Chesapeake Executive Council - All Meetings

The Chesapeake Executive Council will convene for their annual meeting on Tuesday, December 2, 2025 at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland. The Chesapeake Executive Council consists of the governors of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia; the mayor of the District of Columbia, the chair of the tri-state legislative Chesapeake Bay Commission; and the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, who represents the federal government.

The Chesapeake Executive Council establishes the policy direction for the restoration, protection and conservation of the Chesapeake Bay and it's habitats, wildlife and fisheries. They provide leadership in promoting public support for Bay restoration, protection and conservation, and are held accountable by the public for progress made under the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. 

Attendees:

• Governor Wes Moore, State of Maryland (Executive Council Chair)
• Governor Matthew Meyer, State of Delaware
• Governor Josh Shapiro, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• Governor Glenn Youngkin, Commonwealth of Virginia
• Mayor Muriel Bowser, District of Columbia
• Maryland State Senator Sara Love (Chesapeake Bay Commission Chair)
• Environmental Protection Agency Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi
• Elizabeth Wolters, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Agriculture and Markets, State of New York
• Jeremy Bandy, Director, Division of Water and Waste Management, State of West Virginia

• View agenda [PDF, 68.6 KB] 2025 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting

The 2024 Chesapeake Executive Council meeting took take place on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 at the Governor Calvert House in Annapolis, Maryland. The Chesapeake Executive Council was established by the Chesapeake Bay Agreement of 1983 to set goals and provide guidance for the regional federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program partnership. To learn about the meeting, read our Press Release: Chesapeake Executive Council announces plans to revise existing Watershed Agreement.

Attendees

• The Honorable Wes Moore, Governor, State of Maryland (Chair)
• The Honorable Josh Shapiro, Governor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• The Honorable Glenn Youngkin, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
• The Honorable David Bulova, Chair, Chesapeake Bay Commission
• The Honorable Jane Nishida, Acting Deputy Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Shawn Garvin, Secretary, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, State of Delaware
• Richard Jackson, Director, Department of Energy and Environment, District of Columbia
• Scott Mandirola, Deputy Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, State of West Virginia
• Carol Lamb-Lafay, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Water Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, State of New York

• View agenda [PDF, 56.8 KB] 2024 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting

The 2023 Chesapeake Executive Council meeting was held at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, October 19, 2023.

Attendees

• Janet McCabe, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Acting Chair)
• Wes Moore, Governor, State of Maryland
• Muriel Bowser, Mayor, District of Columbia
• Pennsylvania State Senator Scott Martin, Chair, Chesapeake Bay Commission
• Shawn Garvin, Secretary, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, State of Delaware
• Rich Negrin, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• Travis Voyles, Secretary, Natural and Historic Resources, Commonwealth of Virginia
• Jim Tierney, Deputy Commissioner for Water Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, State of New York
• Scott Mandirola, Deputy Cabinet Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, State of West Virginia

• View agenda [PDF, 96.6 KB] 2023 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting

The 2022 Chesapeake Executive Council meeting was held at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters on Tuesday, October 11, 2022.

Attendees

• The Honorable Michael Regan, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency (Executive Council Chair)
• The Honorable Larry Hogan, Governor, State of Maryland
• The Honorable Glenn Youngkin, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
• The Honorable Sarah Elfreth, Chair, Chesapeake Bay Commission
• The Honorable Cindy Adams Dunn, Secretary, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• The Honorable Shawn Garvin, Secretary, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, State of Delaware
• The Honorable Basil Seggos, Commissioner, Department of Environmental Conservation, State of New York
• The Honorable Tommy Wells, Director, Department of Energy and Environment, District of Columbia

• View agenda [PDF, 105.9 KB] 2022 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting

The Chesapeake Executive Council met in Richmond, Virginia on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. The public meeting took place from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. in the East Reading Room at the Patrick Henry Building.

Attendees

• The Honorable Ralph Northam, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia (Executive Council Chair)
• The Honorable David Bulova, Chairman, Chesapeake Bay Commission
• The Honorable Janet McCabe, Deputy Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency
• The Honorable Shawn Garvin, Secretary, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
• The Honorable Ben Grumbles, Secretary, Maryland Department of the Environment
• The Honorable Basil Seggos, Commissioner, New York Department of Environmental Conservation
• The Honorable Russell Redding, Secretary, Maryland Department of Agriculture
• The Honorable Tommy Wells, Director, District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment
• The Honorable Scott Mandirola, Deputy Secretary of External Affairs and Chief Science Officer, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection

• View agenda [PDF, 101.3 KB] December 2021 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting

The 2021 Chesapeake Executive Council meeting was held at the Brock Environmental Center in Virginia Beach on Friday, October 1, 2021. 

