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• After Search, Status of Elusive Maryland Darter Still Unknown - A crew of about a dozen biologists from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Frostburg State University and Marshall University spent an October afternoon searching for the Maryland darter, a fish that was last seen in 1988 and is feared to be extinct. Though their search proved unsuccessful, biologists are not giving up hope.
• Maryland to Improve Three Wastewater Systems to Reduce Pollution to Bay and Local Rivers - Maryland will use $39.5 million in grants to help improve the health of local waterways that flow to the Chesapeake Bay by upgrading wastewater facilities and repairing a sewage system in three Bay watershed locations.
• Young Striped Bass Population in 2009 Slightly Below Average, but Considered Healthy - The number of young-of-the-year striped bass – fish that are less than one year old – found in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay in 2009 was up from last year but still a bit below average, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) 2009 Young-of-the-Year Striped Bass Survey.
• New Legislation Would Expand Federal Resources, Set Firm 2025 Deadline to Restore Chesapeake Bay - Maryland Senator Benjamin Cardin has introduced new legislation that would greatly expand federal resources, including funding, authority and enforcement tools, and set a legally binding deadline of 2025 for states to put all necessary measures into place to achieve a healthy, restored Chesapeake Bay.
• Maryland Plants Record 750 Million Oyster Spat in 2009 - The state of Maryland planted nearly 750 million baby oysters – called oyster spat – in the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers in 2009, surpassing last year’s total of 600 million spat and marking a new record for the state’s oyster restoration program.
• Virginia Toughens Stormwater Regulations to Reduce Polluted Runoff to Chesapeake Bay, Local Rivers - Virginia has approved new stormwater rules that will help reduce polluted runoff – the fastest-growing source of pollution to the Chesapeake Bay – to the streams, creeks and rivers that feed the Bay.

September 2009

• More Than $800,000 Awarded to Chesapeake Bay Restoration Projects Throughout Maryland - The Chesapeake Bay Trust has awarded more than $800,000 to 109 projects that will carry out on-the-ground restoration efforts and teach children and adults to help clean up the Maryland streams, creeks and rivers that flow to the Chesapeake Bay.
• Thirty-two Projects Receive $2.8 Million to Protect and Restore Chesapeake Bay and Local Waterways - Thirty-two environmental restoration and protection projects from across the Chesapeake Bay watershed have been awarded more than $2.8 million in grants from the Chesapeake Bay Program and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to help clean up local streams, creeks and rivers that flow to the Bay.

August 2009

• Eelgrass Continues to Rebound in Lower Chesapeake Bay - Mid-season monitoring of underwater bay grasses in Virginia’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay is showing beds of eelgrass and widgeon grass that are similar to or slightly denser and larger than 2008, reflecting continued recovery from a large-scale eelgrass die-off in 2005, according to updates from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.
• Va. Receives $80.2 Million in Recovery Act Funding to Upgrade Wastewater Treatment Plants - Virginia has received $80.2 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to upgrade and improve wastewater treatment facilities throughout the state, which will help lessen a major source of nutrient pollution to the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers.
• Chesapeake Bay Executive Order Website Features News, Information on Development of New Strategy to Clean Up the Bay - Website for the Chesapeake Bay Executive Order on Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration will be used to distribute news, events, documents and other information from the various federal agencies working on a new strategy to advance Bay cleanup.
• U.S. Senate Holds Hearing on Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization - On Monday, Aug. 3, the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee of the U.S. Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee held its second hearing on reauthorizing the Chesapeake Bay Program, listed in section 117 of the federal Clean Water Act.
• Pesticide Runoff Can Pose Risk to Humans, Wildlife in Chesapeake Bay Region - Pesticides used by farmers, residents and business owners pose a significant risk to Chesapeake Bay wildlife and human health, according to a recent report released by the Maryland Pesticide Network.

July 2009

• Federal Bill Would Improve Stormwater Runoff Management in Chesapeake Bay Region - Virginia Rep. Gerald Connolly has introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would reduce pollution from impervious surfaces and increase forest cover in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
• Smaller Low-Oxygen Zone, Fewer Harmful Algae Blooms Expected In Bay This Summer - Chesapeake Bay scientists are predicting a smaller low-oxygen area and fewer harmful algae blooms in the Bay this summer due to a lower-than-average flow of water that brought a lighter load of nutrients from the Susquehanna River into the Bay, according to an annual summer forecast released by Chesapeake EcoCheck.
• Washington, D.C., Bans Use of Coal-Tar Pavement Products Containing Toxic PAHs - Washington, D.C., has banned the use and sale of coal-tar pavement products to curb the flow of a toxic chemical contaminant called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to the Anacostia River, Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay.
• Maryland to Buy Back Crabbing Licenses to Aid Blue Crab Conservation - The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is seeking to buy back more than 3,500 commercial limited crab catcher licenses to reduce the amount of inactive crabbing licenses in the state and better manage the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population.

