Federal agencies outline progress toward restoring Chesapeake Bay

The federal agencies leading the watershed-wide effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay have released a progress report highlighting work completed in the 2015 fiscal year.

As part of the progress made last year, federal agencies and their state and local partners completed initial construction and seeding of a 350-acre oyster reef in Harris Creek. They opened miles of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia streams to eels, shad and other diadromous fish, restoring habitat for some of the watershed’s most critical critters. They worked to conserve and restore forests and wetlands, protecting water and habitat resources throughout the Bay region. And they launched efforts to respond to the threat of toxic contaminants and their effects on fish and wildlife.

Since the signing of the Chesapeake Bay Executive Order in 2009, the federal agencies and their partners have helped make significant progress toward restoring the health of the Bay. In fiscal year 2015, federal agencies on the Federal Leadership Committee for the Chesapeake Bay spent more than $515 million on Bay restoration and protection.

The 2015 progress report marks the final report exclusive to the Federal Leadership Committee for the Chesapeake Bay; federal partners will continue to track their protection and restoration efforts as part of the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. The Bay Program recently released work plans outlining the short-term actions partners will take over the next two years toward achieving the goals of the Watershed Agreement.

Learn more about the 2015 progress report on the Chesapeake Bay Executive Order website.