Turning the Tide on the Chesapeake Bay: Giving Thanks for Pennsylvania’s Progress and a New Opportunity for Leadership

This was originally published in the PA Environmental Digest Blog on November 26, 2024.

An unprecedented period of cooperation between two gubernatorial administrations, legislative leaders, farmers, local governments and countless volunteers is leading to cleaner water in Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams as well as the Chesapeake Bay.

In April, two miles of Turtle Creek Tributaries in Union County were removed from the impaired waters list.

In July, the Bay received a C+ grade, its best in 20 years, in the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s 2023/2024 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Report Card.

Continued leadership—from state government to grassroots organizations—is sparking even more optimism.

This year, Commonwealth legislators, led by Senator Scott Martin and Senator Gene Yaw, past Chair and current Vice Chair of the tri-state Chesapeake Bay Commission respectively, included $50 million in new annual funding in the state budget for the Clean Streams Fund, with $35.75 million for the Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP). Established in 2022, the Clean Streams Fund tackles ways to improve our waters from some agricultural activities, acid mine drainage, and urban/suburban stormwater runoff while encouraging innovative clean water programs. ACAP provides specific investments to help farmers design and pay for implementing conservation practices like manure storage and tree planting. 

Perhaps more importantly, this kind of bold leadership and investment creates collaboration, trust, and a shared commitment to conservation that brings people together for the common good.

For the Hammertown Road tributary to the Conestoga River in Lancaster County, over 22 landowners in the 896-acre watershed came together to plant 35-foot forested buffers along their streams and work on grassed waterways, barnyard waste storage facilities, streamside fencing and crossings, rock-lined waterways, and nutrient management plans. 

This is one of many local-scale actions happening all across Pennsylvania’s portion of the watershed under a county-based approach that empowers community leaders to set priorities for state and federal Bay funding.

As a result, headlines around the Bay watershed have changed from Pennsylvania being “significantly behind” in meeting its clean water goals to more hopeful headlines about Pennsylvania making real progress and building momentum.

Make no mistake, Pennsylvania and the rest of the Bay states still have a lot of work to do.

Collectively, Bay states will not meet the Chesapeake Watershed Agreement’s pollution-reduction commitments by the 2025 deadline. But with the wind at our backs, and new headwinds around the corner, Governor Shapiro’s leadership is more urgent than ever.

On December 10th in Annapolis, the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council will hold their annual meeting. Most years, these meetings are important to attend. This year, attendance is imperative. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity where our leaders can cement a legacy of clean water if they come together, recommit to the historic federal/state Bay partnership, and unite behind updating the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement by the end of 2025.

We urge Governor Shapiro to attend in person. Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, and Bay Commission Chair Virginia Delegate David Bulova have already confirmed their attendance. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan and all other Executive Council members must be there as well. 

Beyond the formalities of the event, Governor Shapiro’s presence would send a clear message that Pennsylvania’s progress is not fleeting, and he will claim the spotlight for Pennsylvania that its leadership deserves.

Governor Shapiro’s words echoed around the watershed when he said: “We are not talking about fixing the Bay anymore, we are fixing the Bay, and we are making sure Pennsylvania does its fair share. You have my commitment that this work will continue. Pennsylvania is all in.” This is the kind of leadership that can inspire action across state lines, party aisles, and at all levels of government.

From the governor’s office to the banks of the Conestoga, we are grateful for this kind of leadership, progress, and momentum. But now is not the time to rest on our accomplishments. It’s time to double down.

For a legacy of clean water for Pennsylvania and the Bay, it is up to Governor Shapiro and the rest of the Chesapeake Executive Council this December to continue providing bold leadership, partnership, and accountability for 2025 and beyond.