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 paintings of past Maryland governors.
The annual Chesapeake Executive Council meeting is held at the Maryland State House in Annapolis, Md., on Dec. 10, 2024.

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

Our Members