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• Federal Government Pledges to Revitalize Anacostia, Patapsco Rivers Through New Partnership - Eleven federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, have joined together in a new initiative to revitalize the Anacostia and Patapsco rivers.
• Online Guide Helps Homeowners Choose Chesapeake Bay Native Plants - The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have launched the Native Plant Center, an online guide to help homeowners identify and choose plants that are native to the Chesapeake Bay region.
• Scientists Predict Moderate to Poor Oxygen Levels in Chesapeake Bay for Early Summer - The Chesapeake Bay is expected to have moderate to poor dissolved oxygen conditions during the early part of the summer, according to a team of scientists with Chesapeake Eco-Check.
• Bernie Fowler Sees His Sneakers through 31.25 Inches of Water at Annual Patuxent River Wade-in - Former Maryland State Senator Bernie Fowler saw his white sneakers through 31.25 inches of water at the 24th annual Patuxent River wade-in on June 12. This was down three inches from last year and a far cry from the 60-plus inches of water Fowler could see his sneakers through during his youth.
• Virginia Developing “No-discharge Zones” on Northern Neck to Reduce Pollution from Boat Sewage - The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is seeking federal designation of several Northern Neck creeks and rivers as “no-discharge zones,” which would prohibit overboard dumping of treated or untreated sewage to reduce bacteria contamination in local waterways.
• Maryland Approves $29 Million in Grants for Septic, Wastewater Upgrades to Reduce Pollution to Chesapeake Bay - Maryland will provide more than $29 million in grants to upgrade wastewater treatment plants and septic systems, improve sewer systems, and restore stream banks to reduce pollution to the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers.

May 2011

• Maryland Passes Law to Reduce Pollution from Lawn Fertilizer - Maryland has passed a law that will reduce pollution from lawn fertilizer applied to homes, golf courses and businesses.
• Health of Chesapeake Bay’s Streams and Rivers Slowly Improving, but Still Degraded in Many Areas - Nutrient pollution in the majority of the Chesapeake Bay region’s freshwater streams and rivers has decreased over the last 25 years, according to data from scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey and the Chesapeake Bay Program.
• National Academy of Sciences Releases Chesapeake Bay Program Evaluation - The National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences has released a pilot study that contains science-based conclusions and recommendations to help the Chesapeake Bay Program evaluate its efforts to achieve nutrient reduction goals and clean up the Bay.

April 2011

• Ten Maryland Towns Receive More Than $230,000 to Expand Green Infrastructure and Reduce Polluted Runoff - Ten Maryland communities have been awarded a total of more than $230,000 to design “green streets” that will reduce polluted stormwater runoff to the Chesapeake Bay and local rivers while creating green jobs in urban areas.
• Chesapeake Bay Health Receives C-Minus on Latest Report Card - The Chesapeake Bay has received a C-minus on the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s (UMCES) 2010 Bay Health Report Card. The 2010 grade is a 4 percent decrease from 2009, when the Bay’s health received a C.
• Watermen Remove 10,000 ‘Ghost Pots’ from Chesapeake Bay and Rivers - Waterman hauled up more than 10,000 derelict “ghost pots,” lost fishing nets and other assorted metal from the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers this winter as part of Virginia’s Marine Debris Removal Program.
• Bay Grass Acreage in Chesapeake Bay, Rivers Decreases 7 Percent in 2010 - Underwater bay grasses covered 79,675 acres of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers in 2010, according to data from scientists with the Chesapeake Bay Program. This is a 7 percent decrease from 2009, when bay grasses covered 85,914 acres of the Bay’s shallows.
• Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Population at Second-highest Level Since 1997, According to Scientists - The Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population is at its second-highest level since 1997, according to results from the 2011 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey. At 460 million crabs, the blue crab population is nearly double the record low of 249 million in 2007.
• Maryland Forms Task Force to Examine Pollution from Septic Systems - Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley has signed an executive order to study septic system use in the state and find out how much pollution the on-site wastewater systems contribute to the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers.
• You Can Eat More Striped Bass from Chesapeake Bay, According to Revised Maryland Fish Consumption Advisories - New tests by the Maryland Department of the Environment show lower levels of contaminants in the Chesapeake Bay’s striped bass (rockfish), prompting the agency to increase its recommendation for the amount of the popular fish residents can safely eat.
• West Virginia to Help Fund Pollution-reducing Wastewater Treatment Upgrades - West Virginia will invest $6 million annually for 30 years toward wastewater treatment plant upgrades that will reduce nutrient pollution to the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay.
• Bay Program Acting Director Appointed to Advisory Council for John Smith Chesapeake Trail - Chesapeake Bay Program Acting Director Jim Edward has been appointed by U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to a two-year term on the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail Advisory Council.

