The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released $23 million for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative, a program of the 2008 Farm Bill that provides the region’s farmers with assistance to implement vital agricultural conservation practices to help clean up the Bay.
Related links: Agricultural conservation practices | Press Release

Oyster mortality fell for the fifth straight year in 2007, but oyster reproduction was poor throughout most of Maryland’s portion of the Bay, according to a recently released survey by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Related links: Oysters | MSX and Dermo

Virginia has awarded a total of $500,000 to 11 localities in the Bay watershed portion of the state to preserve privately owned farmland.
Related links: Land preservation

To help reduce pollution flowing to the Chesapeake Bay, the city of Annapolis, Md., has banned the use and sale of residential lawn fertilizers containing phosphorus.
Related links: Phosphorus | Nutrients | How You Can Help

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Nitrogen Calculator assesses how much algae-producing nitrogen your family sends each year to the Bay or your local river.
Related links: Nutrients | Bay Footprint

Everyone is looking to save a few bucks this holiday season. Why not give a gift that helps both the Chesapeake Bay and your bottom line?
Related links: Find a Bay Group | Help the Bay

To help rebuild the Bay’s blue crab population, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has proposed new recreational and commercial fishing regulations for the 2009 blue crab season, including complimentary licenses for all recreational crabbers.
Related links: Blue Crabs

Virginia Rep. Rob Wittman spoke at the recent Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) meeting about his legislation.
Related links: Text of the Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act, H.R. 6771

Submit RFPs by Jan. 23, 2009, for two awards to support the Bay Program's Local Government Advisory Committee and its new "Circuit Rider" program.
Related links: Grants and RFPs | Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC)