{"id":45811,"date":"2025-10-07T13:59:23","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T17:59:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/?p=45811"},"modified":"2025-10-07T13:59:23","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T17:59:23","slug":"secretarys-message-maryland-fights-for-stronger-chesapeake-bay-watershed-agreement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/2025\/10\/07\/secretarys-message-maryland-fights-for-stronger-chesapeake-bay-watershed-agreement\/","title":{"rendered":"Secretary\u2019s Message: Maryland Fights for Stronger Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement"},"content":{"rendered":"

Federal government shutdown could impact Agreement\u2019s finalization<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\"Several<\/a>

Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz, Columbia Beach community members, Arundel Rivers staff and DNR staff cut the ribbon on the completed living shoreline project at Franklin Point State Park. Maryland DNR photo<\/p><\/div>\n

Last week, Maryland Department of Natural Resources staff joined representatives from other jurisdictions in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to recommend proposed changes to the revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement based on the public feedback we received this year.<\/span><\/p>\n

The updates to this important agreement took place at the <\/span>Chesapeake Bay Program\u2019s Management Board<\/span><\/a> retreat in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Representatives from Bay jurisdictions are working with federal agencies on the Management Board to revise the voluntary <\/span>2014 Bay Watershed Agreement<\/span><\/a> that guides Bay-related environmental and water quality outcomes and goals for Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and New York. These jurisdictions make up the Chesapeake Bay\u2019s watershed, and are joined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), on behalf of the federal government, and the Chesapeake Bay Commission as signatories of the Agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n

The initial draft of the newly revised agreement received a significant amount of public feedback when it was released over the summer, with many submitted comments calling for Bay partnership members to commit to a firm timeline for meeting pollution reduction goals and to strengthen environmental outcomes. Meeting these goals and outcomes has long been viewed by scientists and advocates as one of the most effective ways to improve overall water quality and increase populations of fish, crabs, and other wildlife that depend on the Bay.<\/span><\/p>\n

We heard the feedback and Maryland representatives are working to strengthen the revised Agreement in response.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the retreat, Maryland representatives advocated for the following significant changes to the revised draft Agreement:<\/b><\/p>\n