June 2009

• Green Summer Job Corps Will Train D.C. Youth to Help Environment, Chesapeake Bay - Eight hundred teenagers and young adults will help make the parks, rivers and schools of Washington, D.C., a little greener this summer through the city’s second annual Green Summer Job Corps.
• Scientists Forecast Smaller Low-Oxygen Zone in Chesapeake Bay This Summer - Scientists with the University of Michigan are predicting that the Chesapeake Bay’s low-oxygen “dead zone” will be the smallest in eight years due to dry weather this winter and early spring.
• Washington, D.C., Passes Bill to Reduce Plastic Bag Trash in Anacostia River - The District of Columbia Council has unanimously approved a bill that will help clean up the Anacostia River by placing a fee on disposable bags.
• Bernie Fowler Sees His Sneakers Through 25.5 Inches of Water at Annual Patuxent River Wade-In - At his 22nd annual Patuxent River Wade-in on June 14, former Maryland State Senator Bernie Fowler saw his white sneakers through 25.5 inches of water -- similar to last year’s measurement of 26 inches but still far from the 60-plus inches Fowler could see his sneakers through during his childhood.
• Bill Would Strengthen NOAA’s Role in Chesapeake Bay Cleanup - Virginia Senator Mark Warner has introduced legislation that would strengthen and enhance the role of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the Chesapeake Bay cleanup effort.
• Scientists Find Possible Link between Intersex Fish and Fish Kills in Potomac, Shenandoah Rivers - U.S. Geological Survey researchers have found a possible connection between the occurrence of intersex fish and fish kills and lesions on bass in the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.
• Twenty-four Innovative Projects Awarded Grants to Reduce Pollution to Local Waterways and the Chesapeake Bay - Twenty-four innovative projects in Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia have received a total of $12.9 million in grants from the Bay Program and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution to the local streams, creeks and rivers that flow to the Chesapeake Bay.
• Md.'s Pyle Middle School Promotes Chesapeake Bay Student Engagement - Sixth-grade students at Pyle Middle School in Bethesda showcase their year-long efforts to reduce pollution, restore habitats and clean up trash at their third annual Chesapeake Bay Extravaganza.

May 2009

• Chesapeake Bay States Push Congress for Tighter Highway Runoff Controls - The governors of the six Bay states, the mayor of Washington, D.C., and the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission have submitted a letter to the U.S. Congress to include in the reauthorized Federal Surface Transportation Act a policy to reduce polluted stormwater runoff from federal highway construction and reconstruction projects.
• 4,188 Acres Along Va.'s Dragon Run Permanently Protected - The Commonwealth of Virginia and The Nature Conservancy have purchased 4,188 acres of environmentally extraordinary land within the Dragon Run watershed, located on Virginia's Middle Peninsula.
• New Bay Coalition Launches “Choose Clean Water” Campaign - More than 60 nonprofit organizations from throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed have launched a new campaign called “Choose Clean Water” that will help local communities clean up and protect the waterways that flow to the Bay.
• President Obama Issues Chesapeake Bay Executive Order - On May 12, President Obama signed an Executive Order that calls on the federal government to lead the effort to control pollution that flows to the Chesapeake Bay and protect wildlife habitats in the region.
• Executive Council Sets New Goals for Reducing Bay Pollution - At its annual meeting on May 12, the Chesapeake Executive Council set new short-term goals to reduce pollution to the Bay and dramatically accelerate the pace of restoration of the Bay and its rivers.

April 2009

• Underwater Bay Grasses Increase in 2008 - Underwater bay grasses increased by 18 percent in 2008 to cover 76,861 acres throughout the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers, according to data collected by scientists with the Bay Program. This is the fourth largest total amount of bay grasses recorded since surveying began in 1984.
• RainScaping Campaign Promotes Homeowner Involvement in Reducing Bay Pollution - A new campaign is urging Anne Arundel County, Md., residents to find “beautiful solutions to water pollution” by installing rain gardens, rain barrels and other methods of absorbing polluted runoff before it makes its way into the Bay.
• Bay Blue Crab Population Increases Significantly - Scientists estimate that a total of 400 million blue crabs overwintered in the Bay in 2008-2009, up from 280 million in 2007-2008, according to data from the latest Bay-wide winter dredge survey conducted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.
• Mattawoman Creek Named One of America’s Most Endangered Rivers - A highway and development threatening Mattawoman Creek in Maryland has caused this “gem” of the Chesapeake watershed to earn the number four spot on American River’s 2009 list of Most Endangered Rivers in the United States.
• Officials Rule Against Introducing Asian Oysters into Bay - Officials with Maryland, Virginia, the U.S. Army Corps and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission have decided against introducing Asian oysters as a way to restore the Bay’s degraded oyster population, citing “unacceptable ecological risks.” The states will instead focus on native oyster restoration.
• Bay Receives a C-Minus on Latest Health Report Card - For the second year in a row, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) has given the Bay a C-minus on its annual Chesapeake Bay Health Report Card.

