Chesapeake Bay NGO Community Raises Collective Voice at Critical Point in Restoration Effort
(ANNAPOLIS, MD)—Yesterday, the Choose Clean Water Coalition submitted formal feedback to the draft revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement (draft Agreement). Starting as a simple one-page document in 1983, the Chesapeake Bay Agreement is a voluntary commitment between the Bay jurisdictions, EPA, and the Chesapeake Bay Commission that serves as a comprehensive guide to the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers and streams.
The latest iteration of the Bay Agreement was signed in 2014 and set the deadline of December 2025 to have all pollution reduction practices in place. While many goals were met, there is a need to reevaluate our strategies and recommit to protecting and restoring all the rivers and streams that feed the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Program released its draft Agreement and accepted public feedback July 1-September 1.
With clean water at the heart of every healthy community, the Choose Clean Water Coalition is pleased with the broad and comprehensive approach of the draft Agreement. However, the Coalition has several areas of concern. These include:
Need for a Standard Timeline: While the draft Agreement sets laudable goals, its scattered timelines for various goals and outcomes is like a ship with a broken compass. One standard timeline for the whole Agreement is necessary so we can chart our collective course with a common timeline.
Inclusion of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL): The pollution limits set through the Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL, are an essential piece of the overall restoration effort. It's critical the Agreement mentions the TMDL and the nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment reduction targets.
Need to Accelerate Progress: In the current revised Agreement, the attainment and monitoring targets do not reflect an acceleration of progress. If progress was maintained at the current rate suggested in the draft Agreement, restoration of the Chesapeake Bay would take 350 years. That is unacceptable. The Chesapeake Bay Program must set targets that accelerate progress, not maintain the status quo.
Increase Wetlands Targets: Wetlands are nature's sponge, absorbing and filtering water while providing critical habitat for critters. The draft Agreement undermines the value of wetlands by setting goals drastically low. With wetlands threatened by development and more critical than ever to alleviate flooding, the new Agreement needs to set higher wetlands goals.
Add the Indigenous Conservation Council as a Signatory: While the Chesapeake is often recognized as an example for the restoration and conservation community, we are far behind other geographic programs when it comes to recognizing tribal sovereignty and authentic Indigenous engagement. The Coalition asks for the development of a plan for discussions and a path forward for Indigenous representation on the Chesapeake Executive Council.
Address Invasive Catfish: Invasive catfish (blue and flathead) are decimating the ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The reduction and management of their population requires a collaborative effort, which is why invasive catfish should be added to the Agreement.
Ultimately, 91 organizations endorsed the Coalition's feedback letter. In response, Choose Clean Water Coalition Director Kristin Reilly issued the following statement:
"This is a unique time in the history of Chesapeake Bay restoration and protection. We have a special opportunity to revise the plan to conserve this national treasure. The collaborative partnership of states and federal partners serves as a national and international model for restoration and is the key to success.
"But we are far from the finish line. While the current draft revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement provides a solid foundation, it is lacking in several key areas. The Coalition's feedback on the draft Agreement outlines ways to make the Agreement stronger, inspire innovative solutions, and broaden our restoration tent.
"We have to be willing to change the way we approach this work, even if it means taking risks. Doing what we have always done has proven insufficient, and we cannot expect different outcomes with the same actions.
"The stakes are high, as this plan will chart our course for at least the next decade. We owe it to future generations to aim high, work together, and leave a legacy of clean water and healthy communities."
The Choose Clean Water Coalition is an organization that harnesses the collective power of more than 300 local, state, regional and national groups to advocate for clean rivers and streams in all communities in the Chesapeake region.
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Media Contact:
Drew Robinson
443-927-8049
RobinsonAQ@nwf.org
