Press Statement

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Calls on Legislators to Support Clean Water, Environmental Education, and Resilience 

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin today proposed a two-year budget that includes investment in farm conservation practices, stormwater, and sewage treatment plant upgrades, which all reduce pollution to Virginia rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.  

Gov. Youngkin’s budget proposal comes after earlier this month he joined three other governors from the region, along with other federal and state leaders, in committing to a Chesapeake Bay restoration plan for the next 15 years. Investment in state programs that cut pollution is important to the success of this plan.  The budget includes the following levels of proposed funding:  

• $286 million for the Virginia Agricultural Cost-Share program, which helps farmers install projects that reduce pollution to local waterways, including fencing cattle from streams and planting trees along rivers. Investing in agriculture is one of the most cost-effective ways to prevent pollution to rivers, streams, and the Chesapeake Bay.  
• $140,555,000 to continue installing pollution-slashing upgrades to Virginia wastewater treatment plants. The ongoing modernization of these plants has shown massive results in reducing pollution to the Bay. But this proposal falls significantly short of what assessments show is needed to reduce wastewater pollution.   
• $43,494,528 for the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund, which helps communities reduce polluted runoff—one of the fastest-growing sources of water pollution—from pavement and buildings in cities and suburbs. 
• Reduces funding for water and air monitoring by almost $2 million. 
• Removes all funding for addressing the Richmond Combined Sewer Overflow.  

The budget shortchanges Virginia’s pollution reduction efforts by committing less Water Quality Improvement Fund (WQIF) dollars than required by statute. The General Assembly should ensure the full amount of WQIF dollars are committed to Virginia’s wastewater and agricultural pollution reduction efforts. 

Virginia’s two-year budget will be considered during Virginia’s upcoming legislative session and take effect during the incoming Spanberger Administration. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is calling on Virginia legislators to:  

• Rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) as soon as possible and commit $100 million in General Funds to the Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF), which provides grants that protect homes and businesses from flooding.  
• Invest $50 million the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund. 
• Increase funding for the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP) to $7 million, supporting private property owners, schools, and community organizations in installing nature-based projects that reduce stormwater pollution. 
• Fund and make permanent Virginia’s Pay for Outcomes program, an innovative approach to clean-water projects that ties state investment to measurable results—spurring efforts that cut pollution most effectively.  
• Support environmental education by investing $1.5 million annually in the Virginia Watershed Education Program Fund to help ensure every Virginia student has the opportunity for hands-on learning with Virginia’s extraordinary natural resources. Governor Youngkin’s budget proposal cuts supplemental funding for environmental education when Virginia is already woefully behind.   
• Allocate $4 million to the Department of Forestry’s Trees for Clean Water grant program, which supports community-based tree planting and restoration projects in a time when Virginia is losing tree cover at an alarming rate. 

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

“Investing in clean water and preparing for climate change strengthens our economy, protects lives and livelihoods, and creates a more beautiful Virginia. 

“Though Governor Youngkin’s budget proposal includes funding for farm conservation work, stormwater, and wastewater treatment plant upgrades, it still falls woefully short. Virginia communities desperately need support to prepare for increasingly severe storms and flooding.  

“Virginia now has an opportunity support innovative work to reduce pollution, respond to the rapid tree cover decline, and educate the next generation with hands-on outdoor learning. We look forward to working with legislators and the incoming Spanberger Administration to invest in clean water, resilience, and a thriving, prosperous Virginia in the future.”  

Last week, the Cecil County Circuit Court granted a stay, or hold, on the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s (CBF) challenge to a Maryland discharge permit for the proposed AquaCon salmon aquaculture facility in Port Deposit, Maryland. The stay will remain in place while the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) reviews a permit modification request from AquaCon that has the potential to better protect water quality in the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay.  

In April 2025, CBF challenged MDE’s wastewater discharge permit for the proposed facility because it would not adequately prevent pollution from entering Maryland waterways. AquaCon’s newly proposed facility is just five miles upstream from the famed Susquehanna Flats underwater grass beds—a critical nursery habitat for striped bass, perch, American and hickory shad, and other iconic Bay wildlife. 

