Planning for 2025 and Beyond
The Chesapeake Bay Program charts a course for the future of Bay restoration
When the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement was signed in 2014, many of its goals and outcomes had a target deadline of December 2025. As this date draws near, the Chesapeake Bay Program is determining how best to meet these goals and outcomes while planning for the future of Bay restoration. Phase 1 of this effort produced a Beyond 2025 Report that was presented to the Chesapeake Executive Council in December 2024. During Phase 2, the partnership will revise the Watershed Agreement and develop a simplified and streamlined structure and process that supports all partners as they work toward achieving their commitments in an effective, efficient and inclusive manner.
Phase 1: Developing the Beyond 2025 Report
The Beyond 2025 Report
In October 2024, the Beyond 2025 Steering Committee finalized a report that outlined the next steps for meeting the goals and outcomes of the current Watershed Agreement, how best to address and integrate new science and restoration strategies, and plan for the future of the partnership. At a high level, the Beyond 2025 Report made the following recommendations:
- The Chesapeake Executive Council should affirm its continued commitment to meeting the goals of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and direct the Principals’ Staff Committee to propose the necessary amendments to effectively implement the Watershed Agreement.
- The Chesapeake Bay Program should be strengthened by identifying ways to simplify and streamline the partnership’s structure and processes, including potential changes to the partnership’s Governance and Management Framework to ensure that commitments can be met.
The report also identified several additional recommendations for improving the Chesapeake Bay Program's efforts in the areas of science, conservation and restoration, and partnership.
Who contributed to the report?
The Beyond 2025 Report was drafted by the Beyond 2025 Steering Committee, which consisted of representatives from each of the six watershed states (Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia), the District of Columbia, the federal agencies participating in the Chesapeake Bay Program, Goal Implementation Teams, advisory committees and non-profit organizations. The report’s recommendations were informed by an independent evaluation of the partnership conducted by an outside contractor and a series of proposals developed by five groups of subject matter experts representing critical topic areas: Clean Water, Climate Change, Healthy Watersheds, People and Shallow Water Habitats.
Public comments
A draft of the Beyond 2025 Report was open to public comment from July 1, 2024 through August 30, 2024. The report received 87 unique comments along with several letters signed by over a thousand people. These comments and a redlined, edited version of the report based on the comments have been published.
Phase 2: Revising the Watershed Agreement and restructuring the partnership
Executive Council charge
In December 2024, the Chesapeake Executive Council charged the Principals’ Staff Committee with revising the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement by December 31, 2025. Additionally, the Principals’ Staff Committee was charged with developing a simplified and streamlined structure and process for the partnership. Recommendations for the updated structure and process will be developed by December 1, 2025, and incorporated into the Chesapeake Bay Program’s governance framework by June 2026.
Chesapeake Executive Council Charge to the PSC: Charting a Course Beyond 2025
The Principals’ Staff Committee and Management Board have developed a timeline for executing Beyond 2025: Phase 2 activities. Meetings have been scheduled at key milestones, and can be found on the Chesapeake Bay Program's Meetings Calendar.
PSC Process for Implementing the Charge to Chart a Course Beyond 2025
Outcome review
To inform revisions to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, the Chesapeake Bay Program modified its Strategy Review System (SRS): During the second year of the 2024-2025 SRS Cycle, Goal Implementation Teams (GITs) and Workgroups replaced the standard SRS documentation with information that helped the Management Board determine the preferred disposition of each Watershed Agreement Outcome (i.e., whether to consolidate, update, remove, replace, or reclassify the Outcome). GITs and Management Board members were also given the opportunity to propose novel outcomes. Modified Outcome review documents were discussed at three Management Board meetings:
- February 13, 2025, Management Board Meeting
- February 27, 2025, Management Board Meeting
- March 13, 2025, Management Board Meeting
On March 27, 2025, the Management Board reached consensus on recommendations for the disposition of 21 existing outcomes. Ten outcomes required further consideration. Recommendations and considerations were presented to the Principals' Staff Committee on March 28, and final dispositions for both existing and novel outcomes were determined at the April 10 Management Board Meeting.
Outcome Review Meeting Framework and Decision-making Process
Outcome development
The Chesapeake Bay Program is working to develop revised Outcome language for review and discussion by the Management Board on May 7 and 8. Recommendations will be presented to the Principals' Staff Committee on May 23. The following documents provide guidance and considerations for developing Outcome language:
- Word Template for Draft Outcome Language, Target Content and Supporting Information
- PowerPoint Template for Outcome Presentation to Management Board
- Outcomes and Outputs: A Presentation on Outcome Language
Governance, structure and process
The Enhancing Partnering, Leadership and Management Goal Implementation Team (GIT6) is coordinating the process that will develop recommendations for a simplified and streamlined structure and process for the partnership. The following documents provide an overview of the GIT6's ongoing efforts:
- Achieving the 2024 EC Charge: Governance, Structure and Process
- Key Priorities for Enhancing Structure, Governance and Processes in the Chesapeake Bay Program
Public Comments
Each of the Management Board's outcome review meetings included time for an open dialogue between Management Board members, Chesapeake Bay Program partners and members of the public, who were invited to ask questions or submit comments on the materials that were discussed. Interested parties and members of the public are also invited to email comments to comments@chesapeakebay.net. In addition, the Chesapeake Bay Program will open a 60-day public feedback period on July 1, 2025.
The following documents provide an overview of the comments received thus far: