CBF Congratulates Shapiro, State, and Federal Leaders

Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) congratulates the newly-elected U.S. and State legislators and Governor Shapiro. Working together to revitalize the Susquehanna River, all of its tributaries, and the communities that rely on them must be a priority for Pennsylvania in this critical time.

For the first time in over 30 years, Democrats will control the House of Representatives, Senate, and Governor’s office in Pennsylvania.

CBF aims to aid Governor Shapiro, who has demonstrated environmental leadership serving as the Chair of the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council, as he moves into his second term. Supporting Pennsylvania’s General Assembly as they work to address key environmental issues such as stormwater infrastructure, data centers, and community resiliency will be crucial in the upcoming legislative session.

The Governor and Pennsylvania lawmakers must ensure data centers are regulated and are not causing undue harm to the water and communities around them. They must also continue to support stormwater infrastructure work to improve our local communities’ ability to weather strong storms and flooding.

Improving the water quality in the Susquehanna River, one of the most important tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay, will have an outsized impact downstream. The Trump administration’s recent executive order and other actions have injected uncertainty into Bay protection efforts. Strong leadership and advocacy in Congress is needed more than ever from federal legislators representing Pennsylvania.

Federal funding for the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program, NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office, and USGS’s Chesapeake Bay Program Activities, as well as legislation like the Farm Bill, are critical for preserving the Bay and its waterways, mitigating climate change, and enhancing water quality for the more than 18 million people who call the watershed home.

Julia Krall, CBF Pennsylvania Executive Director, issued the following statement:

“We look forward to working with Governor Shapiro and members of Pennsylvania’s General Assembly to safeguard the health of our state’s rivers, and streams. Progress on critical issues like data centers and flooding from stormwater have the greatest potential to benefit our communities.

“Pennsylvania has over 85,000 miles of rivers and streams that people work, play, and live beside. In addition to our work within the General Assembly, we look forward to working with elected federal officials to ensure Pennsylvania waters are taken care of, and our communities are thriving.

“Improving something as large and complex as a watershed takes all of us. We have an opportunity to truly come together across state lines, and across the aisle, to help improve our environment and our communities.”

Keisha Sedlacek, CBF Senior Policy Director, issued the following statement:

“The incoming Pennsylvania delegation will be sworn in at a critical time for Chesapeake Bay restoration and preservation efforts. Strong leadership in Congress will be needed to help ensure that we continue to build on solid but incomplete progress on Bay cleanup targets and beat back efforts from this administration that threaten Bay health.

“Saving the Bay has always been a bipartisan endeavor. We’re confident the incoming delegation will continue regional leaders’ strong stewardship of Bay priorities.”