

“The best available science calls for continuing a precautionary approach for female blue crabs, not an increase in harvest during the winter months. Overwintering adult females are an important segment of the population that help ensure sustainable blue crab numbers and support other harvests throughout the year. In addition to declines in female crab numbers, the annual survey results showed a low number of male crabs, and persistently below-average numbers of young crabs.

“Adding this new harvest while an assessment of the blue crab population is ongoing is ill-advised. Virginia needs to maintain a precautionary approach for the sake of all crabbers and the health of the Chesapeake Bay, not take an avoidable risk with a vital species.”  

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Maryland Executive Director Allison Colden issued the following statement: 

“This vote represents a major breakdown in the cooperative management of blue crabs across the Chesapeake Bay. The partnership between Virginia, Maryland, and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission has been key to maintaining a more productive and stable blue crab population since its drastic decline in the early 2000s. VMRC’s decision damages this partnership and undermines the need for conservative management of the species which has seen below average numbers throughout the Chesapeake Bay for years.”

The dead zone in the Chesapeake Bay responsible for choking underwater life is forecast to be slightly larger than average and began earlier than normal this year, according to a forecast released today by the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program. 

Dead zone fluctuations from year to year are connected to weather, as well as efforts to keep nitrogen and phosphorus pollution out of waterways. 

Runoff remains a major source of pollutants washing into the Bay, which in turn fuel algal blooms. When these algal blooms die and decompose, they take up oxygen in the water, creating dead zones, which are areas in the Bay and its rivers that don’t contain enough oxygen to support underwater life such as fish, crabs, and oysters. 

The annual dead zone forecast is linked to weather patterns so far in 2024, as well as monitoring of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution entering the Bay. The Bay Program noted that the dead zone is only expected to be 4 percent larger than average, despite stream and river flows 23 percent higher than average due to precipitation in the Chesapeake Bay watershed so far this year. Heavy rainfall is increasing in the region due to climate change, making reducing runoff more challenging. 

Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Vice President for Environmental Protection and Restoration Alison Prost issued the following statement.

“The continued existence of the Chesapeake Bay dead zone is cause for alarm. During the hottest months, far too many areas of the Bay lack enough oxygen to support healthy ecosystems. 

“The latest dead zone forecast reflects that the longstanding partnership between the federal government and the Chesapeake Bay watershed states has made some strides, particularly from wastewater treatment plant upgrades. In the face of a warmer and wetter climate, there is an urgent need for strong leadership to develop new solutions for pollution from agriculture and developed areas. 

“This comes as we approach a 2025 deadline for states to meet commitments to reduce pollution under the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint. Now it’s imperative that elected leaders in the Bay watershed states as well as the federal level step up and publicly recommit to the Bay restoration partnership.”

Virginia Groups Oppose Restarting Winter Harvest After 15-Year Closure

Persistent concerns about the numbers of the iconic and economically valuable blue crab should persuade Virginia state regulators on June 25 to vote against a proposal to reopen the winter crab season after 15 years of closure. 

Despite Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) staff’s advice to keep the winter crabbing season closed, the Blue Crab Management Advisory Committee voted at their May 29 meeting to support opening  the winter dredge fishery for the 2024-2025 season. The VMRC is expected to vote on the proposal at its June 25 meeting. 

VMRC’s Fisheries Management staff member Alexa Galván told the Blue Crab Management Advisory Committee on May 29 that the winter season should remain closed.

“Because the population did stay fairly stable, we did want to keep about the status quo. We are still recommending closure of the winter dredge fishery,” Galván said. 

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, James River Association, Friends of the Rappahannock, Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association, and the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Virginia oppose the committee’s recommendation for additional harvest and call on VMRC to maintain the current closure of this segment of the fishery.

Crabbing is currently only allowed between March through the middle of December in Virginia. The winter dredge season, which would extend crabbing beyond December, primarily targets female crabs. The winter dredge fishery involves scraping crabs from the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay where they lie semi-dormant through the winter. Declines in the blue crab population led to a fishery disaster declaration in 2008. That year, numerous conservation measures were enacted that included closing the winter dredge fishery. 

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission is expected to vote on the committee’s proposal when it takes up possible amendments to Virginia commercial crabbing regulations on June 25. 

The environmental and recreational fishing groups base their opposition on the May release of the annual blue crab winter dredge survey, an estimate of the blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Additionally, an ongoing stock assessment is expected to shed new light on the Bay’s blue crab population in March 2026. Watch a video of how the survey is conducted.  

