After a brief hiatus, we're happy to bring back "This Week in the Watershed," a weekly update on all the happenings around the watershed. The past few months we were hard at work launching our new website, and updating our technology to better engage and serve the more than 18 million people in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Ultimately, the goal behind these updates is to help us better save the Bay and address the challenges of the day. And recently, one challenge has reigned supreme in our fight for clean water.
In March, the new Administration released the first version of their proposed federal budget. Alarmingly, the budget proposed to completely eliminate federal funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP). We've written extensively on why the CBP is critical for Bay cleanup efforts. This week, the new Administration released a second version of their proposed federal budget, and again, there was no funding for the CBP. As our recent statement asserts, it is outrageous to eliminate programs protecting clean water that are science-based, have strong bipartisan support, and most importantly, are working.
We will continue working tirelessly to protect funding for the critical Chesapeake Bay Program. But we can't do it without you. Tell Congress loud and clear that it must stand up to protect clean water in the Chesapeake Bay. Take action now.
This Week in the Watershed: A Budget Crisis, an Inspirational Garden, and Spring Cleaning
- Despite the danger of losing essential federal funding for the Chesapeake Bay cleanup, environmental advocates are cautiously optimistic. (WMRA—VA)
- As federal funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program is in jeopardy, the cleanup effort for the Great Lakes plays a critical role. (Baltimore Sun—MD)
- The Little Choptank on the Mid-Shore of the Chesapeake Bay is home to a critical oyster sanctuary that can be a point of contention. (Dorchester Banner—MD)
- Time is winding down to register for the annual "spring cleaning" of Virginia’s waterways – Clean the Bay Day! (The Virginian-Pilot—VA)
- CBF is working with student leaders in Pennsylvania to name the Eastern hellbender the official state amphibian of the Keystone State. (York Daily Record—PA)
- The new administration budget eliminates federal funding for the Chesapeake Bay cleanup. (Baltimore Sun—MD) BONUS: CBF Statement
- The farming of the future has landed in the Bay watershed. Precision agriculture is an eco-friendly practice, improving water quality by not applying excess nutrients. (Daily News Record—VA)
- The garden at Richmond's Second Baptist Church is an inspiration for community agriculture. (Richmond Free Press—VA)
What's Happening around the Watershed?
May 27
- Wrightsville, PA: The Second Annual Pennsylvania Student Leadership Council Canoe Classic is set to launch! High school students from across the Keystone State will team up in pairs of two and put their canoeing skills to the test against other high school teams. In addition to the competition, there will be food, live music, and an awards ceremony. Learn more here!
May 30
- Annapolis, MD: Join us for a trip on our skipjack! For most Chesapeake Bay fans, the word "skipjack" brings to mind romantic images of a Bay tradition. For watermen, the word means hard work and a long day of oyster dredging on the Bay. For trip participants on the Stanley Norman, the skipjack experience will involve a little of each! While aboard, you'll be invited to help hoist the sails or simply enjoy the view! You will leave with a better understanding of oysters and their role in keeping the Bay clean as well as what CBF is doing to restore the oyster stocks in order to save the Bay. Click here to register!
June 3
- Throughout Virginia: Join us for the 29th annual Clean the Bay Day! One of the largest volunteer efforts in Virginia, roughly 6,000 volunteers remove more than 100,000 pounds of harmful debris from Virginia's waterways and shorelines. With sites all across the Commonwealth, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. Click here to learn more and register!
- Annapolis, MD: Oyster gardeners are invited to return the oysters they have so diligently grown so CBF can plant them on sanctuary reefs, where they can live, filter, and reproduce happily among other oysters. Learn more!
- Easton, MD: The Clean Water Concert Series is back! Kick off the summer with an evening of Latino music and delicious ethnic food sold by street vendors! Cantaré draws from the musical heritage of the Caribbean and Central and South America to perform an entertaining blend of songs in Spanish and Portuguese, while sharing the rich cultural history of the music. The Shore's Latino community and all others welcome! The concert is free and open to the public. While enjoying the music, be sure to stop by the dozens of environmental and community exhibits, including CBF's, so that you can learn more about the Bay and how you can be a part of the movement to restore it. Learn more!
June 4
- Easton, MD: Oyster gardeners are invited to return the oysters they have so diligently grown so CBF can plant them on sanctuary reefs, where they can live, filter, and reproduce happily among other oysters. Learn more!
June 8
- Annapolis, MD: Oyster gardeners are invited to return the oysters they have so diligently grown so CBF can plant them on sanctuary reefs, where they can live, filter, and reproduce happily among other oysters. Learn more!
June 11
- Solomons, MD: Oyster gardeners are invited to return the oysters they have so diligently grown so CBF can plant them on sanctuary reefs, where they can live, filter, and reproduce happily among other oysters. Learn more!
June 24
- Easton, MD: The Clean Water Concert Series continues with the U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters. The Navy's official chorus performs pieces ranging from Broadway tunes to sea chanteys and everything in between. Top-notch entertainment you won't want to miss! The concert is free and open to the public. While enjoying the music, be sure to stop by the dozens of environmental and community exhibits, including CBF's, so that you can learn more about the Bay and how you can be a part of the movement to restore it. Learn more!