Attendees

• The Honorable Ralph Northam, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia (Executive Council Chair)
• The Honorable Larry J. Hogan Jr., Governor, State of Maryland
• The Honorable David Bulova, Chairman, Chesapeake Bay Commission
• The Honorable Diana Esher, Acting Regional Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• The Honorable Russell Redding, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• The Honorable Tommy Wells, Director, Department of Energy & Environment, District of Columbia
• The Honorable Scott Mandirola, Deputy Secretary of External Affairs and Chief Science Officer, State of West Virginia
• Terry Deputy, Director, Division of Water Stewardship, State of Delaware

• View agenda [PDF, 68.1 KB] October 2021 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting

The 2020 Executive Council meeting was held virtually on Tuesday, August 18, 2020.

Attendees

• The Honorable Larry J. Hogan, Jr., Governor, State of Maryland (Executive Council Chair)
• The Honorable Ralph Northam, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
• The Honorable Gene Yaw, Chairman, Chesapeake Bay Commission
• The Honorable Doug Benevento, Associate Deputy Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• The Honorable Austin Caperton, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, State of West Virginia
• The Honorable Shawn Garvin, Secretary, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, State of Delaware
• The Honorable Patrick McDonnell, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• The Honorable Basil Seggos, Commissioner, Department of Environmental Conservation, State of New York
• The Honorable Tommy Wells, Director, Department of Energy and Environment, District of Columbia

• View agenda [PDF, 83.7 KB] 2020 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting

The 2019 Executive Council meeting took place Thursday, September 5, 2019 from 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET at Oxon Hill Manor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

Attendees:

• The Honorable Larry J. Hogan, Jr., Governor, State of Maryland
• The Honorable Ralph Northam, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
• The Honorable Tawanna P. Gaines, Chair, Chesapeake Bay Commission
• The Honorable Andrew Wheeler, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• The Honorable Austin Caperton, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, State of West Virginia
• The Honorable Shawn M. Garvin, Secretary, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, State of Delaware
• The Honorable Patrick McDonnell, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• The Honorable Jim Tierney, Deputy Commissioner for Water Resouces, Department of Environmental Conservation, State of New York
• The Honorable Rashad Young, City Administrator, District of Columbia
• The Honorable Richard Fordyce, Administrator, Farm Service Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture

• View agenda [PDF, 85.3 KB] 2019 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting

The 2018 Executive Council meeting took place on August 7, 2018 from 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. ET at the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park in Baltimore, Maryland.

Attendees:

• The Honorable Larry J. Hogan Jr., Governor, State of Maryland (Executive Council Chair)
• The Honorable Ralph Northam, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
• The Honorable John C. Carney, Jr., Governor, State of Delaware
• The Honorable Frank Wagner, Chairman, Chesapeake Bay Commission
• The Honorable Andrew Wheeler, Acting Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency
• The Honorable Patrick McDonnell, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• The Honorable Austin Caperton, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, State of West Virginia
• The Honorable Kevin Donahue, Deputy City Administrator, District of Columbia
• The Honorable Jim Tierney, Deputy Commissioner for Water Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, State of New York
• The Honorable Jamie Clover Adams, Chief of Staff, Farm Production and Conservation, U.S. Department of Agriculture

• View agenda [PDF, 247.3 KB] 2018 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting

The 2017 Executive Council meeting was held Thursday, June 8, 2017 from 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in Annapolis, Maryland. The public meeting took place in the Governor's Reception Room in the State House.

At the meeting, 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.

Members of the Executive Council also elected Maryland Governor Larry Hogan as the new Chair. Governor Hogan succeeds Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, who became chair on January 1, 2015.