March 2009

• More Low Health Grades for Maryland Rivers - The Severn and Patuxent rivers are the latest receive report cards on their health.
• Bay Barometer Released; Annual Assessment Shows 38 Percent of Bay Health Goals Met in 2008 - Despite increased restoration efforts throughout the watershed, the overall health of the Bay did not improve in 2008, according to Bay Barometer: A Health and Restoration Assessment of the Chesapeake Bay and Watershed in 2008.
• Canada Goose Population Increases in Maryland in 2009 - There was a notable increase in the number of Canada geese along Maryland’s Chesapeake and Atlantic shorelines this winter according to a recent survey.
• EPA Names Senior Advisor on Bay and Anacostia River - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson has named J. Charles Fox as senior advisor on the Chesapeake Bay and Anacostia River.

February 2009

• Pennsylvania Protects Farmland and Clean Water - Two recent actions by the state of Pennsylvania will help protect clean water and working farmland throughout the Susquehanna River system, the Chesapeake’s largest tributary.
• Health of Magothy River Decreases in 2008 - The health of the Magothy River, located just north of Annapolis in Anne Arundel County, Md., fell in 2008 to a score of 30 percent, the lowest value since scorekeeping began six years ago, according to the latest Magothy River Index.
• Maryland, Virginia Report Decreased Female Crab Harvest in 2008 - Watermen in Maryland and Virginia caught fewer of the Bay’s female blue crabs in 2008, achieving the targeted reduction of 34 percent set by the governors of the two states last spring, according to preliminary harvest data released by both states.
• USDA Breaks Ground on Bay-friendly "People's Garden" - The U.S. Department of Agriculture is installing a 2,500 square foot "People's Garden" at its Washington, D.C. headquarters to help reduce polluted runoff to the Bay and teach visitors to the Nation's Capital about the benefits of native landscaping.
• Maryland Preserves 20 Miles of Potomac River Shoreline - The state of Maryland has preserved nearly 4,500 acres of land in Cecil, Charles and St. Mary’s counties, including 20 miles of Potomac River shoreline that was once explored by Captain John Smith.

January 2009

• Maryland Receives Federal Aid to Help Blue Crab Industry - The National Marine Fisheries Service has awarded Maryland $2.2 million in federal fishery disaster funding to assist the state’s watermen and help revitalize the Bay’s struggling blue crab industry.
• EPA Report Shows Potential Damaging Effects of Sea Level Rise on Bay’s Marshes - A recently released report by the U.S. EPA shows that many areas around the Bay’s shoreline are already witnessing the effects of sea level rise and that vulnerable tidal marshes may erode more rapidly over the next century because of climate change.
• $23 Million in Farm Bill Funding to Support Agricultural Conservation Practices - The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released $23 million for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative, a program of the 2008 Farm Bill that provides the region’s farmers with assistance to implement vital agricultural conservation practices to help clean up the Bay.
• Annual Oyster Survey Shows Decreases in Mortality, Reproduction - Oyster mortality fell for the fifth straight year in 2007, but oyster reproduction was poor throughout most of Maryland’s portion of the Bay, according to a recently released survey by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
• Virginia Grants $500,000 to Preserve Bay Watershed Farmland - Virginia has awarded a total of $500,000 to 11 localities in the Bay watershed portion of the state to preserve privately owned farmland.
• Annapolis Bans Use of Lawn Fertilizer Containing Phosphorus - To help reduce pollution flowing to the Chesapeake Bay, the city of Annapolis, Md., has banned the use and sale of residential lawn fertilizers containing phosphorus.

December 2008

• New Online Calculator Assesses Your Nitrogen Footprint - The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Nitrogen Calculator assesses how much algae-producing nitrogen your family sends each year to the Bay or your local river.
• Buy for the Bay this Holiday - Everyone is looking to save a few bucks this holiday season. Why not give a gift that helps both the Chesapeake Bay and your bottom line?
• Maryland DNR Proposes 2009 Blue Crab Regulations - To help rebuild the Bay’s blue crab population, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has proposed new recreational and commercial fishing regulations for the 2009 blue crab season, including complimentary licenses for all recreational crabbers.
• Rep. Wittman Speaks About Bay Restoration Bill - Virginia Rep. Rob Wittman spoke at the recent Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) meeting about his legislation.
• Invasive Zebra Mussels Found in Susquehanna River - The invasive zebra mussel has been found for the first time in the Maryland portion of the Susquehanna River, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
• Partnership Protects Virginia Marsh from Erosion - A partnership between the James River Association, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership and several other organizations has protected from erosion more than 500 acres of tidal freshwater marsh on Herring Creek in Charles City County, Virginia.