March 2011

• Report Details Effects of Pollution from Lawn Fertilizer on Chesapeake Bay - A new report by Environment Maryland details the harmful effects of lawn fertilizer on the Chesapeake Bay and explains the steps that should be taken to reduce this pollutant and clean up local waterways.
• Heavy Rainstorms Flood Chesapeake Bay with Nutrient, Sediment Pollution - Early March’s heavy rains and snow melt caused a flood of nutrients and sediment to flow into the Chesapeake Bay from the Susquehanna River, according to scientists with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
• Fewer Wintering Waterfowl Counted in Maryland in 2011 - Scientists observed more than 640,000 ducks, geese and swans along Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay shoreline this winter as part of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ annual Midwinter Waterfowl Survey. This is a decline from 2010, when approximately 787,000 waterfowl were counted.
• USDA Report Shows Agricultural Conservation Practices Helping Reduce Pollution to Chesapeake Bay - The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service has released a study showing that effective use of conservation practices on farmland throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed is reducing nutrient and sediment pollution to the Bay and its rivers.
• Chesapeake Bay Featured in National Park Service Teaching Tool - The National Park Service has developed a teaching tool about Chesapeake Bay history, geology, ecology and restoration as part of its online educational resource Views of the National Parks.
• Jeff Corbin Appointed EPA Senior Adviser on Chesapeake Bay - EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson has appointed Jeff Corbin as her senior adviser on Chesapeake Bay restoration.

February 2011

• Virginia to Ban Lawn Fertilizer Containing Phosphorus - Virginia is poised to pass a law banning the sale of fertilizer containing phosphorus, a major pollutant in the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers.
• Magothy River Health Continues to be Poor, According to Latest Report Card - The Magothy River in Anne Arundel County, Md., received a D-minus on its latest health report card, the same grade as last year but a significant decline from several years ago, according to the Magothy River Association’s latest Magothy River Index.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service Partners with Bay Bank to Fund Habitat Protection Projects - The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Maryland and Bay Bank, the Chesapeake Bay’s conservation marketplace, are working together to help agricultural operators and forest landowners implement conservation practices that will make them eligible to receive private funding to protect and enhance important habitats, forestland and clean water.
• Survey Finds More Baby Oysters in Chesapeake Bay - The number of baby oysters in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay is at its highest level since 1997, and more young oysters appears to be surviving the effects of diseases, according to a recently completed survey by the Department of Natural Resources.
• Four River Monitoring Programs Show Mixed Results for Susquehanna River Water Quality - Four monitoring reports by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission show both good and poor results for the health of the Susquehanna River and its tributaries.

January 2011

• Maryland Farmers Plant Record Amount of Cover Crops in 2010 - Maryland farmers planted a record 398,679 acres of cover crops on their farms last fall, exceeding the state’s cover crop goal by 20 percent, according to the Maryland Department of Agriculture.
• Maryland Climate Change Report Outlines Strategies to Combat Sea Level Rise - The Maryland Commission on Climate Change has released a report outlining strategies to reduce the effects of climate change on Maryland’s land, water and people.
• Maryland Proposes $25 Million for Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund - Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley has proposed $25 million in fiscal year 2012 funding for the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund. The funding would support projects to reduce polluted runoff to the Bay.
• Maryland Surpasses 2010 Land Conservation Goal - Maryland has surpassed its goal to preserve 9,700 acres in 2010. The state permanently protected 12,812 acres last year, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

