Region’s Leaders Face Pivotal Test in Implementing Bay Restoration Plan

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Urges Bold Action by State, Federal Leaders to Meet 2040 Goals

As a key committee of state and federal leaders meets tomorrow to hash out Chesapeake Bay restoration plans, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is calling on them to take bold action to meet clean water goals by 2040.

In an important show of unity last December, governors from states around the Chesapeake Bay and federal partners agreed to an updated Chesapeake Bay restoration plan for the next 15 years. Since 1983, versions of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement have held together an unprecedented effort to restore the Bay—a national model of cooperative federalism to restore and conserve a national treasure.

The final agreement has a uniform deadline of 2040 for meeting Bay restoration goals to create clean water, thriving habitats and wildlife, healthy landscapes, and engaged communities. It also includes a 2033 midpoint check-in that offers a chance to adapt to the latest science.

Importantly, the updated agreement reaffirms the legally-binding commitments states have made to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution to the Bay’s rivers and streams.

Now states must put the investments and policies in place to meet those goals before 2040. While previous agreements have sparked important progress throughout the decades, states have repeatedly failed to fully meet all restoration goals. On June 30 at a Bay Program Principals Staff Committee meeting, high-level state and federal leaders will discuss next steps for reaching a restored Bay.

CBF urges state and federal leaders to develop an ambitious strategic plan to meet Bay restoration goals by 2040. The plan should offer opportunities to incorporate the latest science throughout the process, benefit plants and animals as well as reduce water pollution, and integrate indigenous knowledge. It also must confront mounting challenges from climate change, population growth, and development.

CBF President and CEO Hilary Harp Falk issued the following statement:

“The updated Chesapeake Bay Agreement reflects something remarkable: states across the watershed and the federal government came together around a shared promise to restore America’s largest estuary. Now comes the hard part. Success won’t be measured by commitments on paper. It will be measured by what leaders do in the coming years to reach these goals by 2040.

“Good intentions alone don’t restore the Chesapeake Bay. States have made meaningful progress over the past four decades, but it hasn’t been enough. Meeting the 2040 deadline will require sustained investment, decisions driven by science, and accountability at every level of government. The pollution reduction commitments in this agreement aren’t just promises; they’re legally binding under the Clean Water Act. We expect every jurisdiction to meet them.

“We’ll work alongside our state and federal partners to help turn this vision into reality. But if governments fail to uphold their commitments, we are prepared to use every tool available to hold them accountable. The Chesapeake Bay has shown us that restoration is possible when we follow the science and have the courage to act. This is our opportunity to finish the job for future generations.”