As Chair, Senator Love will oversee the policy making efforts of the 21-member Commission, whose members are Senators and House members from Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, along with a cabinet secretary selected by each Governor and a prominent citizen member from each state.
Additionally, Senator Love will chair the Maryland Delegation of the Commission.
Senator Love previously served as a member of the Commission during her tenure in the Maryland House of Delegates, where she was a member of the House Environment and Transportation Committee and sponsored many bills important to the Bay, including the Whole Watershed Act and updating Maryland’s forest conservation act to preserve more trees and forests.
Her work earned her Legislator of the Year from the League of Conservation Voters and Partner of the Year from the Potomac Riverkeeper Network in 2024.
Reappointed to the Commission this past November, Senator Love now serves on the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.
Senator Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Majority Chair of the PA Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, has been re-elected to chair the Pennsylvania Delegation.
For 2025, the Commission’s Virginia members nominated Delegate David Bulova to remain chair of their Delegation.
Under her leadership, Senator Love intends for the Commission to be an active partner in shaping the long-term goals, outcomes, and structure of the Chesapeake Bay Program, which recently announced plans to revise the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement over the course of the next year.
“The Commission is uniquely positioned to provide vision and guidance not just to the General Assemblies of our member states, but to the entire Bay Program, as all stakeholders work together to deliver clean water and vibrant living resources for the benefit of the people,” said Senator Love.
Reflecting on the past year, Delegate Bulova added “The Commission continues to be a strong, bipartisan voice within our state-led, federally-supported effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay watershed. I am proud of the passion, and action-oriented leadership that we have been able to provide as the Program reflects on progress made and adapts for the challenges ahead. And I have no doubt that leadership will continue with Senator Love as Chair in 2025.”
Reaction
Chesapeake Bay Foundation President and CEO Hilary Harp Falk issued the following statement on Commission leadership elections--
“We’re entering a critical year for the Chesapeake Bay. With the Chesapeake Bay Agreement set to be updated by the end of 2025, the Bay Commission will continue to serve a key role in leading collaboration across state lines while ensuring all voices are heard.
“Senator Love is a strong leader with a stellar track record on Bay issues. We congratulate her on being elected chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, as well as Delegate Bulova and Senator Yaw for their critical work in Virginia and Pennsylvania. We look forward to working closely with them to ensure a healthy Chesapeake Bay for future generations.”
PA Commission Members
2024 Pennsylvania delegation members included Rep. Kerry Benninghoff (R-Mifflin), G. Warren Elliott (Franklin County) citizen member, Rep. Carol Hill-Evans (D-York), Sen. Scott Martin (R-Lancaster), Jessica Shirley, Acting DEP Secretary, and Rep. Mike Sturla (R-Lancaster) - now retired.
PA House and Senate members will be appointed during the new legislative session.
Marel King serves as PA Director for the Commission. She can be contacted at mking@chesbay.us.
Visit the Chesapeake Bay Commission website for more information.
As a tri-state legislative body that advises the legislative branch of state government, its mission is to identify critical environmental needs, evaluate public concerns, and ensure state and Federal actions to sustain the living resources of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
The Commission works directly with the state general assemblies and the U.S. Congress and serves as the legislative voice within the Chesapeake Bay Program.
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