Press Center
Learn about the Bay Program's latest progress in our science and restoration efforts. Members of the media are invited to contact the Chesapeake Bay Program communications office with questions and requests for interviews or information.
Recent Releases
July 08, 2020
Chesapeake Bay Program reports decline in underwater grass abundance
In 2019, an estimated 66,387 acres of underwater grasses were mapped in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, achieving 36% of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s ultimate restoration goal of 185,000 acres.
Although the 66,387 acres mapped in 2019 are a 70% increase from the 38,958 acres observed during the first survey in 1984, it is a 17% decrease from the preceding 10-year average of 79,738 acres and a 38% decrease from 2018 when it was estimated that the Bay may have supported up to 108,078 acres of underwater grasses. Many factors prevented complete mapping of underwater grass acres in 2018 which resulted in an estimate calculated by combining mapped acreage with 2017 data for the region that was not mapped to estimate the acreage in the Bay.
In 2019, the largest decline in terms of total area—an estimated 34,986 acres—was observed in moderately salty waters, particularly in the Tangier Sound area, which experienced a 18,452-acre decline. Experts attribute the losses largely to a decline in widgeon grass. Widgeon grass fluctuates from year-to-year as the species responds rapidly to impacts from extreme weather or changes in water quality. The decline in widgeon grass that we saw in 2019 mirrors a similar situation that occurred in 2001-2003, where a rapid increase in widgeon grass in 2001 and 2002 was followed by a 50% decline in 2003. Though the precise cause for the decline in 2019 is unknown, higher than average river flows may have contributed by reducing water clarity and blocking sunlight from reaching the grasses.
Underwater grass abundance can vary from species to species and river to river. In 2019, local highlights included:
- Northeast Maryland: Underwater grass abundance in the Sassafras River increased from 162 acres in 2018 to 405 acres in 2019.
- Central Maryland: Underwater grass abundance in the Severn River increased from 224 acres in 2018 to 404 acres in 2019; in the neighboring Magothy River it increased from 36 acres in 2018 to 183 acres 2019.
- Southeast Virginia: Underwater grass abundance in the middle and upper Rappahannock River increased from 1,007 acres in 2018 to 1,453 acres in 2019. In the upper tidal fresh portion of the James River, underwater grass abundance increased from 402 acres in 2018 to 536 acres in 2019, while in the Chickahominy River it increased from 711 acres in 2018 to 1,059 acres in 2019.
- Lower central Chesapeake Bay: In the Maryland portion of the lower central Chesapeake Bay, underwater grass abundance declined from 2,669 acres in 2018 to 901 acres in 2019. Underwater grass abundance in the Virginia portion of the lower central Chesapeake Bay declined from 2,719 acres in 2018 to 583 acres in 2019.
The Chesapeake Bay Program recently brought together experts specializing in underwater grasses, water quality, and land-use research and management to develop a series of fact sheets that examines the role that a growing human population—and its associated impacts—plays on the Bay’s grass beds. Each fact sheet gives a close-up view of what’s happening in each of the rivers across the Bay in order to provide a summary of information to guide local planning decisions and implementation of best management practices that encourage underwater grass recovery. These facts sheets can be found at https://gis.chesapeakebay.net/sav/.
To learn more about our progress toward achieving and sustaining 185,000 acres of underwater grasses Bay-wide, visit ChesapeakeProgress.
July 01, 2020
2020 Blue Crab Advisory Report Released
The annual Blue Crab Advisory Report, released by the Chesapeake Bay Program and developed by the Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee, finds that the overall Chesapeake Bay blue crab population is not being overfished and is not depleted. The blue crab population in the Bay—which varies naturally from year to year—decreased from 594 million in 2019 to 405 million in 2020.
The report includes expert analysis of data from the annual Bay-wide winter dredge survey (released earlier this year by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Virginia Institute of Marine Science) and harvest estimates from recent years to provide an in-depth picture of the Chesapeake’s blue crab population and to make suggestions for any needed changes to regulations.
