Chesapeake Executive Council

The Chesapeake Executive Council establishes the vision and strategic direction for the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay. It consists of the governors of the six watershed states, the mayor of Washington, D.C., the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Meetings

About

The Chesapeake Executive Council was established by the Chesapeake Bay Agreement of 1983. Under the 1987 Chesapeake Bay Agreement, membership changed from cabinet secretaries to the governors of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia; the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; the mayor of the District of Columbia; and the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission. The Chesapeake 2000 agreement marked the official inclusion of the Bay’s headwater states (Delaware, New York and West Virginia) in the Bay Program’s restoration efforts. The governors of New York and Delaware committed to the agreement's water quality goals through a memorandum of understanding signed in 2000. The governor of West Virginia added his signature in 2002.

Members of the Chesapeake Executive Council stand in front of a large glass window overlooking the Baltimore Harbor.
The Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting is held at the National Aquarium in Baltimore on Dec. 2, 2025. The focus of the meeting was the revised 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, which outlines goals and outcomes renewed for the year 2040. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)

The Executive Council:

  • Establishes the policy direction for the restoration and protection of the Bay and its living resources.
  • Provides leadership to promote public support for Bay restoration and protection.
  • Is accountable to the public for progress made under Bay agreements.

The Executive Council meets at least annually.

Publications

Chesapeake Executive Council Charge to the Principals' Staff Committee: Tribes as a Formal and Enduring Partner in the Chesapeake Bay Program

Publication date:

A charge from the Chesapeake Executive Council to the Principals' Staff Committee approved at their December 2, 2025 annual meeting to work with federally recognized tribal nations to develop recommendations by July 1, 2026, on how best to include tribes across the watershed in the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership. 

 In developing these recommendations, the Principals' Staff Committee will research relevant governance matters, including but not limited to partner responsibilities and expectations, pathways for designating and identifying partner representatives, and formal avenues for partnership, including signature on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.  

The Principals' Staff Committee will also explore opportunities to elevate and respect Indigenous guardianship and knowledge within watershed restoration planning and implementation. 

View document [PDF] Chesapeake Executive Council Charge to the Principals' Staff Committee: Tribes as a Formal and Enduring Partner in the Chesapeake Bay Program

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