November 2008

• Executive Council Reviews Past Year’s Accomplishments, Sets New Agenda at Annual Meeting - The Chesapeake Executive Council announced at its annual meeting on Nov. 20 ambitious new actions to intensify the Bay clean-up effort, request support from the President-elect, pursue development of next-generation biofuels and increase partner accountability for restoration of the Bay and its watershed.
• New Research Vessel Will Enhance Bay Monitoring - The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science introduces the R/V Rachel Carson, a state-of-the-art research platform to help scientists monitor Bay conditions.
• EPA Sets New Requirements for Controlling Manure, Wastewater from Large Animal Feeding Operations - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a rule to require concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) nationwide to safely manage manure by including a nutrient management plan as part of their Clean Water Act permit applications.

October 2008

• New Wetlands Restoration Partnership Launches in Maryland - A new wetlands restoration partnership in Maryland will bring corporations, government agencies and nonprofits together to help improve and restore the state’s aquatic wildlife habitats.
• Climate Change Will Affect Chesapeake Restoration Efforts - A new independent report shows the Bay ecosystem will be significantly impacted by climate change during the next century.
• Maryland Implements New Regulations to Reduce Polluted Runoff to Bay - The Maryland Department of the Environment is adopting new regulations to help combat polluted stormwater runoff, the fastest-growing source of pollution to the Bay and its rivers.
• Partnership Tackles Removal of Invasive Rodent - Maryland Nutria Project, led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will eliminate nutria from Eastern Shore marshes by 2013.
• Bay Grass Restoration Sprouts through Partnership and Innovation - Over the past five years, the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office and the U.S. Army Corps have led innovative new research to increase underwater grasses in the Bay.
• "Living Shorelines" Offer Protection, Habitat - Research continues into how quickly living shorelines assume the “natural” ecological functions of marshes.
• Chesapeake Restoration Topics Featured at National Estuary Conference - The Chesapeake Watershed Network is an online networking community that will connect scientists, environmental professionals and local citizens working to restore the Bay region’s land and waterways.
• Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Launches First Online Network for Bay Community - The Chesapeake Watershed Network is an online networking community that will connect scientists, environmental professionals and local citizens working to restore the Bay region’s land and waterways.

September 2008

• New Oyster Growing Program Engages Maryland Residents in Bay Restoration - Waterfront property owners on Maryland’s Tred Avon River have a new way to become involved in the Bay restoration effort through a pilot oyster-growing program set up by several Maryland state agencies and Bay Program partners.
• Maryland County Takes Strong Stance on Stormwater - Montgomery County, Maryland, has recently introduced two draft regulations to help control polluted runoff from roads and developed areas to the county’s Chesapeake Bay tributaries.
• Federal Agency Declares Disaster for Bay Blue Crab Fishery - The U.S. Department of Commerce has declared a state of disaster for the Chesapeake blue crab fishery after determining that poor environmental conditions have led to economic losses for the region's blue crab fishing industry.
• Park Service Invites Public to Help Develop John Smith Trail - The National Park Service will hold a series of open houses throughout the Bay region in late September and early October to gather input from the public on the new Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.
• NOAA Launches Susquehanna River “Smart Buoy” - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has launched its fifth “smart buoy” along the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail to track air and water conditions at the mouth of the Susquehanna River.
• Maryland Issues Draft Requirements for Farm Animal Feeding Operations - New controls to properly manage poultry litter at about 200 of the state’s largest poultry operations will help reduce nutrient pollution to the Bay and its rivers.
• Help Collect Tree Seeds to Protect the Potomac River - From now through November 1, you can help the Bay by collecting native tree seeds that will be used to plant streamside forests throughout the Potomac River region.
• New Report Outlines Potential of Cellulosic Biofuels in Bay Region - The Chesapeake Bay Commission and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have released a new report that explains how the Chesapeake region can become a national leader in the shift to home-grown, environmentally beneficial biofuels.

