Session Brings Together Stakeholders Focused on Improving the Bay

A panel of five representatives from the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) collected insight and suggestions from key stakeholders on improving water quality in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The listening session held July 14, 2008 in Annapolis, Maryland, brought together over 250 representatives from Federal, State, and local government agencies, academic professionals, non-government organization (NGO) representatives, and landowners. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed spans Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Washington, DC, which feed the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States.

Richard Coombe, NRCS Regional Assistant Chief East, provides an opening address to the more than 200 people in attendance at the July 14, 2008 Chesapeake Bay Listening Session.

NRCS Regional Assistant Chief East Richard Coombe opened the session by greeting local dignitaries, and thanking attendees for coming together to lend their expertise in the effective appropriation of $188 million in conservation funds for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed over the next four years. NRCS Chief Arlen Lancaster who spoke about protecting, restoring, and enhancing the vital wildlife habitats and river basins within the Watershed followed Coombe.

“We are here to get feedback from you, working on the ground and in the field,” stated Lancaster. “We stand together to find common solutions to implement effective conservation in this Watershed.”

The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, also known as the 2008 Farm Bill, approved $188 million in direct conservation funding to improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The input collected from this listening session will have a beneficial impact on how and where the funding will be allocated.

Those who attended the July 14, 2008 Chesapeake Bay Listening Session in Annapolis, Maryland, took an opportunity to review the Natural Resources Conservation Service displays and information tables from the six States comprising the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Over forty speakers took an opportunity to express their key concerns, and priorities in working together to restore overall water quality in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Topics ranged from expanding riparian buffers and cover crops along streams and rivers to funding additional technical assistance providers in the field and NRCS staff in district offices.

Local farmers and landowners play a critical role in ensuring that water quality remains clean and safe on their land as it positively impacts the success of livestock and agriculture produced.

“If we are going to be successful in improving water quality in the Northeast, than we must make it the number one issue to focus on in the coming years,” said Jim Michael, a West Virginia farmer.

Working together as a team, across all states and agencies, was the key message from the listening session. Attendees recognized the importance of this Watershed and that implementing effective conservation practices is critical to ensuring long-term success.  

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