After CBF’s case was filed, AquaCon submitted a permit modification request asking MDE to strengthen six key provisions in the permit. The requested modifications have the potential to improve the permit’s environmental protections, and therefore the parties have agreed to pause the lawsuit pending the completion of the permit modification process.  

CBF’s legal challenge is based on serious concerns regarding the facility’s wastewater discharge permit for its purge water. Purge water is the slimy rinse water that’s generated when land-grown fish are held prior to harvest to rid them of a musty taste. Maryland’s discharge permit regulates how much purge water, and whatever nutrient, sediment, and other pollution it contains, can be piped directly into the Susquehanna River—which contributes roughly 50 percent of the total freshwater into the Bay.  

Most concerning in the original permit was the large volume of pollution allowed to enter the river, and the lack of a complete and enforceable nutrient offset plan, which is intended to mitigate the facility’s environmental harm. AquaCon’s permit modification request attempts to address several of the concerns raised in the case by making pollution limits more stringent. 

All parties have agreed to put a hold on CBF’s lawsuit pending the final permit modification process. This process will include another chance for CBF and community members to review the proposed revisions to the permit and provide comments. Interested parties can attend a public informational meeting held by MDE on Jan. 7 at 5:30 pm at the Cecil County Public Library. 

A wastewater discharge permit is just one of several permits AquaCon must obtain before it can operate. CBF will be monitoring this project closely as it progresses. 

CBF’s Maryland Staff Scientist Gussie Maguire issued the following statement: 

“The Susquehanna Flats are simply too precious to roll the dice. Land-based, recirculating salmon farming is still an experimental industry. As the first of its kind in Maryland, the AquaCon facility must be held to the highest sustainability standards. 

“We’re hopeful that this process will lead to a stronger permit and, in turn, cleaner water and protection of critical habitats. We will be keeping a close eye on this permit modification process and future permits as the project continues.” 

Peña-Melnyk Steps into Speakership at a Critical Time in Maryland’s Progress Towards Healthy Water, Air, and Improved Resilience Against Climate Change

Today, members of the Maryland General Assembly met in special session to elect Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk as Speaker of the House. Speaker Peña-Melnyk has been a state representative for nearly 20 years, representing parts of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties. She succeeds Speaker Adrienne Jones, who stepped down from the position earlier this year. 

Speaker Peña-Melnyk brings a wealth of experience to her new role, having served as Chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee since 2022. The committee has seen firsthand the importance of efficient, well-resourced government services to achieve environmental progress, as well as the direct connection between clean air and water and public health. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) congratulates Speaker Peña-Melnyk on her historic election and looks forward to working with her on critical environmental priorities. 

CBF Maryland Executive Director Allison Colden issued the following statement: 

“Congratulations to Maryland’s new House Speaker, Joseline Peña-Melnyk. Maryland has long been a national leader in environmental stewardship thanks to leaders like Peña-Melnyk. 

“Our parks, farms, forests, and waterways are what make Maryland such a great place to live, even as pressures of a growing population mount and the effects of climate change are felt on a daily basis. The House of Delegates has historically prioritized the environment in their policy and budget decisions, and we look forward to this continuing under Speaker Peña-Melnyk’s leadership.” 

Virginia Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger announced today that she has nominated Virginia Delegate David Bulova to be the state’s next Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources.  

Del. Bulova currently represents parts of Fairfax County and Fairfax City in the Virginia General Assembly. As a leader on environmental issues, he has worked closely with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) throughout his tenure. In 2019, CBF named him Virginia Legislator of the Year.   

He recently served as the Chairman of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, where he helped lead all states in the Bay watershed through the renegotiated Bay Agreement. This experience will assist Delegate Bulova in being a sound advisor and decision-maker on environmental issues facing the Spanberger Administration. His position must next be confirmed by the General Assembly this upcoming legislative session. 

CBF Virginia Policy Manager Jay Ford issued the following statement.  

