BALTIMORE, MD (December 2, 2025) — Leaders from six states, the District of Columbia and federal agencies signed a revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement at the National Aquarium today, setting the course for the next decade of restoration efforts in the nation’s largest estuary.
The updated agreement, approved unanimously by the Chesapeake Executive Council, replaces the 2014 Watershed Agreement that guided work through 2025. It retains four core goals — Thriving Habitats, Fisheries and Wildlife; Clean Water; Healthy Landscapes; and Engaged Communities — while introducing 21 specific, measurable outcomes that partners must now translate into detailed management strategies.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore, outgoing chair of the council, called the document a renewed promise to current and future residents.
“Today we made a commitment to the Chesapeake Bay and a commitment to the people of Maryland and our neighboring states,” Moore said. “The revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement will make our rivers and streams cleaner. It will bolster Maryland’s seafood, tourism and recreational businesses. Most importantly, it will ensure we protect the precious heirloom that is the Chesapeake Bay so we can pass it down to the next generations in a better condition than we received it.”
The council also directed the Chesapeake Bay Program to develop formal recommendations by December 2026 on how to better incorporate the knowledge and participation of the watershed’s federally recognized tribal nations. Chief G. Anne Richardson of the Rappahannock Tribe and other members of the Indigenous Conservation Council attended the meeting in person.
In a leadership transition, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro was elected the new chair, succeeding Moore after his two-year term. Shapiro highlighted recent Pennsylvania investments in local water quality projects that also reduce downstream pollution reaching the Bay.
“My Administration has accelerated Pennsylvania’s progress in restoring local waterways across the Commonwealth and reduced our share of pollution to the Bay,” Shapiro said. “I’m looking forward to continuing this work to get stuff done together for the people we serve.”
The council approved governance changes designed to streamline decision-making, including clearer roles for advisory committees and more frequent progress reporting to the Principals’ Staff Committee. Final implementation of those changes is expected by July 1, 2026.
For the first time, the Agricultural Advisory Committee — created in December 2024 — addressed the council directly. Its chair, Bill Fink, emphasized the panel’s role in balancing water-quality practices with farm viability across the 64,000-square-mile watershed.
“With farming now fully recognized in the revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, we see a real opportunity to move from restoration toward preserving a restored Bay watershed for future generations,” Fink said.
The Chesapeake Executive Council, established under the original 1983 Chesapeake Bay Agreement, includes the governors of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia; the mayor of the District of Columbia; the chair of the tri-state Chesapeake Bay Commission; and the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
EPA Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi represented the federal government at the meeting and praised the partnership’s track record.
“The efforts of the Chesapeake Bay Program over the past 42 years have shown the power of collaboration and cooperative federalism in restoring and protecting our nation’s waters,” Fotouhi said.
Since 1983, the voluntary, non-regulatory program has relied on commitments from state and federal partners rather than enforceable mandates. The 2014 agreement achieved roughly 60 percent of its 2025 targets, with notable gains in underwater grass coverage, forest buffers and public access sites. Challenges remain in reducing nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment loads, particularly from agricultural and urban runoff.
The new agreement places greater emphasis on climate resilience, conservation of working lands and community engagement. Each of the 21 outcomes will receive an updated or new management strategy that details monitoring methods, funding needs and coordination steps.
Southern Maryland residents who depend on the Bay for crabbing, oyster harvesting and tourism will watch several outcomes closely, including those aimed at blue crab abundance, oyster reef restoration and fish passage in tributaries such as the Patuxent and St. Mary’s rivers.
The Chesapeake Bay Commission, a legislative body representing Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania, played a key role in drafting the revisions. Its chair, Maryland State Senator Sarah Elfreth (listed in the release as Sara Love, reflecting prior leadership), described the document as a national model.
“This refreshed Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement marks a new chapter in our enduring partnership, made possible through contributions from experts in every field and input from every corner of the watershed,” she said.
Work on the management strategies begins immediately, with drafts due for public review throughout 2026. The next full Executive Council meeting is scheduled for late 2026 in Pennsylvania under Governor Shapiro’s leadership.