August 2008

• Environmental Education Initiatives Gain Momentum in Bay Region - Environmental Education Initiatives Gain Momentum in Bay Region Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature and No Child Left Inside highlight growing movement to teach children about the environment.
• Free Rain Barrels Available Through New Partnership - The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay is offering free 55-gallon barrels to local watershed organizations and environmental education groups through a partnership with Baltimore Coca-Cola Bottling Company.
• Harmful Algae Bloom Confirmed in Potomac River Creek - The Charles County, Md., Department of Health has issued a water advisory for Mattawoman Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River, after scientists collected water samples containing high concentrations of potentially harmful cyanobacteria, often called blue-green algae.
• New Ballast Water Initiative May Help Stop Spread of Invasive Species - Several Maryland agencies have joined together to launch the Maritime Environmental Research Center, a new research and testing project that aims to help prevent the spread of harmful aquatic invasive species via ship ballast water.
• Forestry for the Bay Featured at Conference in Pennsylvania - Forestry for the Bay, which brings together private landowners interested in actively preserving and restoring their woodlands, was featured at the recent Pennsylvania Forest Stewards annual meeting in Bradford County.
• Congressional Hearing Focuses on Chesapeake Bay Restoration Efforts - Testimony provided at a congressional hearing this week acknowledged the Chesapeake Bay Program’s progress in improving restoration efforts and focused on the continuing challenges to restoring water quality throughout the watershed.

July 2008

• NOAA Launches Fourth Bay “Smart Buoy” - New interpretive buoy, located off Stingray Point on the Rappahannock River, provides real-time weather and water quality information to boaters along the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.
• Research Shows Drop in Bay Blue Crab Population - The population of spawning-age blue crabs in the Bay fell to 120 million in 2007-08, compared with 143 million in 2006-07, according to the 2008 Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Advisory Report. Both of these figures are below the interim target population of 200 million spawning-age crabs.
• Over $2.1 Million Awarded for Local Waterway Protection and Restoration Projects - Thirty-four organizations from across the Bay watershed receive more than $2.1 million from the Bay Program and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for projects that will protect 3,400 acres of land, restore approximately 15 miles of streams and plant more than 160 acres of marsh and wetland grasses.
• Bay Program Submits Report to Congress Outlining Chesapeake Action Plan - Chesapeake Action Plan features tools that can strengthen and expand partnerships in the watershed, enhance coordination of restoration activities and increase the collective accountability for protecting the Bay.
• Mid-Summer Bay Grass Monitoring Shows Some Increases, But Concern Remains - Annual monitoring for underwater bay grasses is now in full swing, and scientists with the Bay Program are currently conducting aerial observations of the middle and lower Bay to document bay grass acreage.

June 2008

• B-WET Grant Workshops to be Held this Summer - The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office will hold several summer workshops for local, regional and state organizations that plan to apply for 2009 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) grants.
• Scientists Predict Poor Summer Water Quality Conditions - University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science predicts poor water quality conditions in the Bay and several of its rivers this summer, according to annual summer ecological forecast.
• Bay Program Featured at Spain’s World Water Expo - The Bay Program’s integrated models, monitoring and research used for Chesapeake restoration were featured at a scientific symposium for the 2008 World Water Expo in Zaragoza, Spain, in mid-May.
• NRCS Provides $5 Million in Grants to Protect Water Quality - The Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Conservation Innovation Grants will fund 11 Bay watershed projects that protect water quality, recycle nutrients and improve wildlife habitat.
• Bernie Fowler Wade-in Brings Community, Leaders Together to Focus on Water Quality - The retired state senator sees his white sneakers through 26 inches of water during his 21st annual wade-in on the Patuxent River.
• Del., Md. Pledge to Protect and Restore Nanticoke River - Officials in Delaware and Maryland have signed on to a bi-state effort to ensure long-term stewardship of the Nanticoke River, a major component of the new Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and one of the newest sites in the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network.

May 2008

• Thomas Pyle 6th Graders Showcase Bay Projects - On Thursday, May 22, Thomas Pyle Middle School in Bethesda, Maryland, hosted its annual Chesapeake Bay Extravaganza. The event showcased the work of the school’s 460 sixth grade students.
• It’s Wade-in Season! - This spring, more than a dozen wade-ins will be held on Maryland’s rivers, creeks and streams -- from the Monocacy all the way to the Nanticoke.
• National Aquarium Wins Grant to Help Improve Patapsco Water Quality - $200,000 cleanup grant from the U.S. EPA’s brownfields program will help Aquarium’s Center for Aquatic Life and Conservation remediate a 13-acre site on the Middle Branch of the Patuxent River.

April 2008

• Underwater Bay Grasses Up in 2007, But Still Short of Restoration Goal - Grasses covered nearly 65,000 acres of the Bay and its tidal rivers in 2007, about 35 percent of the 185,000-acre baywide restoration goal. Though a 10 percent increase from 59,000 acres in 2006, bay grasses have not yet recovered to the recent high of 90,000 acres in 2002.
• Watershed cleanups thousands of tons of success - Thousands of volunteers across the watershed stepped up on Saturday, April 5 to turn the tide on trash along the Potomac, South and other local rivers.
• Annual Bay Assessment Shows Ecosystem Health Still Poor, Restoration Progress Falling Short - The Bay Program released its Chesapeake Bay 2007 Health and Restoration Assessment, a four-part snapshot of health conditions and restoration efforts in the Bay and its watershed.