In the Chesapeake Bay, the blue crab fishery is managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Virginia Marine Resources Commission and Potomac River Fisheries Commission. Each jurisdiction sets its own regulations. Decision makers and resource managers in each area refer to the Blue Crab Advisory Report as they make any changes to regulations.
To ensure continued resiliency of the population, resource managers focus on maintaining a robust stock of female crabs. The estimated population of 141 million female blue crabs in 2020 was a decrease from 191 million in 2019. This number is above 70 million, which is the minimum acceptable level for female blue crabs in the Bay, but lower than the target of 215 million. In the 2019 blue crab fishing season, 17% of all female crabs were harvested—safely below both the target (25.5%) and threshold (34%) levels for the twelfth consecutive year.
The juvenile blue crab population—crabs that will grow to harvestable size this fall—was estimated to be 185 million, down from 324 million in 2019 and below the long-term average of 224 million. The number of crabs that die in between fall and spring (often due to cold and/or freezing water temperatures)—the overwintering mortality—was 0.36%, likely due to the warm 2019-20 winter. This is the lowest overwintering mortality rate observed since 1996; the average is 4.53%.
The 2020 Advisory Report recommends:
- Substantial changes in management are not necessary; working to maintain a robust spawning stock should remain the goal.
- Jurisdictions should implement ways to more accurately track commercial and recreational harvests, such as electronic reporting and harvest validation. This would support even more precise management.
- To improve scientific knowledge, the Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee would like to develop a spatially explicit blue crab population simulation model to help evaluate management performance under different hypothetical situations.
The Blue Crab Advisory Report is developed by the Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee, a group of experts from state and federal agencies and academic institutions that is organized under the Chesapeake Bay Program Sustainable Fisheries Goal Implementation Team.
June 16, 2020
Slightly smaller-than-average dead zone predicted for Chesapeake Bay
Researchers from the Chesapeake Bay Program, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, University of Michigan and U.S. Geological Survey announced today that they are forecasting a slightly smaller than average Chesapeake Bay “dead zone” this year, due to reduced rainfall and less nutrient-rich runoff flowing into the Bay from the watershed this spring.
Hypoxic and anoxic regions, areas of low and no oxygen, respectively, are caused by excess nutrient pollution flowing into the Bay. Compared to the past 34 years, this year’s Chesapeake Bay hypoxic volume, or “dead zone”, is expected to be nine percent lower than average, while the volume of water with no oxygen is predicted to be four percent lower than average. The predicted volumes are smaller than the dead zone in 2019, a year with exceptionally high freshwater flows and nutrient pollutants entering the Bay.
Although different types of nutrients contribute to the annual dead zone, it is the amount of nitrogen that enters the Bay from January-May that is a key driver in how hypoxic conditions can vary from year-to-year. In spring 2020, the Bay received a slightly below-average amount of nitrogen pollution (17%) compared to the long-term average. Overall, nitrogen loads entering the Bay included 111 million pounds recorded at nine river input monitoring stations and 7.3 million pounds from treated wastewater.
Throughout the year, researchers measure oxygen and nutrient levels as part of the Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Program, a Bay-wide cooperative effort involving watershed jurisdictions, several federal agencies, 10 academic institutions and over 30 scientists. Among these institutions, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality conduct 8-10 cruises between May – October, depending on weather conditions, to track summer hypoxia in the Bay. Results from each monitoring cruise can be accessed through the Eyes on the Bay website for the Maryland portion of the Bay and the VECOS website for the Virginia portion. Estimates of river flow and nutrients entering the Bay can be accessed on the U.S. Geological Survey’s website. A Bay-wide assessment of the 2020 dead zone will be available this fall.
June 03, 2020
Join communities across the watershed in celebrating Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week
The fifth annual Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week will take place June 6-14, 2020. While this week has been officially designated in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, we will be celebrating rivers throughout the entire watershed to raise awareness about this valuable economic and environmental resource—a national treasure that directly connects over 18 million residents.
Typically, Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week is marked by a wide variety of events spanning the Bay’s 64,000 square-mile watershed. This year’s celebration will look a bit different, as watershed residents continue to socially distance as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite not being able to gather together, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy and celebrate the Chesapeake region.