“As Virginia welcomes a new gubernatorial Administration and an updated Chesapeake Bay Agreement, strong leadership, fruitful partnerships, and innovative approaches will be more important than ever.  

“We congratulate Delegate Bulova and look forward to working closely with him and the Spanberger Administration to ensure a Chesapeake Bay that can be enjoyed by all. Their leadership and experience will be invaluable to the Commonwealth.” 

The House of Representatives today passed legislation that would unravel Clean Water Act protections that safeguard people’s health, protect our waters from pollution, and play a central role in restoring the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers and streams. 

The Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today (PERMIT) Act passed by a vote of 221-205. Billed as a measure to cut red tape, streamline the permitting process, and provide business with regulatory certainty, the PERMIT Act instead would: 

• Cripple states’ and tribes’ authority to protect critical water bodies from pollution from federally permitted projects such as construction of oil and gas pipelines. 
• Allow polluters to knowingly dump “forever chemicals” like PFAS and other emerging contaminants into our waters without accountability. 
• Weaken the Army Corps of Engineers’ already lax nationwide permitting program, which is supposed to prevent and mitigate damage caused by construction projects that fill in water bodies and wetlands. 
• Enshrine in the Clean Water Act exemptions from the law’s protections for streams that don’t flow year-round, groundwater, wastewater treatment systems, and certain agricultural lands, making it impossible for future administrations to fix these loopholes without Congress amending the law. 
• Give the Army Corps of Engineers blanket authority to exclude any kind of water body from Clean Water Act protections with no input from EPA. 

If the PERMIT Act became law, the Bay region would lose remaining protections not already gutted in the Trump administration’s destructive rollback of the Clean Water Act’s safeguards for wetlands. Wetlands provide wildlife habitat, help protect communities from storm surges and flooding, and act as natural filters that improve water quality in the Bay and its rivers and streams across the region. 

Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Senior Policy Director Keisha Sedlacek released the following statement:

“This dangerous bill would increase water pollution, accelerate wetlands destruction, give polluters a free pass, and threaten to reverse states’ hard-won gains restoring the Bay and its rivers and streams. The harm it could do is staggering. 

“The families, communities, and businesses of the Bay region depend on clean water for everything from drinking and cooking to making a living and enjoying time outdoors. Clean water is essential for iconic Bay species like blue crabs, oysters, and osprey.

 “Congress should be strengthening the Clean Water Act, not undermining it. House members from the Bay region and everyone who values clean water and holding polluters accountable must reject this destructive legislation.” 

Dead Zone Report Issued as Leaders Recommit to Restored Bay

Just as the region’s leaders commit to a Chesapeake Bay restoration plan, a new report shows the Chesapeake Bay’s “dead zone” remained at average levels in 2025. Every year, this low-oxygen area threatens to smother underwater life like fish, crabs, and oysters that are essential to the region’s culture and economy.  

The Chesapeake Bay Dead Zone Report Card was released last week by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Maryland Department of Natural Resources.  

Dead zones form every summer in parts of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers, creating areas where oxygen levels in the water drop so low that aquatic life can’t survive. The main cause is out-of-control algae growth fed by nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. Agal blooms cloud the water and deplete oxygen levels when they die and decompose. 

The size and duration of the dead zone changes from year to year, often due to weather. Heavy rain washes more pollution into the Bay and combined with hot summer temperatures create the perfect conditions for explosive algae growth.  Rising temperatures due to climate change makes the problem worse because warm water holds less oxygen. The best way to reduce dead zones is to prevent excess nitrogen and phosphorus from flowing into the Bay. 

The dead zone report comes just after federal and state leaders last week met in person and agreed to a Chesapeake Bay restoration plan for the next 15 years. This update to the Chesapeake Bay agreement reaffirmed commitments by the states and federal government to meet legally binding commitments to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution. 

At last week’s meeting, Delaware Governor Matt Meyer, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, and Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser all emphasized their support for a healthier Chesapeake Bay.   

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Senior Vice President for Programs Alison Hooper Prost issued the following statement: 

“The dead zone is an existential threat to life in the Chesapeake Bay. With climate change intensifying, now is the time to ramp up work to stop pollution from flowing into rivers and the Bay.  