March 2008

• Volunteers Turn the Tide on Trash - Building on the success of last year’s cleanup, the Alice Ferguson Foundation will host its 20th annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup on Saturday, April 5, 2008.
• South River Receives Grade of 34 in Latest Scorecard - The overall health of the South River declined in 2007, according to the South River Federation’s 2008 South River Scorecard, an annual report on the health of the river.
• New Mentoring Program Helps Both Farmers and the Bay - A new farmer-to-farmer mentoring program will help improve the economic productivity of Maryland farms and bring healthy, grass-fed livestock to restaurants and local residents -- while also reducing pollution to the Bay.

February 2008

• More Trees Needed in Frederick, Study Finds - Urban tree canopy covers just 12 percent of city, but an additional 72 percent could possibly be covered in the future, according to a recent Md. DNR study.
• Environmental Forum Open to High School Students - Cacapon Institute will hold its third annual Stream Cleaner Environmental Forum this spring, an internet-based watershed education activity for high school classes.

January 2008

• Commission Submits Oyster "Vision" - Maryland's Oyster Advisory Commission (OAC) recently submitted their “possible vision” of the future of Maryland's oyster management program to Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, the Maryland General Assembly and the secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources
• New Watershed Management Program to Help the Heart of the Shenandoah - The Page County, Virginia Board of Supervisors has passed a resolution to adopt a new watershed management program (WMP) that will help improve water quality in the South Branch of the Shenandoah River by reducing polluted runoff from the land.
• Tree Plantings Promote Clean Air - The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, in partnership with Constellation Energy and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, recently wrapped up a three-year Baltimore-area reforestation project, intended to help slow the harmful effects of global warming and clean local waterways.

December 2007

• Bay Region Leaders “Champion” New Actions to Accelerate Chesapeake Clean-Up - Chesapeake Executive Council pledges to accelerate nutrient and sediment reduction efforts across Bay watershed.
• New Conservation Goals Aim to Protect More Chesapeake Forests - At its annual meeting in early December, the Chesapeake Executive Council (EC) signed the Forestry Conservation Initiative, committing the Bay states to permanently conserve an additional 695,000 acres of forested land throughout the watershed by 2020.
• Virginia Receives National Award for Water Quality Improvement Fund - The Virginia Resources Authority and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality were recently recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for excellent work in the area of water quality protection with a Performance and Innovation in the SRF (Clean Water States Revolving Fund) Creating Environmental Success, or PISCES, award.

November 2007

• Report Details Agency's Restoration Efforts - Defending Our National Treasures describes the Department of Defense's restoration initiatives over the past 10 years.
• Partners Unite to Restore Wetland Habitat - Maryland DNR, Ducks Unlimited, the Maryland-DC Audubon Society and the 37th annual Waterfowl Festival have teamed up to restore and enhance 63 acres of wildlife habitat at the Jean Ellen DuPont Shehan Audubon Sanctuary on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
• New Gains in Wetland Restoration - Between 2005 and 2006, Bay Program partners established and/or reestablished nearly 1,000 acres of wetlands.
• 2007 State of the Nation's River Released - New report by Potomac Conservancy assesses condition of Potomac River and offers solutions for healthy lands & waters.
• Fall Waterfowl Viewing Guide - From New York to Virginia, learn where you can view migrating ducks and geese this autumn.

October 2007

• Fresh or Salty? Bay's Salinity Makes a Big Difference to Underwater Life - Have you ever noticed that the air smells salty in some places on the Chesapeake Bay, while in others it does not? The salt you smell has to do with the salinity, or amount of salt, in the water you're near.
• Watershed Growth Outpacing Restoration - Development growth in the Bay watershed is outpacing restoration efforts, according to the EPA Office of Inspector General.
  Download: Development Growth Outpacing Progress in Watershed Efforts to Restore the Chesapeake Bay
• Two Reports Detail New Bay Stressors - Biofuels and the Bay and Chesapeake Bay and Global Warming show wide-ranging potential pressures on Bay health.
  Download: Biofuels and the Bay | The Chesapeake Bay and Global Warming

September 2007

• Eelgrass aquaculture holds promise - MD-DNR is conducting large-scale bay grass restoration at their Piney Point Aquaculture Center on the Potomac River.
• The ABCs of HABs - Algae are a vital component of the Bay’s ecosystem — these free-floating plants make up the base of the food chain. However, when algae populations explode to unusually high numbers they create what are called harmful algae blooms (HABs).