One of the Bay’s iconic annual events will still occur this year: Senator Bernie Fowler’s Patuxent River Wade-in. Join in virtually as former Senator Bernie Fowler wades into the Patuxent River during the 33rd anniversary of this event to check water quality on June 14, 2020. The event will be broadcast live from 1:00-4:00 p.m. on the Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum’s Facebook page. For more virtual events throughout the week, visit the Chesapeake Bay Program’s calendar.
In 2016, the Chesapeake Bay Commission, a tri-state legislative commission that advises members of the general assemblies of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia on matters of Bay-wide concern, championed the idea of designating a week in June as Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week. The designation encourages all who reside in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia to commemorate Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week with events, activities and educational programs to acknowledge the significance of the Chesapeake Bay.
In addition, many local governments in the region choose to officially proclaim and celebrate Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week. There are nearly 1,800 local governments in the Bay watershed, including towns, cities, counties and townships, and much of the important work to protect and restore the Bay and its tributaries happens at the local level.
This year’s theme highlights the many creeks, rivers and streams that thread through the Chesapeake Bay region. These tributaries send fresh water into the Bay, offer vital habitat to aquatic plants and animals and provide people with public access points where they can fish, boat and swim. Various agencies and organizations throughout the watershed will celebrate the Bay’s major tributaries, including the Potomac, James, Rappahannock, York, Patuxent and Susquehanna rivers, as well as the rivers of the Bay’s Eastern and Western shores, throughout the week.
Valued for its commercial and recreational value, the Chesapeake Bay is the nation’s largest estuary, whose 64,000 square mile watershed includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia and West Virginia.
Follow #OneChesapeake on social media during June 6-14 as we celebrate the rivers of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
May 13, 2020
Record amount of freshwater impacts Bay water quality
The Chesapeake Bay Program announced today that an estimated 38% of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries met clean water standards for clarity (measured by underwater grass abundance), dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll a (a measure of algae growth) between 2016 and 2018. This score is lower than the record high 42% from the previous reporting period but is still the fifth highest estimate of water quality standards attainment since 1985.
This four percentage point decrease from the previous assessment period is due in large part to a decline in dissolved oxygen in the open waters of the Bay, those areas beyond the shoreline and shallows. Dissolved oxygen is necessary for the survival of the Bay’s aquatic species, and is a factor in the annual dead zone. However, dissolved oxygen conditions in deep water habitat (depths greater than six feet) and measures of chlorophyll a along the Bay’s surface shows improvement from the 2015-2017 assessment period, which may indicate increasing resilience. However, water quality must improve in 62% of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries if the estuary is to function as a healthy ecosystem.
Water quality is influenced by nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment loads delivered from the watershed and varies each year due to land use and river flow. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reports that between October 2017 and September 2018, river flow to the Bay measured an above-average 70.5 billion gallons per day, the highest recorded amount since 2011.
Generally, when the watershed receives more rain and river flows increase, the water carries more nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution than usual, increasing loads received by the Bay. This remained true from October 2017 to September 2018 as approximately 423 million pounds of nitrogen, 42.1 million pounds of phosphorus and 15,689 million pounds of sediment reached the Bay: a 66%, 181% and 262% increase from the previous year, respectively. However, the pollutant loads recorded during this time period were a decrease from those observed in 2011, which held the previous record for high flow rates into the Bay.
Monitoring data collected from River Input Monitoring (RIM) stations on the nine largest rivers in the watershed provide the foundation for experts to estimate the total nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment entering the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries each year, while data collected from a comprehensive network of hundreds of stations in non-tidal waters allow experts to assess the aquatic response to efforts to reduce agricultural and urban runoff.
The amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment entering the Bay is dependent on variations in weather patterns each year. To this end, it is important to analyze trends over time to understand whether the health of the Bay and its tidal waters are improving or declining. Findings from a recent USGS analysis of short-term trends (2009 to 2018) in pollution loads monitored at the nine RIM stations report the following:
- Short-term trends in nitrogen indicate improving conditions at three stations (James, Patuxent and Potomac) and degrading conditions at five stations.