The survey results raised concerns about the overall decline of the blue crab population, following record low crab numbers in 2022. The 2024 survey estimated total crab abundance at 317 million blue crabs, which remains below the long-term average of more than 400 million crabs. 

In 2024, according to the survey, 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.   

In addition, juvenile crab numbers improved slightly when compared to 2022, but the juvenile population has remained below average since 2020.  Male crab numbers decreased from 55 million in 2023 to 46 million in 2024 despite male harvest limits instituted last year. 

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Executive Director Chris Moore issued the following statement:

“Reopening the winter crab season would be a mistake. The survey results do not warrant additional harvest of this keystone species that supports one of the state’s most valuable fisheries. The Bay is still suffering from below average adult female crab numbers, a low number of male crabs, and persistently below-average numbers of young crabs. 

“This calls for continued protection of these vital segments of the population so that female crabs can reproduce, increase the population, and support sustainable harvests throughout the year. Opening the winter dredge fishery is particularly concerning given the winter dredge season’s focus on the adult female crab population.”

Friends of the Rappahannock Advocacy and Coastal Programs Director Brent Hunsinger issued the following statement:

“An abundant and sustainable blue crab population requires careful management based on sound science. The results of the annual survey highlight the importance of protecting spawning females and maturing juveniles. Now is the time for precaution. We still have a long way to go before we consider exposing this critical and vulnerable species to additional stressors.”

CCA Virginia Chairman Rob Allen issued the following statement: 

“Blue crabs in the Chesapeake are facing continued habitat changes, including declines in suitable habitat and increased predation by widespread invasive blue catfish. The opening of the winter dredge fishery would be an irresponsible step in the wrong direction, and is a measure that the public does not support.”

James River Association Lead Policy Advocate Nathan Thomson issued the following statement:

“Virginia has worked hard to better manage the blue crab population over the years, but opening the winter dredge season would be a step backwards. The limits on the blue crab fishery are an important piece of the puzzle for securing a healthy blue crab population, but the latest survey results show that the population remains vulnerable. Virginia must avoid changes that would negatively impact the population and the ecological and cultural role it plays in the James River.”  

Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association Chairman Steve Atkinson issued the following statement: 

“The reasons for blue crab population changes are varied and complex. The survey results follow years of declines in underwater grasses, a critical habitat for blue crabs. But blue crabs also contend with numerous other threats including climate change, water quality challenges, and invasive blue catfish. The ongoing blue crab stock assessment is expected to identify the key ecosystem factors influencing blue crab survival. We need improved understanding before opening the winter dredge season, and not just for the sake of blue crabs. We should remember that this species also serves as important forage for many important fish in the bay.”

For more information on the blue crab life cycle, watch this video.

Despite recent progress, efforts to restore and conserve trees along rivers and streams in the Chesapeake Bay watershed are not meeting goals, according to a press release issued today by the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program.  

Forested buffers are made up of healthy trees and shrubs that border stream and river banks. These forests absorb and filter runoff from heavy rains that would otherwise wash pollution into waterways. Restoring and conserving forested buffers along farms and developed land is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce runoff polluting the Chesapeake Bay.  

In the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed agreement, state and federal partners set goals for forested buffers. They include restoring 900 miles of streamside trees per year while conserving existing buffers until 70 percent of riparian areas in the watershed are forested.  

In 2023, 640.5 miles of forested buffers were planted, the highest since 2016, according to numbers released by the Bay Program this week. The Bay Program said in its release that this is due to increased state and federal investment in recent years, as well as more flexible programs to support planting buffers.  

The Chesapeake Bay Program, managed by the EPA, is a regional partnership that includes federal agencies, states in the Bay watershed, and local partners. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is the largest independent conservation organization dedicated solely to saving the Bay. CBF’s work includes conserving and restoring forested buffers along waterways in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.   

CBF Vice President for Environmental Protection and Restoration Alison Prost issued the following statement.   

“Even though we’ve long known that protecting and restoring trees along waterways is one of the most efficient ways to prevent pollution to the Chesapeake Bay, these efforts are still falling short. Our region is losing more forested buffers to development and other causes than it is gaining through planting. It’s time to take a hard look at protecting and planting forested buffers.   

“Unlike other pollution reduction practices that need to be renewed every year, forests are a long-term natural solution with rewards that grow over time. Trees also stabilize eroding streambanks, create habitat and food for wildlife, shade streams to reduce temperatures for trout and other aquatic life, and help address climate change.  

