Goals of the multi-state commitment to clean up the Chesapeake Bay are in jeopardy because of cuts to federal staff and funding, local officials say.
The Trump administration initiated a sweeping freeze on grants that involve environmental work. Though a federal judge ordered the administration to release funds already appropriated by Congress, many grants remain frozen or terminated.
Nonprofits and community groups across the Chesapeake Bay watershed said they’re seeing money dry up for a large range of projects.
Hilary Falk, president and CEO of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, said the nonprofit is “sounding the alarm” on what it sees as a potential disaster for restoration efforts.
“We've seen really meaningful progress on the Chesapeake Bay year over year, administration over administration, and it's no time to slow down,” Falk said. “We need our foot on the pedal, and we need to make sure that we have a strong federal partner in order to do that.”
The massive bay cleanup was already at a turning point.
A decade ago, Virginia and other states in the region signed onto the ambitious Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
It set 31 benchmarks to voluntarily achieve by 2025 such as reducing nutrient pollution, restoring underwater grasses and boosting oyster and crab populations.
The restoration is not on track to meet about a third of those goals. But the Chesapeake Executive Council, which guides the policy direction and includes Gov. Glenn Youngkin, met late last year to reaffirm states’ commitments to moving forward.
Officials are now working to revise the agreement by the end of this year. In December, leaders said they wanted to get more people involved with the bay in an equitable way and better incorporate evolving science about growing climate threats.
For example, the bay is getting warmer, which makes it harder for marine life to survive and can spur the growth of harmful algae. Increased rainfall tied to climate change also makes it more challenging to overcome pollution from runoff, when fecal matter and chemicals are swept off land and into local waterways during storms.
President Trump plans to cut 65% of the budget for the EPA, which oversees the federal bay restoration agreement.
Sen. Tim Kaine said he’s “very worried.”
“The bay is critical to the economies of Hampton Roads, the Peninsula, the Northern Neck, the Eastern Shore,” he said. “So this has an effect on the environment, but it also has a big effect on the economy, tourism and an asset that has such bipartisan support all around Virginia.”
A representative for Youngkin said in a statement that the Chesapeake Bay is a “crown jewel” of Virginia.
It represents “an iconic piece of the Commonwealth that has a personal connection to the people who live, work, and play on the bay and its tributaries. … We remain fully committed to continuing this work.”
The governor’s office did not respond to a question about whether he has any concerns about the federal cuts.
The Choose Clean Water Coalition advocates for more than 300 organizations throughout the bay watershed and has been pushing federal lawmakers to keep and expand funding for restoration.
Director Kristin Reilly said the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program was reauthorized for $92 million annually under legislation signed by President Joe Biden in January.
But the coalition is hearing from many members who cannot access funding for projects that have been in the works for years.
“Things that are being installed to help keep people's basements from flooding, to improve drinking water, to provide more green space and access in public parks for local communities, programs that get kids outside and learning about their environment,” Reilly said. “You could expect to see a lot of those things sort of dissipate.”
Funds and staff associated with programs under the U.S. Department of Agriculture appear to be especially hard hit, such as money that goes to local farmers to encourage practices that stem pollution. The grants are reimbursable, meaning many people have already paid for work or owe contractors.
Reilly said they’ve worked for years to build trust with farmers and other community partners.
“This does not help the folks that were very nervous about entering into any contracts with the federal government,” she said. “I think we are going to see some real damage to some of these long relationships, regardless if the funding comes back or not.”
