{"id":48154,"date":"2026-08-11T11:30:23","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T15:30:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/?p=48154"},"modified":"2026-08-11T13:11:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T17:11:52","slug":"governor-moore-announces-maryland-achieves-nearly-all-of-2025-chesapeake-bay-restoration-goals-sets-sights-on-2040","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/2026\/08\/11\/governor-moore-announces-maryland-achieves-nearly-all-of-2025-chesapeake-bay-restoration-goals-sets-sights-on-2040\/","title":{"rendered":"Governor Moore Announces Maryland Achieves Nearly All of 2025 Chesapeake Bay Restoration Goals, Sets Sights on 2040"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Officials<\/a>

Maryland Department of Natural Resources officials and partners celebrate the completion of initial restoration at the Manokin River oyster sanctuary, marking a major milestone in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement goals. From left to right: Chesapeake Bay Foundation Maryland Executive Director Allison Colden; Oyster Recovery Partnership Executive Director Ward Slacum; Angela Sowers, of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District; UMCES Horn Point Laboratory Director Mike Sieracki; and DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz. Photo by Will Parson\/Chesapeake Bay Program<\/p><\/div>\n

Governor Wes Moore today announced Maryland has successfully met or surpassed nearly all of its pollution reduction targets set under the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement to improve water quality. Based on the most recent information from the Chesapeake Bay Program\u2019s pollution model, Maryland achieved 100% of its sediment reduction goal, 100% of the phosphorus reduction goal and 99% of the nitrogen reduction goal from 2009 to 2025. The model was updated this year based on data from 2025.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPreserving the Chesapeake Bay is crucial to the long-term success of our state\u2019s economy, culture, and identity,\u201d <\/span>said Gov. Moore. \u201cThe Bay\u2019s rivers and streams support our local environment, seafood, tourism, and recreational businesses, and our administration is committed to improving its water quality and protecting the Bay as a precious heirloom to pass down to future generations in a better condition than we received it.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Under the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, Maryland also helped achieve goals for <\/span>tributary-scale oyster restoration<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>land conservation<\/span><\/a>, fish passage, and public access.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maryland\u2019s pollution reductions outpaced the broader Bay partnership\u2019s efforts, which <\/span>met the sediment reduction goal<\/span><\/a> but fell short on meeting the watershed\u2019s overall goals for reducing nitrogen and phosphorus. Under the newly revised <\/span>Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement<\/span><\/a>, Bay watershed jurisdictions will continue working toward the 2025 pollutant reduction targets until 2030 when the partnership will adopt updated targets\u2014informed by the latest science\u2014to meet by 2040.<\/span><\/p>\n

By reducing sources of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution, investing in watershed-scale habitat improvements, and continuing the state\u2019s legacy of land conservation, Maryland is improving water quality for fish and crabs as well as the industries that depend on the Chesapeake Bay. Maryland\u2019s tourism economy generates an estimated $3.2 billion in economic activity around the Bay while the state\u2019s robust seafood industry contributes about $600 million annually to the state\u2019s economy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Achieving Clean Water Targets<\/strong><\/p>\n

In waterways, nitrogen and phosphorus fuel the growth of algal blooms. When these blooms die off and decompose, they remove oxygen from the surrounding waters quicker than it can be replenished, causing \u201cdead zones\u201d\u2014areas devoid of dissolved oxygen that make it difficult for marine life to survive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the latest Chesapeake Bay Program model, Maryland has reached the following progress levels toward its 2025 goals:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Pollutant<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Progress Toward Maryland\u2019s 2025 Reduction Goal<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Pounds Reduced Since 2009 in Maryland<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

\n

Nitrogen<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

99%<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

11,560,000<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Phosphorus<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

100%<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

970,000<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Sediment<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

100%<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

242,000,000<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Maryland\u2019s <\/span>watershed implementation plan<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>climate strategy<\/span><\/a> guide the state\u2019s actions to achieve its Chesapeake Bay pollution reduction targets. Much of Maryland\u2019s progress has been driven by decades of investment in advanced wastewater treatment systems at municipal wastewater treatment plants and the implementation of agricultural conservation practices such as cover crops, streamside forest buffers, and manure management systems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As Maryland moves into the next phase of Bay restoration and prepares to meet updated 2040 goals, the challenge will be to protect those gains and address pollution sources that are increasingly difficult to control. The state will continue maintaining and modernizing wastewater infrastructure while working to limit stormwater and agricultural runoff to prepare communities and farmers for changing weather conditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These efforts together with programs such as the <\/span>5 Million Trees for Maryland initiative<\/span><\/a>, the <\/span>Whole Watershed Program<\/span><\/a>, and certifying agricultural operations as <\/span>Leaders in Environmentally<\/span><\/a> Engaged Farming<\/span><\/a> will help Maryland translate statewide pollution reductions into measurable improvements in local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaryland is proud to have achieved these important water quality goals through decades of statewide work and innovation,\u201d <\/span>said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz. \u201cAs we enter the next phase of Bay restoration, we are building off our success through targeted reductions of nonpoint pollution sources such as stormwater runoff from our developed areas and farms.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve built real momentum in Maryland thanks to smart investments, strong standards and working together,\u201d <\/span>s<\/b>aid Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain. \u201cNow, we\u2019re tackling the next big challenges\u2014like stormwater, aging infrastructure, and more intense rainfall\u2014to deliver measurable improvements for the waterways Marylanders love and depend on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe progress we celebrate today would not be possible without Maryland\u2019s farmers,\u201d <\/span>said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. \u201cEvery cover crop planted, every stream protected, and every conservation practice adopted represents a producer making an investment in both their operation and the Chesapeake Bay. Maryland farmers continue to prove that agricultural productivity and environmental stewardship go hand in hand, and their leadership will remain critical as we work toward the Bay restoration goals of 2040.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe celebrate Maryland\u2019s progress today and look forward to continued success with the implementation of the Sustainable Growth Planning Principles, building on Maryland\u2019s long standing sustainable growth legacy,\u201d<\/span> said Maryland Department of Planning Secretary Rebecca L. Flora, AICP. \u201cWorking with our local government partners, the principles will assist in developing local plans that foster the growth of thriving communities and protect natural resources, working landscapes, forests and waterways, through access to best practices and models that are more adaptable to fast-changing conditions and are scaled to the local jurisdictions.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A Global Model for Habitat Restoration and Land Conservation<\/strong><\/p>\n

As part of the effort to reduce Bay pollutants, Maryland is building on its landmark efforts to conserve land in the watershed and restore oyster populations.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2025, Maryland finished work in the Manokin River, marking the completion of all five of the state\u2019s targeted oyster restoration tributaries under the 2014 Watershed Agreement: Harris Creek, Little Choptank, Tred Avon, St. Mary\u2019s and the Manokin.<\/span><\/p>\n

This effort, part of the largest oyster restoration project in the world, has contributed to a <\/span>tripling of the adult oyster population<\/span><\/a> in Maryland\u2019s portion of the Bay since 2005, according to the most recent oyster stock assessment. These reefs provide vital habitat for commercially important fish species and naturally filter the water.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maryland continues to prioritize the protection of its natural landscapes and the enhancement of public access to its waterways.<\/span><\/p>\n