“Fortunately, governors from across the region just agreed to a 15-year Bay restoration plan. This agreement reinforces legal commitments to reduce the nitrogen and phosphorus pollution that feeds life-smothering dead zones. Backed by decades of experience and the latest science as a guide, there’s real hope for a restored Bay. 

“The next step is clear. Now the states, the District of Columbia, and federal government must deliver the policies and investments needed to reduce pollution, restore habitats, and leave a healthier Chesapeake Bay for future generations.”  

Yesterday, Maryland Delegate Adrienne Jones announced she will be stepping down from her leadership role as House Speaker prior to the 2026 General Assembly Session. Jones has served as a member of the House of Delegates since 1997 and as Speaker since 2019. During that time, Maryland has made notable progress towards a healthier Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) thanks Speaker Jones for her leadership and decades of service to Maryland and the Bay. 

CBF Executive Director Allison Colden issued the following statement: 

“House Speaker Jones is a true champion for Maryland and we are grateful for her years of leadership service. Under her watch, we’ve seen tremendous improvements for our environment, including updating the state’s Forest Conservation Act, addressing the threats of industrial sludge, advancing targeted restoration through a Whole Watershed approach, and prioritizing environmental agencies and programs through unprecedented fiscal challenges. We wish her well during this transition.” 

City Wants to Delay Repairs 16 Years, Threatening Community Health and Clean Water

To help prevent additional sewage overflows and pollution in Baltimore, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and Blue Water Baltimore this week urged the Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW), Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to complete critical sewer line upgrades by 2030. 

Just last month, a failing pipe caused over 1.7 million gallons of raw sewage to leak into Jones Falls. These events can expose residents to harmful pollution, devastate wildlife, and degrade the Chesapeake Bay. 

A 2002 consent decree between Baltimore City, MDE, EPA, and Blue Water Baltimore required the city to upgrade its old and failing sewer infrastructure. Many upgrades have already been made that are expected to decrease sewage overflows by 94%, according to DPW. However, Phase II of the plan, which includes some of the city’s most challenging and expensive work, is severely lacking. 

The original agreement had a construction deadline of 2030. Yet after two failed attempts at revising the plan, DPW is now suggesting a 2046 timeline. Delaying necessary improvements, such as relining pipes and replacing manholes, will significantly increase the risks of additional sewage overflows, sewage backups in people’s basements, and would likely lead to even more expensive repairs and cleanup efforts in the future. 

The city cites funding concerns for the delay, rightfully not wanting to raise rates for the community members most affected by these systems. But delaying improvements won’t make them less expensive and can put Maryland residents at risk. There are various funding sources offered by EPA and other federal agencies that Baltimore has not yet explored to fund this critical work. 

This is DPW’s third attempt to finalize Phase II of the modified consent decree. The two initial drafts were deemed insufficient by MDE and EPA.  

In separate letters to Baltimore City, CBF and BWB urged the involved agencies to diligently review Phase II and to enforce the initial deadline. While great progress has been made reducing wastewater pollution in the Bay, the issues that remain are some of the most threatening to people, wildlife, and clean water. 

CBF Maryland Staff Scientist Gussie Maguire issued the following statement: 

“Baltimore’s aging sewage infrastructure breaks down even under ideal conditions and is no match for climate change and the intense weather we’re experiencing on a regular basis. Last month’s 1.7 million gallon overflow in the Jones Falls happened during a dry spell—no stormwater to blame. Baltimore can no longer let failing systems go unchecked, and delaying repairs to 2046 would be simply unacceptable. 

“The further Baltimore City kicks the can on sewage repairs, the more polluted overflows that communities will endure and the more expensive future repairs will be. CBF urges Baltimore to make the necessary investments now rather than risk further degradation of our waterways and communities.” 

Blue Water Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper Alice Volpitta said:  

“We are calling on all parties involved to create a plan that doesn’t just push problems down the road, and that uses the best available data to prioritize urgent investments. Our residents deserve a plan that protects their right to clean water, not delays that drag on indefinitely.” 

