On October 1, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Choose Clean Water Coalition applauded the passage of legislation in Congress to reauthorize the federal Chesapeake Bay and other clean water programs in the America's Conservation Enhancement Act [H.R. 1161].
The legislation provides a funding increase of up to $92 million annually for the Chesapeake Bay Program by 2025.
The U.S. House approved the America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act unanimously Thursday, without taking a recorded vote. The U.S. Senate passed it by unanimous consent on September 16.
The legislation includes--
-- Creation of the Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Development (WILD) program within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support restoring fish and wildlife habitat in the Bay watershed. The ACE Act authorizes $15 million annually for the program, which was first proposed in legislation introduced by Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Bobby Scott.
-- Reauthorization of the Chesapeake Gateways and Watertrails Network and the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Grants Assistance Program, which promote greater public access to the natural wonders of the Bay.
-- Reauthorization of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) grant program. Recently awarded NFWF grants in the Bay region are helping CBF and community groups: Plant 360 acres of new trees in streamside buffers in eight Pennsylvania counties in the watershed, and train 15 to 20 private landscape professionals, potentially tripling the workforce in central Pennsylvania.
-- Reauthorization of the North American Wetlands Conservation matching grant program, which promotes conservation and restoration of wetlands in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Wetlands serve a vital habitat for migratory birds and key aquatic species in the Bay like crabs. They also protect communities against flooding and filter pollutants out of runoff into the Bay and its waterways.
-- Creation of a National Fish Habitat Partnership program to provide funding and technical resources to local public-private partnerships to conserve fish habitats.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation President William C. Baker said, "This is a critical moment for Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. The ACE Act will help save the Bay! Bravo, U.S. House and Senate.”
“The Chesapeake Bay Foundation thanks House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Rep. Elaine Luria, House Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force Co-Chairmen John Sarbanes, Bobby Scott, and Rob Wittman, and Sens. Ben Cardin, Shelley Moore Capito, and Chris Van Hollen for their tireless work to ensure the future of these vital water quality restoration programs.”
Choose Clean Water Coalition Director Kristin Reilly issued the following statement:
"The America's Conservation Enhancement Act is the most important piece of federal legislation to help the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers and streams in more than 30 years.
“Not since the Clean Water Act amendments of 1987 has Congress passed a single bill that does so much to protect and restore clean water throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
"This groundbreaking legislation could not have arrived at a better time as the country perseveres through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“By providing critical funding for on-the-ground conservation projects, this legislation serves as an economic stimulus to communities throughout the country, providing thousands of good-paying jobs.
“What's more, as Americans around the country flock to public parks and waterways, the ACE Act will improve access to these cherished natural resources. And the economic impact of this access is undeniable, as recent studies show that tourists spent $25.7 billion annually throughout the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network region alone.
"Final passage of the ACE Act will greatly help address growing challenges to clean water and conservation in the Chesapeake region and nationwide. The programs in this bill are critical to conservation efforts in every region and every state, and will enhance the outdoor recreational experiences of tens of millions of Americans.
"Despite the partisan discord that plagues Washington, legislators worked across the aisle to pass the ACE Act. Leading this effort were Representatives Steny Hoyer, Elaine Luria, John Sarbanes, Bobby Scott, Rob Wittman, and Senators Shelley Moore Capito, Ben Cardin, and Chris Van Hollen.
“Thanks to their steadfast dedication and strong bipartisan support for this critical bill, we look forward to it becoming law. As we work to leave a legacy of clean water to future generations, the passage of the ACE Act is a critical step in the right direction."
For more on Chesapeake Bay-related issues in Pennsylvania, visit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA webpage. Click Here to sign up for Pennsylvania updates (bottom of left column). Click Here to support their work.
Also visit the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership to learn how you can help clean water grow on trees.
CBF has over 275,000 members in Bay Watershed.
The Choose Clean Water Coalition is an organization that harnesses the collective power of more than 250 local, state, regional, and national groups to advocate for clean rivers and streams in all communities in the Chesapeake region.
PA Chesapeake Bay Plan
For more information on how Pennsylvania plans to meet its Chesapeake Bay cleanup obligations, visit DEP’s PA’s Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan webpage.
Click Here for a summary of the steps the Plan recommends.
How Clean Is Your Stream?
DEP’s Interactive Report Viewer allows you to zoom in on your own stream or watershed to find out how clean your stream is or if it has impaired water quality using the latest information in the draft 2020 Water Quality Report.
[Posted: Oct. 1, 2020] PA Environment Digest
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