Inclusion of Indigenous Voices in Chesapeake Bay Restoration Effort Delayed

(ANNAPOLIS, MD)—Today, it was announced a decision on the future of tribal representation in the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort will be delayed. In January 2025, the Indigenous Conservation Council of the Chesapeake Bay (ICC), which represents the seven federally recognized tribes in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, petitioned to become a signatory of the Chesapeake Bay Agreement. At December’s Chesapeake Executive Council meeting–attended by Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, Delaware Governor Matthew Meyer, and District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser–the Executive Council directed the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Principals’ Staff Committee to make a recommendation by June 30 on ICC’s request.

At today’s meeting of the Principals’ Staff Committee, they shared that ICC will not become a signatory at the moment but proposed to have an official recommendation to the Chesapeake Executive Council by their meeting date later this year. In response, Choose Clean Water Coalition Director Kristin Reilly issued the following statement:

“Our conservation efforts in the Chesapeake region are often held up as an example for a successful multijurisdiction restoration effort. But we are far behind other geographic programs when it comes to recognizing tribal sovereignty and authentically engaging Indigenous communities.

“Adding Indigenous voices, knowledge, and experience to the Chesapeake Bay Program would make our restoration movement undeniably stronger. In other geographic programs across the country, tribes have led on-the-ground restoration efforts, provided increased support for state and federal partners, and contributed new research and data to help inform decision making. Tribal leaders not only deserve a seat at the table, but a true leadership role within the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership.

“We expect the Chesapeake Bay Program to have a final recommendation, created in consultation with the Tribal Nations, by the Executive Council meeting in December. The Choose Clean Water Coalition and our more than 320 nonprofit member organizations are invested in ensuring tribal leadership and representation are a priority within the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership.”

The Choose Clean Water Coalition is an organization that harnesses the collective power of more than 320 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
Choose Clean Water Coalition
443-927-8049
RobinsonAQ@nwf.org