August 2007

• How Do Bay's "Dead Zones" Form? - High temperatures and excess nutrients lead to summer “dead zones” in parts of the Bay and its tributaries, stressing fish, crabs and other critters.
• Summer Dissolved Oxygen Updates - Early July: Just over 3% of the Bay's mainstem was anoxic, with too little dissolved oxygen to support most life.
• John Smith Shallop Visits Annapolis - Two days of festivities about region's history, heritage and environment marked halfway point of shallop's journey

June 2007

• 2006 Bay Health & Restoration Assessment Details Bay 's Degraded Water Quality, Restoration Efforts Throughout Watershed - The Chesapeake Bay 2006 Health and Restoration Assessment reports show that the Bay's overall health remains degraded, despite significant advances in restoration efforts by Bay Program partners through newly focused programs, legislation and/or funding.
• Scientists Forecast Average Summer - Though considered “typical,” water quality conditions will be far from what’s needed for a healthy Bay ecosystem.
• Bernie Fowler Wade-in Draws Attention to Patuxent Water Quality - Former Maryland State Senator Bernie Fowler remembers the days of his youth, when he could wade up to his shoulders in his beloved Patuxent River and still see the river's bottom, teeming with crabs and fish swimming among the grasses and oyster shells.
• Drop in Returning Shad to Susquehanna - Despite this spring’s decline, the overall number of returning American shad has increased over past two decades.

May 2007

• Summer of Celebration for Watershed - From Port Deposit to Virginia Beach, Bay region commemorates John Smith's Chesapeake explorations.
• Bay Program Updates Toxics of Concern List - The Bay Program Toxics Subcommittee has updated its list of Toxics of Concern, ranking the toxic organics in the Bay with the most potential for harm. PCBs topped the list, followed by PAHs and organophosphate pesticides. Organochlorine pesticides and five other organic toxics are also included in the list.
• Turning Over to No-till - More watershed farmers are practicing “no-till” farming, a more Bay-friendly method of crop production.

April 2007

• Significant Underwater Bay Grass Acreage Lost in 2006 - Bay-wide acreage of underwater bay grasses (SAV) decreased by 25 percent in 2006, dropping to 59,090 acres from 78,263 acres in 2005, according to data from scientists with the Bay Program. This loss marks the first setback for SAV after two consecutive years of moderate gains and the lowest total SAV acreage figure since 1989.
• Development Trouble for Water Quality - Centuries of population growth and landscape changes have taken their toll on the Bay's water quality.

March 2007

• Non-tidal Wetlands Help Bay in Many Ways - Less well known than tidal wetlands, non-tidal wetlands can be found throughout the Bay watershed.
• Chesapeake Club Brings Message to Virginia - Skipping the spring lawn fertilizer can help the Bay's blue crabs — and those crab feasts you've been waiting for all winter

February 2007

• Tidal Rivers Impaired by Chemical Contaminants - Fifty-three percent of the tidal tributaries in the Bay watershed are contaminated by chemical pollutants in fish tissue, according to newly compiled data by the Bay Program.
• Would You Kiss These Lips? - PAHs shown to cause high rates of lesions and tumors on bottom-dwelling fish in at least two Bay tributaries.
• A Star on the Rise - Once considered by the community to be “dead,” Va.’s Elizabeth River is being revived by the Elizabeth River Projec

January 2007

• Good News, Bad News for the Bay’s Crab Population - Read about how scientists measure the health of the Bay's blue crab population, and what the future may hold for Chesapeake crabs and crab lovers everywhere.
• The Art of “Catch and Release” Angling - Even with the best efforts of federal and state agencies, it's impossible to combat all the environmental problems facing the Bay watershed without the work of watershed organizations. Learn how you can contribute to the Bay restoration effort by assisting your local watershed organization.
• Spat-on-shell Experiments Hold Promise for Bay's Oyster Population - Learn more about spat-on-shell oyster programs and how this method may become a viable and effective process for growing healthy and harvestable oysters in Virginia waters.

December 2006

• Milestone Reached in Riparian Forest Buffer Restoration - Bay Program partners are roughly on track to meet their goal of restoring 10,000 miles of riparian forest buffers by 2010. In 2006, more than 731 miles of forest buffers were restored in the Bay watershed, bringing the total number of restored miles to 5,337 since 1996. Learn more about how forest buffer restoration efforts benefit the Bay.
• Watershed Forests Impacted by Growing Deer Population - Learn how growing whitetail deer populations are having an impact on the Bay watershed's forests.
• New Program Promotes Sound Forest Management in Residents’ Backyards - Learn how Forestry for the Bay, a new voluntary program, will assist private forest land owners implement sustainable forestry practices on their land.

