Chesapeake Executive Council

The Chesapeake Executive Council establishes the policy direction for the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay. It consists of the governors of the six watershed states, the mayor of the District of Columbia, the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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.

Executive Council Meetings

Upcoming Meetings

No upcoming meetings.

‍View Past Meetings View Group Calendar‍

Scope and Purpose

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, a legislative body serving Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Chesapeake 2000 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.

The Executive Council:

  • Establishes the policy direction for the restoration and protection of the Bay and its living resources.
  • Exerts leadership to marshal public support for the Bay effort.
  • Signs directives, agreements and amendments that set goals and guide policy for Bay restoration.
  • Is accountable to the public for progress made under the Bay agreements.

The Executive Council meets annually. Its Principals' Staff Committee meets as needed to facilitate communication among the Implementation Committee, the advisory committees (Citizens Advisory Committee, Local Government Advisory Committee and the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee) and the Executive Council.

Publications

Resolution in Support of the Chesapeake Bay Program Partnership

Published on June 8, 2017

At the 2017 meeting of the Executive Council, representatives from the six Chesapeake Bay watershed states, the District of Columbia and the Chesapeake Bay Commission signed a resolution in support of the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership. The resolution calls upon the President and United States Congress to continue the current level of federal support for the Chesapeake Bay Program, including the coordinating role of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chesapeake Bay Program. It also calls for science, monitoring, modeling and restoration to continue with the full participation of local, state and federal agencies and private sector partners as appropriate. Because of advocacy statements contained within the resolution, federal law and practice prohibited the EPA from signing.

Download publication‍

View details‍

Directive 08-1: Leading the Nation in Development of a Sustainable Next-Generation Biofuels Industry

Published on November 20, 2008 in Directive

In November 2008, the Chesapeake Executive Council issued the Directive: Leading the Nation in Development of a Sustainable Next-Generation Biofuels Industry (08-1). This directive adopts the findings of the Report: Next Generation Biofuels--Taking the Policy Lead for the Nation through the following actions:

  1. Implementation of the Biofuel Action Plans which address the state and regional recommendations as presented in the Report.
  2. In 2009, the jurisdictions will develop a regional next-generation Biofuels production goal that includes a plan for market and facility development along with best management practices implementation necessary to support an environmentally sustainable biofuels feedstock.
  3. Reconvening of the Biofuels Advisory Panel during 2009.

Download publication‍

View details‍
View All‍

Members
Wes Moore (Chair), State of Maryland
Address:
100 State Circle
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Email:  moore.wes@maryland.gov
Rachel Felver (Coordinator), Director of Communications, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Address:
1750 Forest Drive Suite 130
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Email:  rfelver@chesapeakebay.net
Phone:  (410) 267-5740
Bianca Martinez Penn (Staffer), Communications Staffer, Chesapeake Research Consortium
Address:
1750 Forest Drive Suite 130
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Email:  bmartinezpenn@chesapeakebay.net
Sara N. Love, Chesapeake Bay Commission
Address:
James Senate Office Building, Room 222
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Email:  sara.love@senate.state.md.us
Muriel Bowser, District of Columbia
Address:
Office of the Mayor, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Suite 316
Washington, DC, District of Columbia 20004

Email:  eom@dc.gov
Matt Meyer, State of Delaware
Address:
Carvel State Office Building
820 North French Street, 12th Floor
Wilmington, Delaware 19801

Email:  matt.meyer@delaware.gov
Lee Zeldin, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Address:
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, District of Columbia 20460

Email:  zeldin.lee@epa.gov
Kathy Hochul, State of New York
Address:
State Capitol Building
New York, New York 12224

Email:  gov.hochul@chamber.state.ny.us
Josh Shapiro, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Address:
225 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120

Email:  governor@pa.gov
Glenn Youngkin, Commonwealth of Virginia
Address:
Patrick Henry Building
1111 East Broad Street, 3rd Floor
Richmond, Virginia 23219

Email:  glenn.youngkin@governor.virginia.gov
Patrick James Morrisey, State of West Virginia
Address:
State Capitol
1900 Kanawha Blvd. E
Charleston, West Virginia 25305

Email:  patrick.morrisey@wv.gov