Local Government Leadership Workgroup

The Local Government Leadership Workgroup implements the management strategy associated with the Local Government Leadership Outcome in the revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.

Meetings

‍View all meetings‍ View group calendar

About

The Local Leadership Workgroup was established in 2014 after the signing of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. The Local Leadership Outcome recognized the importance that local governments play in Chesapeake Bay watershed restoration efforts. To learn more on the history of the workgroup and the previous local leadership outcome, view the 2023 Narrative Analysis and Logic and Action Plan. 

In 2025, the Watershed Agreement was revised and the Local Leadership Outcome was renamed the Local Government Leadership Outcome. In alignment with this change, the workgroup was re-titled the Local Government Leadership Workgroup. 

The primary role of the Local Government Leadership Workgroup remains to coordinate with other groups across the Partnership to effectively engage and increase the knowledge and capacity of local government leaders. 

Accomplishments

  • The Wandering Waterways Tour Series provides hands-on opportunities for local leaders to learn about regional conservation efforts and empower them to take on environmental challenges within their own communities. Since 2019, the series has directly engaged nearly 300 local government leaders in all watershed jurisdictions.
  • Protect Local Waterways is an online resource hub created to support decision-making by local officials. Launched in 2023, the site has received 6,700 unique visitors and 800 resource downloads. 

Membership and Voting Procedures

Membership at the workgroup level consists of representatives from all participating jurisdictions, NGOs, and local government trusted sources (e.g. municipal leagues and county associations). 

Projects

Protect Local Waterways Website

Complete

This online resource hub contains an extensive learning library that supports decision-making by local officials.

Publications

Chesapeake Watershed Local Leadership Development Programs

Publication date: Not listed

The 2014 Chesapeake Watershed Agreement establishes the goal to “[c]ontinually increase the knowledge and capacity of local officials on issues related to water resources and the implementation of economic and policy incentives that will support local conservation efforts.” Environmental Leadership Strategies (ELS) researched the needs of local officials and assessed the capacity of existing programs to meet these needs. In this report, ELS makes recommendations on how to support local officials to advance the Watershed Agreement's Local Leadership Outcome.

View document [PDF, 651.1 KB] Chesapeake Watershed Local Leadership Development Programs

Strategic Outreach Education Program for Local Elected Officials

Publication date: Not listed

This report, prepared by the Ecologix Group, Inc. under contract to the Chesapeake Bay Trust, provides recommendations for the design of a strategic outreach and education program for elected officials that will most cost-effectively achieve the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement Local Leadership Outcome -- Continually increase the knowledge and capacity of local officials on issues related to water resources and in the implementation of economic and policy incentives that will support local conservation actions.

View document [PDF, 1.8 MB] Strategic Outreach Education Program for Local Elected Officials

Our Watershed Agreement Goals & Outcomes

Engaged Communities Goal

Our Members