Today, the Moore Administration, in partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Department of Agriculture (MDA), and Department of the Environment (MDE), presented the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act (SB428/HB506) to the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) submitted supportive testimony and urges lawmakers to advance the legislation out of committee.
The legislation would improve Bay health, while also promoting economic growth, by making environmentally friendly practices easier and more appealing for people and businesses across the state to implement. The bill’s new programs and reforms address some of the recommendations identified in the Chesapeake Bay Program’s May 2023 Comprehensive Evaluation of System Response (CESR) report.
The Act will:
- Establish a Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program Fund, administered by MDA, which will increase farmer incentives to implement regenerative agriculture practices that improve soil health and reduce pollution;
- Promote regenerative agriculture on DNR-owned state land;
- Incorporate the effects of climate change such as increased water temperatures and migration pattern changes into fishery management decisions;
- Create a water quality monitoring program managed by DNR, which will help quantify progress and inform future strategies to clean the Bay’s rivers and streams;
- Simplify annual reporting for the shellfish aquaculture industry, which makes tremendous improvements to water quality, fish habitat, and economic growth in Maryland; and,
- Expedite permitting to implement the Whole Watershed Restoration Act, which was passed by the General Assembly last year and aims to target restoration in five key watersheds across the state.
Allison Colden, CBF Maryland Executive Director, issued the following statement:
“The Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act brings hope for a healthier and more resilient future. This legislation gives our farmers, watermen, oyster growers, and restoration scientists the tools they need to succeed, and in turn, will reduce pollution in our rivers and streams.
“Maryland is at a critical point for the Chesapeake Bay and its waterways, amid historic budget challenges and an uncertain outlook at the federal level. This Act will ensure our momentum continues in the right direction — for a future where all Marylanders can enjoy clean rivers and streams, wildlife can have secure and thriving habitats from the mountains to marshes, and local businesses that rely on our natural resources can grow and prosper.
“We urge the General Assembly to pass this bill for the betterment of the Chesapeake Bay and Maryland’s people.”
