Key states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed are not fully on track to meet commitments to reduce pollution to the Bay by 2025, according to evaluations released today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA evaluations come ahead of a Chesapeake Executive Council meeting in December that is key to the Bay’s future. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is calling for action from the region’s governors at this crucial meeting.
Every two years, the EPA evaluates state progress towards milestones to meet Chesapeake Bay water quality goals. The results reported today show that, despite noteworthy progress in recent years, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia have not fully met their goals to reduce pollution. Together, these states are responsible for roughly 90 percent of the pollution that reaches the Chesapeake Bay.
Since the establishment of the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint in 2010, the six Chesapeake Bay watershed states and Washington, D.C., in partnership with the federal government, have committed to a 2025 deadline to have practices in place to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution to the Bay. The commitment includes short-term goals every two years, called milestones, that are intended to keep progress on track.
This December, on the eve of 2025, the Chesapeake Executive Council is scheduled to meet. The Council is comprised of governors of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, and New York, the mayor of Washington, D.C., the EPA Administrator, and the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission. The Chesapeake Bay watershed spans across all of these jurisdictions, and cooperative partnership is essential to meeting these goals.
CBF is calling for the following actions at the December meeting:
- Attendance in person by each of the Executive Council members, including all six Bay watershed governors and the EPA Administrator;
- A formal recommitment to maintaining the Bay restoration partnership, as well as meeting the pollution-reduction and other restoration goals already agreed to by Executive Council members; and,
- A commitment by the Executive Council to update the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement by the end of 2025 to address challenges identified by the latest science.
CBF President and CEO Hilary Harp Falk issued the following statement.
“While tremendous progress has been made, these evaluation reports demonstrate we still have a long way to go. As climate change, development, and population growth make finishing the job harder, we must be direct about the challenges ahead.
“The immediate next step is clear. This December, the Chesapeake Bay’s six governors and federal leaders must recommit to working together and pledge to update the Chesapeake Bay Agreement by the end of 2025, including a new timeline for water quality goals that should be measured in years, not decades.
“Chesapeake Bay restoration is an international model built on the world’s best science. And it’s working. By continuing to follow the latest science and build upon our collective experiences, together we can ensure a thriving Chesapeake Bay ecosystem for all.”
Maryland
According to EPA’s milestone evaluation for Maryland, the state has made critical improvements, specifically in wastewater treatment and its forest buffer initiative. Maryland is reported to have met 83 percent of its 2025 goal for nitrogen reduction, and 100 percent of its 2025 goals for phosphorus and sediment. To fully meet its pollution reduction goals, Maryland will need to accelerate implementation of best management practices for agriculture and urban and suburban stormwater management.
CBF Maryland Executive Director Allison Colden issued the following statement:
“Governor Moore and his administration have made great progress towards a healthier Maryland and Chesapeake Bay, especially considering the tough challenges we’re facing such as increased development pressure and intensified rainfall from climate change.
“But there are still improvements to be made. We can no longer stay the course on stormwater management. It’s one of the fastest growing sources of pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Current permits do not account for the latest rainfall data or require sufficient on-the-ground restoration. These clear solutions should be a top priority if Maryland wants to meet its pollution reduction goals.”
Pennsylvania
EPA’s evaluation of Pennsylvania’s milestones for 2024-2025 indicates that the Commonwealth is not on track to meet its 2025 pollution reduction targets for nitrogen, phosphorus, or sediment. The evaluation noted that the legislature included in the state budget a $50 million annual investment for the Clean Streams Fund, which funds the Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP). EPA also urged expanded efforts advocating for a sustainable source of funding to support programs strategically designed to accelerate implementation of best management practices.
CBF Pennsylvania Executive Director Julia Krall said:
“This latest evaluation is a reminder that Pennsylvania has a lot of work to do to meet its clean water targets. But progress being made and greater commitments by the Commonwealth are reasons for optimism that there will be cleaner local rivers and streams.
“To meet goals, most pollution reductions need to come from agriculture, and these historic investments in the ACAP cost-share will lead to more soil and water conservation practices on family farms. The Clean Streams Fund addresses urban/suburban stormwater runoff, agriculture, and acid mine drainage, the top three sources of stream impairment in Pennsylvania.
“It is also significant that Governor Josh Shapiro reaffirmed this summerthat the Commonwealth plans to continue its clean water work for the long haul. ‘We’re not talking about fixing the Bay anymore, we are fixing the Bay, and we are making sure Pennsylvania does its fair share,’ the governor said, adding that, ‘You have my commitment that this work will continue. Pennsylvania is all in’.”
Virginia
The EPA's milestone report for Virginia noted the state's record funding for agricultural best management practices and significant new funding for wetlands acquisition. Virginia so far has achieved 80 percent of its 2025 goal for nitrogen, 62 percent of its target for phosphorus, and 100 percent of its statewide target for sediment. Nonpoint areas of pollution continue to be a major source of pollution.
CBF Virginia Executive Director Chris Moore issued the following statement.
"Virginia has made significant strides in improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay and the many communities that live in the watershed. The state should be lauded for the notable support for farmers who are putting practices on the ground that improve water quality and their crop.
"The state still has work to do, especially as the Bay continues to face threats from increased development and new challenges from climate change. Virginia must continue to build on its momentum and accelerate nutrient pollution reductions from agriculture, expand practices to protect wetlands, and increase support to reduce pollution from stormwater and nonpoint areas of pollution."
