MD Delegation on Mission to Protect the Bay
Rep. Steny H. Hoyer and members of Maryland’s congressional delegation met last month to discuss continued federal efforts to support Chesapeake Bay restoration and the goals of the revised Beyond 2025 watershed agreement.
The lawmakers were joined by Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz; Maryland Department of Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain; Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks; state Sen. Sara Love, chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission; Anna Killius, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission; and Hilary Falk of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
In the meeting, members of the federal delegation discussed the health of Chesapeake Bay, how the revised watershed agreement will allow for reaching Bay restoration goals, and the importance of continued federal partnership with states.
Members heard from panelists about the importance of continued federal funding for the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program as well as for the other programs across the federal government that support Bay restoration and provide the technical and scientific information needed for efficient investment of public resources.
“The Chesapeake Bay is the beating heart of Maryland. It is central to our state not only geographically but also economically and culturally. That’s why Team Maryland has worked so hard to protect the Bay. Our delegation had a meaningful discussion about how we can best advance that mission in Congress in the years to come,” said Congressman Steny Hoyer.
“The Chesapeake Bay is an economic and environmental lifeline in our state. Over the past few years, we’ve made progress in our efforts to preserve the Bay, but we’ve also faced setbacks – including in the failure to meet the goals of the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. [The Nov. 18.] meeting was an opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead, including the new Beyond 2025 agreement. I’m encouraged that the latest agreement includes recommendations proposed by members of our delegation and other Bay state representatives in Congress, including ensuring that pollution-reduction and water-quality improvement goals are better defined and adaptable to the latest science. And while I believe the agreement could have set a more aggressive timeline for achieving the outlined goals, I recognize that it reflects compromise. Going forward, we will continue working together to support the full implementation of the agreement and these commitments to make meaningful progress towards a stronger, healthier Chesapeake Bay,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen.
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Congressman Hoyer is chair of the Regional Leadership Council.
For more information about Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, visit his Leader member page.