December 2010

• EPA Establishes Chesapeake Bay “Pollution Diet” - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established a final “pollution diet” to restore the Chesapeake Bay and its streams, creeks and rivers. The pollution diet, formally called a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), spells out the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment that needs to be reduced to bring the Bay back to health.
• Bay Health Improves, but Still in Critical Condition, According to Report - The Chesapeake Bay’s health has improved slightly over the past two years, but the ecosystem remains out of balance, according to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s 2010 State of the Bay report. The Bay’s overall health ranks 31 out of 100 on the Foundation’s numeric health index, a three point improvement from 2008.
• Preserving Land Key to Restoring Chesapeake Bay, According to New Report - Land conservation is a critical part of restoring the Chesapeake Bay, and governments need to maintain their current pace of conserving land to achieve new land preservation goals, according to a new report issued by the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the Chesapeake Conservancy.
• Chesapeake Bay’s Health Better than Normal This Summer, According to Scientists - There was a smaller low-oxygen “dead zone” and fewer fish kills and sea nettles in the Chesapeake Bay this summer, according to an annual review of summer conditions by scientists with Chesapeake Eco-Check.
• Virginia to Create New Shellfish Farming Zones to Boost Aquaculture - The Virginia Marine Resources Commission will set aside more than 1,000 acres of state-owned water bottom to help expand clam and oyster farming, a practice that benefits both the Chesapeake Bay’s health and the state’s economy.
• Report Finds Too Much Phosphorus in Soil Around Region - A new report by the Environmental Working Group finds that phosphorus – a nutrient that leads to algae blooms and low-oxygen “dead zones” in the Chesapeake Bay – is saturating the soil of farmland in many parts of the Bay watershed.
• Ten Upper Susquehanna Streams to Receive Real-time Water Quality Monitoring Stations - The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is installing real-time monitoring stations on 10 streams in the upper Susquehanna River watershed to collect data that may be used in the future to evaluate the effects of drilling on local streams.

November 2010

• Cleaning Up Chesapeake Bay Will Benefit Region’s Economy, According to New Report - The Chesapeake Bay region’s economy has been significantly affected by water pollution in the Bay and its rivers, according to a new report by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The report, The Economic Argument for Cleaning Up the Bay and Its Rivers, states that the Chesapeake Bay TMDL, a federal “pollution diet” being developed to clean up the Bay and its rivers, will not only result in clean water and a healthy Bay, but also a strong regional economy.
• 450 Million Baby Oysters Planted in Chesapeake Bay in 2010 - The Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP) and its partners processed, cleaned and transported more than 60,000 bushels of oyster shells in 2010, using the shells to produce and plant more than 450 million baby oysters in 316 acres of the Chesapeake Bay.
• Intersex Fish Found in Susquehanna River, Delmarva Lakes - “Intersex” fish – male fish with female traits – are showing up in more Chesapeake Bay region waterways. Government and university scientists have recently collected intersex smallmouth and largemouth bass from several waterways in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland.
• State of the Nation’s River Report Highlights Changes in Forests, Farms Affecting Potomac River - The Potomac Conservancy has released its fourth annual State of the Nation’s River report, naming development a primary source of stress on farms, forests and the health of the water in the Potomac River region.
• $3.4 Million Awarded to 34 Local Restoration Projects Throughout Chesapeake Bay Watershed - Thirty-four environmental projects in all six Chesapeake Bay states and the District of Columbia have been awarded more than $3.4 million to help reduce pollution to local streams, creeks and rivers and the Bay.

October 2010

• Nanticoke River’s Health Gets B-Minus in First-Ever Report Card - The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) has given the health of the Nanticoke River – considered to be one of the most pristine rivers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed – a B-minus in the first-ever Nanticoke River Report Card.
• First State of the Susquehanna Report Details Successes, Opportunities for Chesapeake Bay’s Largest River Basin - The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) has released the first-ever State of the Susquehanna report, which details successes, partnerships, threats and opportunities for seven key indicators influencing the Susquehanna River basin’s health.
• Striped Bass Reproduction Below Average in Maryland, Above Average in Virginia in 2010 - The number of young striped bass in Maryland waters in 2010 was below average for the third straight year, while in Virginia the amount of young striped bass was once again above average, according to juvenile striped bass surveys by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.
• Virginia Partnership Aims to Restore Oysters, Jobs and the Chesapeake Bay - A new oyster partnership in Virginia will bring watermen, scientists, businesses and citizens together to help restore the Chesapeake Bay’s oysters while creating jobs at the same time.
• Chesapeake Bay Atlantic Sturgeon Proposed for Endangered Species List - The Atlantic sturgeon – a rare, ancient-looking fish that supported an important 19th century fishery in the Chesapeake Bay region – has been proposed by NOAA Fisheries Service to be protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.