- Short-term trends in phosphorus indicate improving conditions at the James and Patuxent stations, degrading conditions at four stations and unchanged conditions at the Pamunkey, Potomac and Susquehanna stations.
- Short-term trends in sediment loads indicate improving conditions at the James and Susquehanna stations, degrading conditions at five and no change at the Patuxent and Potomac stations.
The USGS conducted a similar analysis of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment loads using monitoring data captured at the upstream non-tidal network stations. Short-term trends (2009 to 2018) show the following:
- Forty-one percent of non-tidal network stations report an improvement in nitrogen loads, while 40% are degrading and the remaining 19% show no change.
- Phosphorus loads are improving at 44% of non-tidal network stations, while one-third are degrading, and the remainder show no change.
- Twenty percent of non-tidal network stations show an improvement in sediment loads, with 42% degrading and the remainder showing no change.
Improvements in water quality will take time, and there are often lags between the implementation of BMPs and the visible effects of those practices on a particular waterway. This spring, the Chesapeake Bay Program released the 2018-19 Bay Barometer: Health and Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, which further explains how the entire Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and its watershed are responding to the partnership’s collective protection and restoration efforts.
Media Advisories
August 26, 2019
2019 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting
On Thursday, September 5, 2019, the Chesapeake Executive Council will hold a public meeting and press event during which they will set goals and provide guidance for the Chesapeake Bay Program. The council, established by the Chesapeake Bay Agreement of 1983, meets on an annual basis.
During the meeting, the council will acknowledge the recent completion of their Phase III Watershed Implementation Plans and recommit to meeting the goals set forth under the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay, as well as their local waterways. Each member of the Executive Council will have the opportunity to give remarks and hear updates from citizen, local government and scientific and technical representatives.
For more detailed information as it becomes available, visit the 2019 Executive Council meeting webpage.
WHO:
- The Honorable Larry J. Hogan, Jr., Governor, State of Maryland (Executive Council Chair)
- The Honorable Ralph S. Northam, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
- The Honorable Tawanna Gaines, Chair, Chesapeake Bay Commission
- The Honorable Andrew Wheeler, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- The Honorable Austin Caperton, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, State of West Virginia
- The Honorable Shawn M. Garvin, Secretary, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, State of Delaware
- The Honorable Patrick McDonnell, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- The Honorable Jim Tierney, Deputy Commissioner for Water Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, State of New York
- The Honorable Rashad Young, City Administrator, District of Columbia
- The Honorable Richard Fordyce, Administrator, Farm Service Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture
WHERE:
- Meeting & Press Event: Oxon Hill Manor
- Address: 6901 Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill, MD 20745
WHEN:
- Thursday, September 5, 2019
- Public Poster and Video Session: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET
- Public Meeting and Press Conference: 12:35 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET
DETAILS:
- All are welcome to attend the public meeting.
PLEASE RSVP BY 8/30/19: Rachel Felver, rfelver@chesapeakebay.net or (410) 267-5740
March 28, 2019
Annual report continues to show improvements in Bay health
The Chesapeake Bay Program will release its annual, science-based snapshot of the nation’s largest estuary, the Bay Barometer: Health and Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (2017 – 2018) on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Subject matter experts will be on hand to answer questions regarding the most recent scientific data on the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including its rivers, fisheries and habitats.
Press release will be available by 10:00 a.m. ET on April 2.
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/presscenter
WHO:
- Dana Aunkst, Director, Chesapeake Bay Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Jennifer Dopkowski, Acting Coordinator, Climate Resiliency Workgroup, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association
- Brooke Landry, Chair, SAV Workgroup, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
- Peter Tango, Coordinator, Scientific, Technical Assessment and Reporting Workgroup, U.S. Geological Survey
WHEN:
- Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. ET
WHERE:
- Call (202) 991-0477; Code: 903-7008
MEDIA RSVP:
Rachel Felver, Director of Communications, Chesapeake Bay Program
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
(410) 267-5740, rfelver@chesapeakebay.net
July 30, 2018
2018 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting
On Tuesday, August 7, 2018, the Chesapeake Executive Council will hold a public meeting and press event during which they will set goals and provide guidance for the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership. The council, established by the Chesapeake Bay Agreement of 1983, meets on an annual basis.
