Planning for 2025 and Beyond
The Chesapeake Bay Program charts a course for the future of Bay restoration
When the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement was signed in 2014, many of its goals and outcomes had a target deadline of 2025. As this date draws near, the Chesapeake Bay Program is determining how best to meet these goals and outcomes, integrate new science and restoration strategies into our work, and strengthen our partnership into the future. In 2024, a Beyond 2025 Steering Committee was formed to chart a course forward for the partnership and Bay restoration. The steering committee presented its Beyond 2025 Report to the Bay Program’s Principals’ Staff Committee in October 2024 to inform their recommendations to the Chesapeake Executive Council.
Phase 1: Beyond 2025 Report
What is the Beyond 2025 Report?
At their October 2022 meeting, the Chesapeake Executive Council, the body responsible for setting the policy direction for the Chesapeake Bay Program, issued a charge to the partnership. The charge directed the Principals’ Staff Committee, the group responsible for implementing the policy actions set by the Executive Council, to prepare recommendations that prioritize and outline the next steps for meeting the goals and outcomes of the Watershed Agreement beyond 2025, determine how best to address and integrate new science and restoration strategies, and plan for the future of the partnership.
A draft report including these recommendations was completed on July 1, 2024 and underwent a public feedback period through August 30. A final report has been completed and will be provided to the Principals’ Staff Committee in October that will inform their recommendations to the Chesapeake Executive Council in December.
Who contributed to the report?
Over the last year and a half, a steering committee consisting of representatives from each of the six watershed states (Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia), District of Columbia, federal agencies participating in the Chesapeake Bay Program, Goal Implementation Teams, advisory committees and non-profit organizations worked alongside subject matter experts in a variety of disciplines to create the Beyond 2025 Report.
The report’s recommendations were informed by an independent evaluation of the partnership conducted by an outside contractor and one-page proposals developed by five small groups reflecting critical topic areas: Clean Water, Climate Change, Healthy Watersheds, People and Shallow Water Habitats.
What’s in the report?
At a high level, the Beyond 2025 Report makes the following recommendations:
The Chesapeake Executive Council should affirm its continued commitment to meeting the goals of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and direct the Principals’ Staff Committee to propose the necessary amendments to effectively implement the Watershed Agreement.
The Chesapeake Bay Program should be strengthened by identifying ways to simplify and streamline the partnership’s structure and processes, including potential changes to the partnership’s Governance and Management Framework to ensure that commitments can be met.
The report also identifies several additional recommendations for improving the Chesapeake Bay Program's efforts in the areas of science, conservation and restoration, and partnership.
Public Comments on the Beyond 2025 Report
Public comments on the draft Beyond 2025 Report were accepted between July 1, 2024 and August 30, 2024 and have been published in the document below.
A redlined version of the draft Beyond 2025 Report has been released based on the public comments.
Phase 2: Timeline
The Management Board has developed a timeline for its execution of Beyond 2025: Phase 2 activities. Most of this timeline’s activities will be completed at monthly Management Board meetings. All meetings will include an opportunity for public participation. Additional details, meetings and/or milestones will be added to this timeline as they are identified.
Beyond 2025 Phase 2 Timeline Updated November 21, 2024
Phase 2: Outcome Review and Development
The Chesapeake Bay Program is currently preparing for an anticipated charge from the Chesapeake Executive Council to complete revisions to the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement by December 1, 2025. To address this charge, the program has modified its Strategy Review System: During the second year of the 2023-2025 SRS Cycle, Goal Implementation Teams and Workgroups will replace the standard SRS documentation with information that will help the Management Board determine the next step to take for each of the Watershed Agreement’s outcomes (e.g., consolidate, update, remove, replace, etc.). The Management Board refers to this information as answering the “Big Question.”
Guidance for answering the Big Question has been provided in Modified Strategy Review System: Phase 2 Outcome Review Methodology. GITs and Workgroups will host their own public meetings to discuss the Big Question with group members and stakeholders. Modified Outcome Review Documents will be posted to ChesapeakeDecisions as they become available, and will be discussed at a series of Management Board meetings in February and March 2025.
Modified Strategy Review System: Phase 2 Outcome Review Methodology
GIT and Workgroup Big Question Discussion Schedule As of Dec. 18, 2024
Management Board Outcome Review Meeting Schedule As of Dec. 12, 2024
Modified Outcome Review ("Big Question") Documents
Priority Project Submissions
To align the Beyond 2025 Steering Committee’s recommendations with the Chesapeake Bay Program’s long-term goals, the Management Board has asked Goal Implementation Teams and Workgroups to translate these recommendations into separate projects that will advance their focus areas. GITs and Workgroups are encouraged to submit project descriptions to the Management Board by January 3, 2025, for consideration and discussion at the January 16, 2025, Management Board meeting. The Management Board will consider these projects a draft list, and expects additional projects to be identified and reviewed over time.