The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) welcomed today’s announcement that Dr. Kandis Boyd has been tapped to lead EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program. Dr. Boyd is leaving her post as Strategic Advisor for the National Science Foundation’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights.
EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program was established in 1983. It leads the partnership of federal, state, and local government agencies, academic institutions, and nonprofits working together to restore and protect the Bay and its tributaries across six states and the District of Columbia.
The Bay Program coordinates scientific research and monitoring on the health of the Bay, conducts computer modeling of the cleanup effort, and awards matching grants that drive local investment in water quality and habitat restoration projects. Roughly two-thirds of its annual budget goes directly to state and local partners for these community-based activities.
Most importantly, the Bay Program is responsible for keeping the seven watershed jurisdictions on track to meet their cleanup obligations under the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint.
The jurisdictions agreed in 2010 to cut nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution in the Bay and its waterways to science-based numeric limits. The Blueprint gives them until 2025 to adopt the policies and practices needed to achieve those reductions.
Following the announcement, CBF President Hilary Falk issued this statement:
“Many challenges remain, time is running short, and climate change threatens to reverse the progress we’ve made. The good news is we also have unprecedented new funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program and federal farm conservation programs that can help us make up ground quickly.
“Dr. Boyd has the leadership skills to help coordinate the efforts of the multiple federal agencies that play a significant role in Bay restoration, the knowledge to ensure we are guided by the best science, and the personal commitment to ensure that vulnerable communities are not left behind.
CBF welcomes Dr. Boyd to steer the efforts to save the Bay. We look forward to working with her to see that commitments are met and that success is achieved.”