November 2006

• Slight Improvement in Bay Health Seen During Summer 2006 - Read about scientists' analysis of summer conditions in three key areas of Bay health, compared with their initial forecast in May.
• Fish Kills Illustrate Harmful Effects of Excess Nutrients - Two of the Bay's tributaries experienced fish kills this summer, illustrating the impact of high nutrient loads on the Bay's ecosystem. Learn more about the sources of nutrients and how excess nutrients diminish water quality.
• Cover Crops: One Key to Reducing Nutrients to Bay - Find out how cover crops may have had an influence on summer 2006 water quality conditions in the Bay.

October 2006

• Autumn's Whistling Wings: The 2006 Fall Flight - Find out which waterfowl species are expected to be abundant in the Bay region this winter.
• Bay Islands, Wildlife Habitat Succumbing to Sea Level Rise - Learn about the causes and effects of sea level rise , as well as innovative techniques that are taking place to save some of the Bay's history and valuable wildlife habitats.
• Slight Gains in Wetlands Restoration - Today, Bay Program partners are creating and re-establishing wetlands throughout the watershed to help improve water quality and aid in flood control. Read more about the work being done to achieve the Chesapeake 2000 wetlands restoration goal.

September 2006

• 2006 Executive Council Meeting: New Goals Target Farms, Forests Lawns - The Chesapeake Executive Council adopted new policies to improve water quality throughout the watershed by conserving forests, reducing phosphorus in home lawn care products and supporting efforts to fund Bay-friendly farming practices.
• Retaining a "Sense of Place"- As development threatens much of the watershed, a group is working to protect one road's local character.
• Nonprofit Group Reaches Out to Hispanics - At a time when most popular environmental initiatives are geared toward white, middle-class residents, one family-run nonprofit has instead directed their efforts toward the Hispanic community, a fast-growing segment of the watershed's population.
• Watershed Population Hits 16.6 Million - The latest Bay watershed population estimates show that population continues to grow, and it may not slow anytime soon.

August 2006

• Small Watershed Grants Help Jumpstart Local Bay Restoration Efforts - Local governments and community-based organizations throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed will have help funding local Bay and river restoration projects, thanks to over $2.6 million in grants provided by the Bay Program and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
• The Heat Is On - Hot, steamy summer weather can spell trouble for fish, crabs, grasses - and people - in the Bay.
• SAV Beds Show Improvement in Parts of Middle Bay, Virginia Tributaries - Widgeon grass beds are flourishing in many areas of the middle Bay this year, and eelgrass beds in the same part of the Bay have rebounded from last year's late-season loss and are so far doing well, according to aerial observations taken in late July by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS).

  July 2006

• Scientists Evaluate Effects of June Rainfall on Bay Health - Scientists are closely monitoring conditions in the Bay this summer to assess the impacts of the major rainstorms and flooding that took place in the Bay watershed during the end of June.
• Saving the Bay's Blue Crab Population - Many of us take for granted the presence of the famous blue crab, but its population has been at a historic low for the past decade.
• Nature's Sponges: The Importance of Forests in the Bay Watershed - Learn more how forests play an important role in reducing runoff and nutrient pollution into the Bay.

  June 2006

• Bernie's Wade-In Highlights Clarity Problems for River and Bay - Bernie Fowler remembers the days when he could wade up to his shoulders in his beloved Patuxent River and still see the river's bottom, teeming with crabs and fish swimming among the grasses and oyster shells.
• Bay Grass Acreage Sprouts in 2005; But Unusual Late-season Losses Concern Scientists - Underwater bay grass acreage increased by seven percent in 2005 to a total of 78,260 acres, according to data gathered by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science for the Chesapeake Bay Program. The 2005 acreage represents about 42 percent of baywide restoration goals.
• Targeted Watershed Grants Empower Partnerships to Accelerate Bay Restoration - Ten watershed-based partnerships have received grants ranging from of $500,000 to $1 million to help improve the quality of local waters and the Chesapeake Bay.

  March 2006

• Record Low Streamflow to Bay - Find out how March's record low river flow could impact Bay ecosystem conditions this summer.

  February 2006

• White Perch Clue Scientists In to Local Pollution - Researchers have found that examining tissue from local fish helps them understand the severity of chemical contaminants in local waters. Learn what Bay scientists have discovered by focusing on white perch, a resident fish of the Bay.

January 2006

• MWEEs Foster Young Bay Stewards - Bay Program partners are incorporating Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences into their local curriculums . Find out more about this initiative and what teachers are doing to ensure that their students experience the Bay both inside and outside of the classroom.
• Invasion of the Wetland Snatchers: Nutria Eradication in the Watershed - Between 1968 and the late 1990s, the nutria population in Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge expanded from about 150 to 50,000. The creatures chased out other native animals and damaged local wetlands. Learn how they were eradicated from the refuge.