PA Environment Digest Blog: Chesapeake Bay Program Seeks Public Comments On Revised Watershed Agreement; 5 Webinars Set Starting July 2

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

On July 1, the Chesapeake Bay Program announced it is seeking public comment on a revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement which updates plans for reaching water quality and ecosystem goals until September 1.

[ Chesapeake Bay Journal - Jeremy Cox: A New Chesapeake Bay Agreement - What’s In, What’s Out? ]

The Chesapeake Bay Commission signed the original agreement in 2014 alongside the Environmental Protection Agency, the District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York and Pennsylvania.

Since 2022, the Chesapeake Executive Council has discussed the probability of some goals not being reached by the agreement's scheduled conclusion in 2025.

A study titled "Charting a Course to 2025" identified 13 out of 31 outcomes not expected to be met by that deadline. Officials cited reasons including increased climate change impacts and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Council formed the "Beyond 2025" steering committee to develop strategies for reaching those goals last July, ahead of the 2024 annual meeting.

Members discussed the agreement's future at a September meeting, with the Principals' Staff Committee tasked with creating a streamlined structure for the Chesapeake Bay Program.

Council members officially announced a revised agreement at an annual meeting in December, updated to reflect new scientific findings and environmental threats, according to a press release.

The original 10 goals have been simplified into four--

-- Thriving Habitats and Wildlife

-- Clean Water;

-- Healthy Landscapes; and

-- Engaged Communities.

Thirty-one outcomes have been streamlined into 21 outcomes; each with relevant targets that will help advance watershed restoration.

The revised draft is now available on the Chesapeake Bay Program's website with a list of frequently asked questions and a series of webinars planned to detail the changes.

Webinars

Stakeholders are encouraged to watch the following sessions on the program's YouTube page--

-- July 2: Reimagining the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, Noon

-- July 8: Thriving Habitats and Wildlife: A Deep Dive into the Revised Goal, 11:30 a.m.

-- July 15: Clean Water for a Healthy Bay: Exploring the Revised Goal, Noon

-- July 24: Healthy Landscapes: Understanding the Revised Goal, Noon

-- July 30: Engaged Communities: A Closer Look at the Proposed Goal, Noon

Visit the Planning for 2025 and Beyond webpage to learn more about the revised Agreement and public comment opportunities.

Click Here for the Chesapeake Bay Program announcement.

Visit DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed webpage to learn more about cleaning up rivers and streams in Pennsylvania's portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Click Here to sign up for regular updates on Pennsylvania’s progress.

How Clean Is Your Stream?

The draft 2024 report has an interactive report viewer that allows you to zoom in to your own address to see if the streams near you are impaired and why.

Click Here to check out your streams. Click Here for a tutorial on using the viewer.

(Photo: Conowingo Dam just below the PA-Maryland border on the Susquehanna River after major rainfall.)

NewsClip:

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Jeremy Cox: A New Chesapeake Bay Agreement - What’s In, What’s Out?

Resource Links:

-- Chesapeake Bay Executive Council, Including Gov. Shapiro Announce Plans To Revise Watershed Agreement, Form New Agricultural Advisory Committee [PaEN]

-- CBF: Chesapeake Bay Restoration Progress Underscores Need For Investment And Commitment [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation Blog: PA Farmers Lament Conservation And Economic Consequences Of Losing Federal Climate-Smart Funding [PaEN]