“Developing programs and policies that increase state and federal support dedicated to planting, maintaining, and conserving forested buffers is key to success. The Farm Bill currently being considered by Congress is a golden opportunity to boost investment in forested buffers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.”  

8 Out of 10 Restoration Projects Considered Complete

The Chesapeake Bay Program announced today that the goal to restore healthy oyster reefs in 10 Chesapeake Bay tributaries is on track to meet a 2025 deadline. Eight out of the ten original tributaries selected for large-scale restoration are now considered complete.  

Oysters are considered one of the heroes of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and now efforts to restore healthy reefs of this bivalve have a big reason to sing success.   

This announcement comes after the April celebration of the completion of the restoration activities in the lower York River in Virginia. 

The restoration work is part of a commitment laid out in the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, an accord between the Chesapeake Bay program and its partners to guide the restoration of the nation’s largest estuary and its watershed. 

The Chesapeake Bay Program, managed by the EPA, is a regional partnership of states in the Bay watershed and  federal agencies, local governments, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is the largest independent conservation organization dedicated solely to saving the Bay and undertakes oyster restoration efforts in both Maryland and Virginia, including working with Chesapeake Bay Program partners on large-scale oyster restoration efforts. 

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Maryland Executive Director Allison Colden issued the following statement:  

“The achievement of this large-scale oyster restoration work over the past decade has become the global model for restoring oyster populations and reef habitat. The success of this work reflects the importance of strong partnerships and innovation in meeting a long-term goal in the larger effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay.  

“It’s critically important to build on the success of these oyster restoration projects and maintain momentum by expanding these initiatives to more tributaries in Maryland and Virginia. Restored oyster reefs support a healthy Chesapeake Bay, numerous economic opportunities, and strengthen our resilience to climate change for communities across the Bay watershed.” 

A new report suggests that the devastation from extreme rain events that claim lives, cause billions of dollars in damage, and pollute local waters, will become more severe in Pennsylvania if left unchecked, thanks to climate change.

The report “Extreme Precipitation in a Warming Climate,” by the science communication group Climate Central, predicts that on average, U.S. counties are likely to experience a 17 percent increase in extreme rainfall on the heaviest 1 percent of days. Much of the data in the report is from the U.S. Global Change Research Program’s Fifth National Climate Assessment.

For every 1°F of warming, the air can hold an extra 4 percent moisture, according to the report. 

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) notes that one inch of rain falling on an acre of hardened surface, such as streets and parking lots, produces 27,000 gallons of runoff. Stormwater passing over impervious surfaces often picks up oil, grease, dirt, and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and flows into nearby waterways.

According to the state’s latest report on impaired waters, 3,828 miles of Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams do not meet water quality standards because of polluted urban stormwater runoff and storm sewers. It is the third leading source of impairment.

The report details how much more rainfall is likely to fall in each Pennsylvania county during severe storms if the climate warms by 3.6 °F (2 °C). That includes Bucks County, 23.9 percent; Philadelphia, 22.5 percent; Centre County, 30.0 percent; Allegheny County, 17.4 percent; Lancaster County, 16.9; and Luzerne County, 15.8.

The Climate Central report notes that as the climate warmed between 1958 and 2021, 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 in the Southeast (including Virginia).

This increases the chances of heavier downpours that contribute to flash floods like those that killed seven people in Southeastern Pennsylvania last summer.

A grandmother, mother, and her two children were swept away by rushing waters after nearly 7 inches of rain fell on Bucks County in 45 minutes last July. The mother and 2-year-old daughter perished and the search for the 9-month-old son was called off. The father, a 4-year-old son, and the grandmother survived. Four other people died in Bucks County floodwaters that day.

Climate Central reported that flood damage costs in Pennsylvania totaled roughly $2.8 billion in 2020 and that figure could go up by 8 percent by 2050 as global temperatures continue to rise.

Harry Campbell, CBF Science Policy and Advocacy Director for Pennsylvania, issued the following statement:

“The impacts of climate change go well beyond warmer summertime highs.

“The Susquehanna River is already one of the most flood prone in the nation, and coupled with Pennsylvania’s aging infrastructure in many towns, costly flooding events are likely to increase in the coming years.

“The intense precipitation is also likely to increase the amounts of polluted runoff flowing into our lakes, rivers, and streams.

“When rainfall lands on a hot surface, like a parking lot, the solar energy is transferred to the cooler rainfall as it makes its way to the nearest waterbody. This superheated stormwater runoff can be so hot that it can critically harm critters that rely on clean, cool water to survive, like brook trout and the eastern hellbender.