Attendees

• The Honorable Terence R. McAuliffe, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia (Executive Council Chair)
• The Honorable Larry J. Hogan Jr., Governor, State of Maryland
• The Honorable L. Scott Lingamfelter, Vice-Chairman, Chesapeake Bay Commission
• The Honorable Austin Caperton, Cabinet Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, State of West Virginia
• The Honorable Shawn Garvin, Secretary, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, State of Delaware
• The Honorable Patrick McDonnell, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• The Honorable Tommy Wells, Director, Department of Energy and Environment, District of Columbia
• The Honorable Ken Wagner, Senior Advisor to the Administrator for State and Regional Affairs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

• View agenda [PDF, 286.3 KB] 2017 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting

On Tuesday, October 4, 2016, the Chesapeake Executive Council held its annual meeting to set goals and guidance for the partnership at the Virginia State Arboretum in Boyce, VA.

During this meeting, members of the council adopted a resolution to support and collaborate with local governments and noted the signs of resiliency that are beginning to be seen throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Executive Council also heard from Chesapeake Bay Program Director, Nick DiPasquale, who discussed the partnership’s work over the past year, and Brigadier General William Graham, who presented the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chesapeake Bay Comprehensive Plan.

As chair of the Executive Council, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe presided over the public meeting and press conference following a private luncheon at the Virginia State Arboretum in Boyce, VA.

Attendees

• The Honorable Terence R. McAuliffe, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia (Executive Council Chair)
• The Honorable Thomas Wolf, Governor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• The Honorable Thomas McLain ‘Mac’ Middleton, Chairman, Chesapeake Bay Commission
• The Honorable Gina McCarthy, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency
• The Honorable Ben Grumbles, Secretary, Department of the Environment, State of Maryland
• The Honorable Kara Coats, Deputy Secretary, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, State of Delaware
• The Honorable James Tierney, Deputy Commissioner for Water Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, State of New York
• The Honorable Beverly Perry, Senior Advisor, District of Columbia
• The Honorable Brigadier General William Graham, Commander and Division Engineer, North Atlantic Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• The Honorable Robert Bonnie, Under Secretary Natural Resources and Environment, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Event Photographs

To view photographs from this event, please visit our Flickr album.

• View agenda [PDF, 246.6 KB] 2016 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting

On Thursday, July 23, the Chesapeake Executive Council held its annual meeting to set goals and guidance for the partnership at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. During their afternoon press event, Council members announced the release of twenty-five management strategies outlining the Chesapeake Bay Program’s plans for achieving the goals and outcomes of the landmark Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, advancing the restoration, conservation and protection of the Bay, its tributaries and the surrounding lands.

In addition to announcing the strategies, the Executive Council also passed two resolutions—first, endorsing the recommendations of the State Riparian Forest Buffer Task Force and committing to collaborative efforts that will increase the miles of forests on agricultural lands, and second, that the Bay Program hold a symposium on financing environmental restoration efforts. Members also agreed to two joint letters, one supporting programs to keep livestock out of streams and another supporting funding in the President’s 2016 budget for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which includes more than $33 million for the Rivers of the Chesapeake collaborative proposal. The Executive Council also heard from Bay Program Director Nick DiPasquale, who discussed the partnership's work over the last year.

As chair of the Executive Council, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe presided over the public meeting, which began with a private luncheon at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. The Council then held a public session, followed by a press conference.

Attendees

• The Honorable Terence R. McAuliffe, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia (Executive Council Chair)
• The Honorable L. Scott Lingamfelter, Chairman, Chesapeake Bay Commission (Delegate, VA)
• The Honorable Muriel Bowser, Mayor, District of Columbia
• The Honorable Gina McCarthy, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• The Honorable Boyd K. Rutherford, Lieutenant Governor, State of Maryland
• The Honorable Ed Kee, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, State of Delaware
• The Honorable John Quigley, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Event Photographs

To view photographs from this event, please visit our Flickr album.

• View agenda [PDF, 189.7 KB] 2015 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting

On Monday, June 16, the Chesapeake Executive Council held its annual meeting to set goals and guidance for the Chesapeake Bay Program. During their afternoon press event, the Council announced and signed the new Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, a collaborative plan that will guide the seven Bay jurisdictions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Chesapeake Bay Commission in the restoration and stewardship of the Bay, its tributaries and the lands that surround them.

The Executive Council also heard from Bay Program Director Nick DiPasquale, who discussed the partnership’s work over the last two years; the Bay Program’s three advisory committees, which represent citizens, local governments and scientific and technical interests from across the watershed; and four high school students from Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia, who spoke about the importance of engaging future generations in environmental restoration, advocacy and leadership.

