Wetlands Workgroup
Upcoming Meetings
Wetlands Workgroup Meeting: Tidal & Nontidal - October 2024
Tuesday, October 15, 2024 from 10:00am - 1:00pmWetlands Workgroup Meeting: Nontidal - November 2024
Tuesday, November 19, 2024 from 2:00pm - 4:00pmScope and Purpose
The Wetland workgroup facilitates the implementation of projects that protect, restore, and enhance tidal and non-tidal wetlands across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Restoration efforts are focused on projects that benefit species requiring high-quality wetland habitats (including American black duck) and incorporate water quality benefits where possible. Additionally, the workgroup coordinates the collection and organization of wetland restoration data reported by the Chesapeake Bay Program.
Projects and Resources
Wetland Workgroup Statement: Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency
On May 25, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court determined in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency that the jurisdiction of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) “extends only to those wetlands with a continuous surface connection to bodies that are waters of the United States in their own right, such that they are indistinguishable from those waters.” As a result, this ruling could reduce the number of wetland acres protected under the CWA.
Please see below for the Wetland Workgroup's response to this Supreme Court ruling.
2022 Restoring the Wetlands of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Workshop
The purpose of this workshop was to bring together key stakeholders to discuss restoration, review barriers, develop strategies and ultimately produce an action plan for accelerating progress towards the Wetlands Outcome identified in the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. The final action plan contains plans from jurisdictions, federal agencies, and non-government organizations, and was presented to the CBP Management Board at the December 2022 Management Board meeting.
The Wetland Workgroup, Habitat Goal Implementation Team (GIT 2), and other CBP working groups will be implementing and prioritizing actions from this plan moving forward. Additional resources will be uploaded here as projects are completed.
GIT-Funded Marsh Data Synthesis Project
The goal of this project was to 1) compile existing datasets and information related to marsh migration under sea level rise-driven inundation due to forecasted climate change, topography of bay shorelines, shoreline condition (e.g., erosion rates, hardening, existing natural resources), existing wetland area and potential migration corridors, and other relevant data from around the Chesapeake Bay and 2) develop a methodology that synthesizes the information in a format that can be used to assist with marsh conservation and restoration decisions under multiple sea level rise scenarios.
This report, titled "Scope of Work 8: Synthesis of Shoreline, Sea Level Rise, and Marsh Migration Data for Wetland Restoration Targeting Final Report" can be found below.
Wetland Co-Benefits Factsheet For Virginia Planners
This factsheet provides resource managers and state planners in Virginia with information on how wetland and living shorelines support the Commonwealth's existing programs and policies. Desicion makers can review the resource to see how wetland protection, restoration and enhance supports plans and initiatives meant for economic development, public health and safety, infrastructure maintainance, and natural benefits.
Publications
Wetlands Logic and Action Plan 2023-2024
The 2023-2024 Logic and Action table and 2-year workplan for the Wetlands Outcome.
Wetlands Logic and Action Plan 2021-2022
The 2021-2022 Logic and Action table and 2-year workplan for the Wetlands Outcome.
View detailsWetlands Logic and Action Plan 2020-2021
The 2020-2021 Logic and Action table and 2-year workplan for the Wetlands Outcome.
View detailsWatershed Agreement
Vital Habitats Goal
Members
Pam Mason (Chair), Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS)
1375 Greate Road
P.O. Box 1346
Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062
Email: mason@vims.edu
Phone: (804) 684-7158
Nancy Schumm (Vice Chair), City of Gaithersburg (MD)
Tess Danielson (Vice Chair), District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE)
Hadijah (Dede) Lawal (Staffer), Habitat Goal Implementation Team Staffer, Chesapeake Research Consortium
1750 Forest Drive Suite 130
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Email: lawalh@chesapeake.org
Phone: (410) 267-5724
Mark Biddle, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
820 Silver Lake Boulevard, Suite 220
Dover, Delaware 19904
Email: mark.biddle@state.de.us
Phone: (302) 739-9939
Alison Rogerson, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
Steve Strano, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Denise Clearwater, Maryland Department of the Environment
Montgomery Park Business Center
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Email: dclearwater@mde.state.md.us
Phone: (410) 537-3000
Melissa Yearick, Upper Susquehanna Coalition
129 West 11th Street
Elmira Heights, New York 14903
Email: melissa@u-s-c.org
Phone: (607) 734-1915
Jeff Jones, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Michelle Henicheck, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
629 East Main Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Email: michelle.henicheck@deq.virginia.gov
Phone: (804) 698-4007
Anne Wakeford, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
Amy Jacobs, The Nature Conservancy
Joe Berg, Biohabitats
2081 Clipper Park Road
Baltimore, Maryland 21211
Email: jberg@biohabitats.com
Phone: 410.554.0156
Mark Gallagher
1108 Old York Road
P.O. Box 720
Ringoes, New Jersey 08551
Email: mgallagher@princetonhydro.com
Alicia Berlin, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Greg Noe, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Chris Spaur, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
Neely Law, Fairfax County (VA)
12000 Government Center Parkway
Suite 449
Fairfax, Virginia 22035
Email: Neely.Law@fairfaxcounty.gov
Phone: (410) 461-8323
Mark Hoffman, Chesapeake Bay Commission
60 West Street
Suite 406
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Email: mhoffman@chesbay.us
Phone: (410) 263-3420
Jen Dietzen, District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE)
Kevin DuBois, U.S. Department of the Navy
1510 Gilbert Street
Bldg N26, Room 3300
Norfolk, Virginia 23511
Email: kevin.dubois@navy.mil
Phone: (757) 341-0424
Dave Norris, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
7870 Villa Park Drive
Suite 400 (Villa Park 3)
Henrico, Virginia 23228
Email: david.norris@dgif.virginia.gov
Jim Feaga, Ducks Unlimited
Jeff Hartranft, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Greg Podniesinski, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR)
Jessica Martinsen, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region 3
Joel Carr, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Seth Keller, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
Jenna Mitchell, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Sarah Hilderbrand, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Ben Sagara, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
Alison Santoro, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Leah Franzluebbers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
Michelle Campbell, District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE)
Dave Goerman, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Rachael Peabody, Virginia Marine Resources Commission
380 Fenwick Rd
Hampton, Virginia 23651
Email: rachael.peabody@mrc.virginia.gov
Phone: (757) 247-2269