During this meeting, the council is expected to sign a directive in support of agricultural technical assistance and conservation practice implementation. Each member of the Executive Council will have the opportunity to give remarks and hear about the importance of the partnership from citizen, local government and scientific and technical representatives.
For more detailed information as it becomes available, visit the 2018 Executive Council meeting webpage.
WHO:
The Honorable Larry J. Hogan, Jr., Governor, State of Maryland (Executive Council Chair)
The Honorable Ralph S. Northam, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
The Honorable John C. Carney, Jr., Governor, State of Delaware
The Honorable Frank Wagner, Chairman, Chesapeake Bay Commission
The Honorable Andrew Wheeler, Acting Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The Honorable Kevin Donahue, Deputy Mayor, District of Columbia
The Honorable Patrick McDonnell, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
The Honorable Austin Caperton, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, State of West Virginia
The Honorable Jamie Clover Adams, Chief of Staff, Farm Production and Conservation, U.S. Department of Agriculture
WHERE: Meeting & Press Event: Douglass – Myers Maritime Park
Address for GPS: 1417 Thames Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21231
WHEN: Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Public Poster Session: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET
Public Meeting and Press Conference: 12:35 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET
DETAILS: The Douglass – Myers Maritime Park is open to the public during this event. All are welcome to attend.
PLEASE RSVP BY 8/6/18: Rachel Felver, rfelver@chesapeakebay.net or (410) 267-5740
The Chesapeake Bay Program is a regional partnership that has coordinated and conducted the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay for 30 years, since its formation thirty years ago in 1983. Partners include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, representing the federal government; the states of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia; the District of Columbia; the Chesapeake Bay Commission,a tri-state legislative body; and advisory groups of citizens, scientists and local government officials.
January 02, 2018
Chesapeake Bay Program releases Bay Barometer; resilience noted throughout watershed
The Chesapeake Bay Program will release its annual, science-based snapshot of the nation’s largest estuary, the Bay Barometer: Health and Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (2016 – 2017) on Thursday, January 4, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. ET. Subject matter experts will be on hand to answer questions regarding the most recent scientific data on the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including its rivers, fisheries and habitats.
Press release will be available by 9:00 a.m. ET on January 4
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/presscenter
WHO: Ben Grumbles, Secretary, Maryland Department of the Environment (invited)
Jim Edward, Acting Director, Chesapeake Bay Program
Kate Fritz, Executive Director, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Al Todd, former Chair, Chesapeake Bay Program Stewardship Workgroup
WHEN: Thursday, January 4, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. ET
WHERE: Annapolis Maritime Museum
723 2nd Street
Annapolis, MD 21403
MEDIA RSVP: Rachel Felver, Chesapeake Bay Program Director of Communications
(410) 267-5740
January 30, 2017
Bay Barometer Media Call
The Chesapeake Bay Program will release its annual, science-based snapshot of the nation’s largest estuary, the Bay Barometer: Health and Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (2015 – 16) on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. ET. Subject matter experts will be on hand to answer any questions regarding the most recent scientific data on the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including its rivers, fisheries and habitats.
The leaders of the Chesapeake Bay Program, Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science will provide statements on the progress toward restoring the Chesapeake Bay.
Press release will be available by 9:00 a.m. ET on February 1
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/presscenter
WHO: Nick DiPasquale, Director, Chesapeake Bay Program
William C. Baker, President, Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Dr. Don Boesch, President, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
WHEN: Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. ET
WHERE: Conference call. Dial: 866-299-3188 Enter Code: 4102675731
MEDIA RSVP: Rachel Felver, Chesapeake Bay Program Director of Communications, (410) 267-5740, rfelver@chesapeakebay.net
September 28, 2016
2016 Chesapeake Executive Council Annual Meeting
On Tuesday, October 4, 2016, the Chesapeake Executive Council will hold a public meeting and press event during which they will set goals and provide guidance for the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership. The council, established by the Chesapeake Bay Agreement of 1983, meets on an annual basis.