The new wetlands definition the Trump administration proposed today would further gut federal protections for wetlands and other waters essential for a healthy Chesapeake Bay.

The Bay region’s roughly 1.5 million acres of wetlands trap and filter pollution, absorb storm surges, and provide valuable habitat for the region’s fish and wildlife. They protect low-lying communities from flooding and erosion. Wetlands also fight climate change by storing carbon. 

The proposed rule would codify the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Sackett v. EPA, which dramatically limited the scope of Clean Water Act safeguards for wetlands not directly connected to a nearby waterway and wetlands that don’t flow all year round. 

This Bay region is home to thousands of isolated wetlands, called Delmarva Bays and pocosins, and more than 118,000 linear miles of streams that flow intermittently or only during certain seasons. Without federal protection, only state regulations would be left to prevent development or destruction of these valuable natural resources.  

Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the District of Columbia have their own wetlands rules. However, loopholes, waivers, and limited enforcement would leave many of these ecologically important wetlands at risk.  

But Delaware, where Delmarva Bays are plentiful, and West Virginia, where the mountainous terrain can accelerate flooding, both rely solely on the federal definition to protect wetlands and intermittent and seasonal streams in their jurisdiction. 

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Senior Policy Director Keisha Sedlacek issued the following statement: 

“EPA’s plan to further strip wetlands protections would deal a serious blow to Bay restoration. 

“Wetlands, including those isolated from other waters, and streams that don’t flow continuously all year are critical to clean water in the Bay and its local rivers and streams.

“They also provide habitat and spawning grounds for fish, waterfowl, and wildlife important to our region’s seafood and outdoor recreation industries. And they’re invaluable for softening the blow of extreme weather on low-lying communities like Annapolis and Norfolk. 

“Absent robust federal protections, the Bay states and D.C. must fill the gaps or risk losing wetlands and streams that help save the Bay to short-sighted and irresponsible development and destruction.” 

With legislation to end the government shutdown and fund the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through fiscal year 2026, government agencies and employees key to saving the Bay can finally get back to work.  

The record-breaking six-week shutdown forced them to set aside important efforts like monitoring pollution levels, conducting research on challenges to Bay restoration, and funding conservation projects that promote clean water, healthy soil, and restore fish and wildlife habitat. 

USDA is among a handful of agencies that will get final spending plans for fiscal 2026, which began October 1. That means experts with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) can now get back in the field helping farmers implement projects that reduce pollution to rivers and streams that flow into the Chesapeake Bay.  

But they’ll have a smaller budget than last year. The bill cuts funding for NRCS work by $65 million to $850 million from $915 million. But it does provide $2 million in grant funds to processors of invasive wild-caught blue catfish. These voracious predators are wreaking havoc on native species like blue crabs and striped bass. Grants to process them for commercial sale can help reduce their numbers and the damage they’re doing to the Bay ecosystem. 

The shutdown-ending bill will continue to fund the rest of the government agencies, including EPA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Fish and Wildlife Service, at fiscal 2025 levels through January 30.  

That gives Congress less than 12 weeks to finish the remaining nine appropriations bills. Otherwise, agencies and programs covered by bills Congress fails to pass by the end of January will be forced to shut down again. 

Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Senior Policy Director Keisha Sedlacek released the following statement: 

“Now that this record-breaking shutdown is over, agencies and employees vital to saving the Bay can get back to this important work. 

“The shutdown took a serious toll on Bay recovery efforts that includes six weeks of stalled conservation projects, farmers waiting to be reimbursed, crucial water quality data not being collected, and pollution inspectors sidelined.

“We’re not out of the woods yet. This deal only offers a 12-week reprieve for key Bay restoration agencies like EPA, NOAA, and USGS. There’s no time to waste. Congress must finish its job and negotiate fiscal 2026 budgets for all agencies. 

“More importantly, congressional leaders and the president must break this destructive cycle of government shutdowns before the damage they do to the Bay and its waterways becomes irreversible.”