Federal agencies outline progress in Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts

The federal agencies leading the watershed-wide effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay have released a progress report highlighting work completed in the last year, as well as a summary of achievements from the past five years.

Last year, federal agencies and their state and local partners opened more than 150 miles of rivers and streams to migratory fish, providing passage to key species such as American shad, river herring and American eel. They established conservation practices across farms and forests, protecting soil and water resources throughout the Bay region. And they launched efforts to respond to the emerging threats of toxic contaminants and climate change and their effects on fish, wildlife and local communities.

Since the signing of the Chesapeake Bay Executive Order in 2009, the federal agencies and their partners have helped make significant progress toward restoring the health of the Bay, including the permanent protection of more than 500,000 acres of land, the opening of 86 public access sites and the development of the nation’s largest oyster restoration project at Harris Creek. Over the last five years, federal agencies on the Federal Leadership Committee for the Chesapeake Bay have spent more than $2 billion on Bay restoration and protection.

The 2014-15 progress report marks the final report exclusive to the Federal Leadership Committee for the Chesapeake Bay; federal partners will continue to track their protection and restoration efforts as part of the new Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and its associated management strategies. Draft versions of these strategies are available for public feedback through April 30, 2015.

Learn more about the 2014-15 progress report on the Chesapeake Bay Executive Order website.