During this meeting, the council is expected to adopt a resolution to support and collaborate with local governments and will note the signs of resiliency that are beginning to be seen throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Each member of the Executive Council will also publically speak to the challenges facing their jurisdictions in regard to Chesapeake Bay restoration.
For more detailed information as it becomes available, visit the 2016 Executive Council meeting webpage.
Who
The Honorable Terence R. McAuliffe, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia (EC Chair)
The Honorable Thomas Wolf, Governor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
The Honorable Thomas McLain “Mac” Middleton, Chairman, Chesapeake Bay Commission
The Honorable Gina McCarthy, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The Honorable Jeannie Haddaway Riccio, Deputy Chief of Staff, State of Maryland
The Honorable Kara Coats, Deputy Secretary, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, State of Delaware
The Honorable James Tierney, Deputy Commissioner for Water Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, State of New York
The Honorable Hamid Karimi, Deputy Director, Natural Resources Administration, Department of Energy and the Environment, District of Columbia
The Honorable Brigadier General William Graham, Commander and Division Engineer, North Atlantic Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The Honorable Robert Bonnie, Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Where
Meeting & Press Event – Virginia State Arboretum
Address for GPS: 400 Blandy Farm Lane Boyce, VA 22620
When
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Public Poster Session and Q&A with Subject Matter Experts: 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. ET
Public Meeting and Press Conference: 11:05 a.m.–12:00 p.m. ET
Details
The Virginia State Arboretum is open to the public during this event. All are welcome to attend.
RSVP
Please RSVP by 10/3/16: Rachel Felver, rfelver@chesapeakebay.net or (410) 267-5740
September 19, 2016
Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Improves in 2015
Join experts from the Chesapeake Bay Program on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 2:30 p.m. ET as they answer questions and discuss the latest data on the health of the Chesapeake Bay, as measured by monitored nitrogen, phosphorous and sediment pollution loads in rivers and streams, as well as the estimated achievement of water quality standards for measures such as dissolved oxygen, water clarity/underwater grasses and chlorophyll a that help determine how well the Bay can support its living resources.
Press release will be available by 10:00 a.m. ET on September 21 http://www.chesapeakebay.net/presscenter
Who
Nick DiPasquale, Director of the Chesapeake Bay Program, Environmental Protection Agency
Rich Batiuk, Associate Director for Science, Analysis and Implementation, Environmental Protection Agency
Scott Phillips, Chesapeake Bay Coordinator, U.S. Geological Survey
When
Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 2:30 p.m. ET
Where
Conference call. Dial: 866-299-3188 Enter Code: 4102675731
Media RSVP
Rachel Felver, Chesapeake Bay Program Director of Communications, (410) 267-5740, rfelver@chesapeakebay.net
April 19, 2016
Experts, Decision Makers Focus on Improving Environmental Education
The Leadership Summit on Environmental Literacy will bring together cabinet-level representatives from state government, environmental education experts, and decision makers from around the watershed to explore how states can assist local education agencies in creating and sustaining high-quality environmental literacy programming as part of their ongoing education reforms and to meet commitments under the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. Participants will also examine opportunities provided by the environmental education provisions of the recently enacted Every Students Succeeds Act to support state and local environmental literacy programming. The meeting is organized by the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, a partner of the Chesapeake Bay Program.
Media are welcome to join from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. to observe students from Hammond High School in Columbia, Maryland who will participate in hands-on field experiences with summit attendees. The session will also feature Nick DiPasquale, Director of the Chesapeake Bay Program; Tom Ackerman, Vice President of Education at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation; and Dr. Renee Foose, Superintendent of Howard County Public Schools as they describe how experiences like this are part of a comprehensive effort to increase Chesapeake Bay stewardship. Members of the media should check in with Rachel Felver, Director of Communications for the Chesapeake Bay Program upon arrival.
