Governor Moore named Chesapeake Executive Council chair

ANNAPOLIS, MD—This week, Governor Wes Moore was unanimously elected to serve as chair of the bipartisan Chesapeake Executive Council during a meeting hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C.. The council, which serves as the primary policy and leadership body of the formal Chesapeake Bay Partnership’s effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, is comprised of the nine signatories […]

Chesapeake Bay Foundation encouraged by changes to protect declining Chesapeake blue crab population, issues statement on dead zone forecast

BALTIMORE, MD—In response to the lowest abundance of crabs ever counted in the 33-year history of the Chesapeake Bay’s winter blue crab dredge survey, fishery managers at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Virginia Marine Resources Commission this week adopted new regulations designed to reduce the crab harvest. The regulations aim to help the overall Chesapeake crab population rebound. […]

House passes massive infrastructure bill with big boost for Chesapeake Bay Program, Governor Hogan issues statement

ANNAPOLIS, MD—The Chesapeake Bay Foundation hailed Friday night’s passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. The bill boosts funding for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program by a historic $238 million over five years. The House approved the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act by a vote of 228-206. The U.S. Senate passed the […]

Governor Hogan urges congressional leaders to protect, increase funding for Chesapeake Bay restoration

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan, chairman of the Chesapeake Executive Council, wrote to congressional leaders on Wednesday calling for a reversal of proposed cuts to federal funding for Chesapeake Bay restoration. Maryland is urging an increase in funding to $90.5 million, while the Trump administration’s proposed FY21 budget cuts funding for these programs by more than 90 percent, to $7.3 million. […]

Governor Hogan issues statement on Federal Government’s proposed cuts to Chesapeake Bay funding

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan, chairman of the Chesapeake Executive Council, issued the following statement this week after the Trump administration proposed cutting funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program by 91 percent to $7.3 million: “The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure, and our administration has committed $6 billion, the most ever in history, to restoration efforts. “Maryland is leading the […]

Governor Hogan urges Congress to fully fund Chesapeake Bay restoration

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan, chairman of the Chesapeake Executive Council, along with other watershed state leaders sent a letter on Thursday to U.S. House of Representatives and Senate leaders calling on Congress to fully fund federal Chesapeake Bay restoration programs. The Senate approved a measure today that increases funding for the Bay, but falls short of the $85 million in […]

Chesapeake Bay underwater grasses show resilience despite record rainfall

NOTTINGHAM, MD – The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reported this week that Chesapeake Bay underwater grass abundance fared better than expected in 2018, despite extreme rainfall causing a spike in nutrients and sediments. An estimated 50,015 acres of underwater grasses were mapped in Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay. Baywide, about 91,559 acres of underwater grasses were mapped in […]

2019 report shows 60 percent increase in blue crab population

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The annual Blue Crab Advisory Report, released Tuesday by the Chesapeake Bay Program and developed by the Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee, finds that the overall Chesapeake Bay blue crab population is not depleted and is not being over-fished. The blue crab population in the bay increased nearly 60 percent from 372 million in 2018 to 594 million in […]