As chair of the Executive Council, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley hosted the meeting, which began with a public session in the Governor’s Reception Room at the Maryland State House in Annapolis. Following a private luncheon, the council held a press conference at Susan B. Campbell Park.

Details

• 10 to 11:40 a.m.: Public Meeting: Governor's Reception Room, Maryland State House Annapolis, MD
• Noon to 1:30 p.m.: Private Executive Council Luncheon
• 1:30 p.m.: Press Conference: Susan B. Campbell Park, Annapolis, MD

Attendees

• Gov. Martin O'Malley, Maryland (Executive Council Chair)
• Rep. Ronald Miller, Chair, Chesapeake Bay Commission
• Gov. Jack Markell, Delaware
• Mayor Vincent C. Gray, District of Columbia
• Gov. Thomas Corbett, Pennsylvania
• Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Virginia
• Scott Mandirola, Director, Division of Water and Waste Management, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
• Gina McCarthy, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Ann Mills, Deputy Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Nick DiPasquale, Director, Chesapeake Bay Program

Event Photographs

To view photographs from the 2014 meeting of the Chesapeake Executive Council, please visit our Flickr set.

• View agenda [PDF, 501.9 KB] 2014 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting and Press Conference

On Thursday, December 12, the Chesapeake Executive Council held a public presentation and press event at the U.S. National Arboretum Visitor Center in Washington, D.C. Executive Council members highlighted the Chesapeake Bay Program's thirty-year history, discussed future restoration and conservation efforts, and named Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley its new council chair. O’Malley served two consecutive terms as chair in 2007 and 2008, and accepted this transfer of leadership from District of Columbia Mayor Vincent C. Gray, who became chair in July 2012. O'Malley promised to lead the Bay Program and its partners into a new era of progress and accountability, which will include the signing of a new Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. The agreement, now in its draft form, will be the fourth of its kind and will set a series of goals and outcomes that will guide restoration across the watershed.

In Attendance

• Vincent C. Gray, Mayor, District of Columbia
• Martin O'Malley, Governor, Maryland
• Maggie McIntosh, Chairman, Chesapeake Bay Commission
• Robert Perciasepe, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Collin O'Mara, Secretary, Delaware Department of Recreation and Environmental Control
• Kylah Hynes, Associate Director, New York Governors Office
• Andrew Zemba, Director, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
• Doug Domenech, Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources
• Teresa Koon, Assistant Director, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
• Ann Mills, Deputy Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Event Photographs

To view photographs from this event, please visit our Flickr album.

The Chesapeake Executive Council announced progress under the first set of Chesapeake Bay cleanup milestones at its annual meeting on July 9 at Gunston Hall, near Lorton, Virginia. They discussed the benefits of this system of short, two-year milestones and how, in the future, it will help partners meet the requirements of the Bay “pollution diet.” The Council also announced the 37 recipients of technical support under the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s “Local Government Green Infrastructure Initiative” and elected Mayor Vincent C. Gray of the District of Columbia as its new Chair.

In Attendance:

• Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency & Executive Council Chair
• Governor Martin O’Malley, Maryland
• Mayor Vincent C. Gray, District of Columbia
• Senator (Va.) Emmett Hanger, Chair, Chesapeake Bay Commission
• Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Doug Domenech, Secretary of Natural Resources, Virginia
• Michael Krancer, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania
• Collin O’Mara, Secretary, Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control, Delaware
• James Tierney, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Environmental Conservation, New York
• Teresa Koon, Assistant Director, Department of Environmental Protection, West Virginia

• View agenda [PDF, 420.6 KB] 2012 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting

The Chesapeake Executive Council announced progress toward Chesapeake Bay cleanup milestones, discussed plans for meeting requirements of the Bay “pollution diet,” and encouraged individual Bay stewardship at its annual meeting on July 11 at the Maymont Foundation in Richmond, Virginia.

Attendees:

• Lisa Jackson, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency & Executive Council Chair
• Governor Robert McDonnell, Virginia
• Governor Martin O’Malley, Maryland
• Governor Tom Corbett, Pennsylvania
• Mayor Vincent Gray, District of Columbia
• Senator Michael Brubaker, Chair, Chesapeake Bay Commission
• Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture
• James Tierney, Assistant Commissioner for Water Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, New York
• Teresa Koon, Assistant Director, Department of Environmental Protection, West Virginia
• Collin O’Mara, Secretary, Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control, Delaware
• Ed Kee, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Delaware