What
Leadership Summit on Environmental Literacy
When
Wednesday, April 20, 2016. The summit is a day-long, focused event that will run from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and includes several closed, working sessions. Media are welcome to join from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Where
Phillip Merrill Environmental Center, 6 Herndon Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403
Who
Presenters include:
• Congressman John Sarbanes (Maryland), U.S. House of Representatives
• Mark Belton, Secretary, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
• Molly Ward, Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources
• Steven Staples, Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Dr. Renee Foose, Superintendent, Howard County Public Schools
• Tom Ackerman, Vice President of Education, Chesapeake Bay Foundation
April 18, 2016
Data Show Drop in Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sediment Pollution to Chesapeake Bay
Join the Chesapeake Bay Program on Monday, April 18, 2016 at 3:00p.m., to discuss the latest science-based estimates of how much pollution flow into the Chesapeake Bay has changed over time as a result of watershed-wide actions taken by Chesapeake Bay Program partners.
Who
Nick DiPasquale, Director, Chesapeake Bay Program
Gary Shenk, Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Chesapeake Bay Program
James Davis-Martin, Chesapeake Bay Nonpoint Source Coordinator, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
What
Media briefing on how actions on land are estimated to have reduced nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment flowing from lands into the rivers, streams and the Chesapeake Bay since 2009
When
Monday, April 18, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. ET
Where
Conference call. Dial: 866-299-3188 Enter Code: 2679856222
Media RSVP
Rachel Felver, Chesapeake Bay Program Director of Communications, (410) 267-5740, rfelver@chesapeakebay.net
Tom Wenz, EPA Press Officer, Chesapeake Bay Program Office, (410) 295-1360, tom.wenz@epa.gov
December 08, 2015
Fisheries Scientists, Managers, Constituents to Discuss Chesapeake Bay Fishery Resource Management
The Chesapeake Bay Program’s Sustainable Fisheries Goal Implementation Team will meet Monday, December 14 to discuss topics of critical importance to important fishery species in the Bay. Sessions will feature presentations by top scientists from the region.
WHAT: Semiannual in-person meeting of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Sustainable Fisheries Goal Implementation Team.
Working agenda topics:
• Oyster restoration efforts in Maryland and Virginia
• Developing forage indicators and nutritional profiles for five predatory species in the Bay
• Updates on two-year workplans to achieve blue crab, forage, fish habitat, and oyster outcomes under the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement
• Latest scientific data on cownose rays, including findings from a recent workshop
• Blue crab survey and research on blue crab reproductive capacity
• Analyses of blue catfish diet in Bay tributaries
WHEN: Monday, December 14 (10 a.m.-4:15 p.m.); see meeting page for webinar/call-in information
WHERE: Bernie Fowler Lab on the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s (UMCES) Chesapeake Biological Laboratory campus, 142 Williams St., Solomons, Maryland, 20688
WHO: Presentations by experts from:
• NOAA (Peyton Robertson, Stephanie Westby, Emilie Franke)
• Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (Matt Ogburn)
• UMCES Chesapeake Biological Laboratory (Tom Miller, Andre Buchheister, Mike Wilberg)
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Susan Connor)
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Don Orth, Joseph Schmitt)
ABOUT: The Sustainable Fisheries Goal Implementation Team includes the state fisheries managers from around the Bay, fisheries scientists, other experts, and stakeholders, and is chaired by the director of the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office. The team uses the latest science to inform fishery management decisions and meets in person twice a year to address issues and promote sustainable fish populations that support commercial and recreational fisheries in the Chesapeake Bay, and to share and discuss the latest science on these species.
Media Resources
Background Information: Overview of Chesapeake Bay Program | Chesapeake Bay Facts & Figures | Backgrounders and Fact Sheets | Glossary of Terms
Photos: Images from around the Bay watershed, including crabs, oysters, forest buffers, wetlands and more.
Logos: Bay Program Logo (.tif, .png, .eps, .svg)
RSS: Feed of recent press releases.