“Because hotter water holds less dissolved oxygen than cold water, many critters will find it harder to breathe. If it doesn’t kill them, it can render them susceptible pathogens and diseases. To make matters worse, some pollutants can become more toxic in warmer waters.

“There’s one thing nearly every homeowner, community, and business can do to mitigate these negative impacts. Planting and preserving native trees, shrubs, and other vegetation alongside streams, streets, and other sensitive areas helps slow down, spread out, and soak in precipitation, filter out pollutants, and cools runoff.” 

Governor’s Announcement Raises Environmental, Public Health, and Legal Concerns

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced his intention to unilaterally withdraw the state from standards requiring a cleaner fleet of vehicles on the Commonwealth’s streets, raising environmental, health, and legal concerns. 

Tailpipe emissions remain a significant driver of water quality pollution, detrimental effects to Virginians’ health, and climate change impacts. Youngkin’s decision undermines Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts, removing a critical tool at a pivotal time in the fight to repair and restore waterways that Virginians depend on for economic, recreational, and health reasons. 

Roughly one-third of the nitrogen pollution in the Bay comes from the air, much of it from power plants and vehicle tailpipe exhaust. This airborne nitrogen can fall directly into the water or wash from the land into nearby streams. Pollution from cars is especially damaging to local rivers and streams because it is more likely to deposit in the surrounding area.

Personal vehicles are a major driver of climate change impacts. Tailpipe emissions account for 70 percent of the carbon pollution from the transportation sector, leading to increased flooding and extreme heat, driving up utility bills, and damaging homes and businesses. 

This action will also negatively impact Virginians’ health, disproportionately harming low-income communities and communities of color. According to the American Lung Association, widespread transition to electric vehicles could save Virginians $29.7 billion in healthcare costs, prevent 2,700 premature deaths, and avoid 70,900 asthma attacks.

Virginia was one of a number of Bay states that followed or planned to adopt the Clean Cars program, including standards for emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sales. Legislation passed in 2021 directs Virginia’s Air Pollution Control Board to adopt the clean car standards and subsequent updates to the program. The move required a gradual shift to electric vehicles.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Staff Attorney Patrick Fanning issued the following statement: 

“Virginia chose to adopt more protective vehicle standards because the Commonwealth chose to be a leader in the fight against transportation emissions that damage Virginians’ health, pollute critical waterways, and contribute to climate change. Virginia was one of multiple Bay states that opted into these standards, recognizing their essential benefit in the shared goal of restoring the Chesapeake Bay and building healthier and more sustainable communities. Governor Youngkin’s decision sends the state in the wrong direction when it has never been more urgent to address this major driver of environmental and health problems in the Commonwealth.” 

“The impacts of climate change to communities in the Bay watershed are not going away. In just this past year, we’ve seen multiple floods and more frequent, intense storms damage homes and businesses. Families are increasingly burdened by hospital bills. Tailpipe emissions remain a significant contributor to these detrimental impacts. Communities are calling for greater protection, not removal of an important shield in the fight against climate change, environmental degradation, and rising health care costs.”

“The Governor’s action relies on an Attorney General’s Opinion that misinterprets the law and undermines the clear intent of the General Assembly to require the Air Pollution Control Board to not only adopt clean car standards but also to periodically update them to ensure continued progress toward transitioning Virginia to a cleaner vehicle fleet.” 

Today, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) was honored to be present as Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced a new Executive Order to demonstrate effective implementation of Maryland’s Climate Pollution Reduction Plan through the leadership of state government. The plan aims to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions while also focusing on public health, environmental justice, and local green jobs. 

As part of Gov. Moore’s Executive Order, all state agencies will now have to submit a climate action plan and report progress to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) annually. The order will also establish a Climate Sub-Cabinet and roll out new building performance standards.

These actions will be instrumental in improving air and water quality, righting historical injustices, and improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

Allison Colden, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Maryland Executive Director, issued the following statement:

“Maryland communities are on the frontlines of the climate crisis. By reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving green infrastructure, and prioritizing communities, our state agencies can lead by example on how climate change action can be done effectively. 

“Prioritizing natural infrastructure like forests and marshes that draw down and store carbon can also improve habitat and water quality, leading to a healthier Chesapeake Bay. We commend Gov. Moore for this Executive Order that will directly benefit public health, environmental justice, and Bay health.”