September 2010

• EPA Releases Draft “Pollution Diet” for Chesapeake Bay and Local Waterways - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is calling for a 25 percent reduction in nitrogen and phosphorus pollution and at least a 16 percent reduction in sediment pollution to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries as part of a draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).
• Anacostia River To Go on Trash Diet - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) along with the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia have announced a new Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) or “pollution diet” for trash in the impaired Anacostia River as directed by the federal Clean Water Act.
• New Analysis Shows Long-term Changes in Nutrient Pollution from Rivers to the Chesapeake Bay - The U.S. Geological Survey has developed a new method for tracking progress toward reducing nitrogen and phosphorus pollution from the streams and rivers that flow to the Chesapeake Bay. The new analysis reveals mixed news about progress toward reducing nutrients over the past 31 years, particularly during the last decade.
• New Wastewater Permit Will Reduce Nitrogen Discharges from Blue Plains by 45 Percent - The Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility in Washington, D.C., will discharge 3.8 million fewer pounds of nitrogen each year by 2015 as the result of a renewed operating permit issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
• Study Shows Tenfold Increase in Native Bay Grasses in Lower Potomac River - A new study by the U.S. Geological Survey suggests that underwater bay grasses in the Potomac River are increasing due to efforts to reduce nutrient pollution.

August 2010

• Some Virginia Waterways Improve, Others Still Impaired, According to Latest Water Quality Report - The health of some Virginia rivers is showing signs of improvement, but many of the state’s waterways are still polluted, according to a recent report issued by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
• Maryland Farmers to Plant Record Acreage of Cover Crops This Winter - A record 1,668 Maryland farmers will plant more than 500,000 acres of winter grains on their fields this year through the state’s cover crop program, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. This is 155 percent of Maryland’s two-year milestone for cover crops.
• EPA Proposes Draft Sediment Limits to Restore Chesapeake Bay and Local Waterways - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed draft sediment limits as part of a “pollution diet” the agency is developing to restore the Chesapeake Bay and its local streams, creeks and rivers.
• Eleven Innovative Projects Receive $5.8 Million to Reduce Pollution Throughout Chesapeake Bay Watershed - Eleven innovative environmental projects throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed will reduce an estimated 1.5 million pounds of nitrogen, 51,000 pounds of phosphorus and 20,000 pounds of sediment from entering the Bay and its local waterways with $5.8 million in grants through the Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Program.

July 2010

• Local Action Video Showcase Highlights Restoration Work Taking Place Throughout Chesapeake Bay Watershed - “What are you doing to help the Chesapeake Bay on a local level?” That’s the question 15 groups from the Chesapeake Bay watershed’s six states and the District of Columbia answered for their local political leaders through the Chesapeake Bay Program’s first-ever Local Action Video Showcase this spring.
• Blue Crab Advisory Report Recommends Continued Conservation Measures for Chesapeake’s Iconic Crustaceans - The 2010 Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Advisory Report, recently released by the Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee, notes that the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crabs appear to be making a comeback, but recommends that the jurisdictions that manage the blue crab fishery continue to keep conservation measures in place.
• EPA Proposes Draft Pollution Limits to Restore Chesapeake Bay and Local Waterways - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed draft nitrogen and phosphorus limits, called allocations, as part of a “pollution diet” the agency is developing to restore the Chesapeake Bay and its local streams, creeks and rivers. The watershed-wide draft limits of 187.4 million pounds of nitrogen and 12.5 million pounds of phosphorus are divided among the six watershed states and the District of Columbia, as well as the major river basins.

June 2010

• Amended Chesapeake Bay Reauthorization Legislation Keeps Firm 2025 Deadline - On June 30, the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved with bipartisan support the Chesapeake Clean Water and Ecosystem Restoration Act of 2009. The bill was introduced last fall by Maryland Sen. Benjamin Cardin and amended to remove provisions that would have codified a Bay-wide “pollution diet,” called a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), for nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment. The bill now moves on to the full Senate for approval.
• Richmond, Virginia’s Capitol Square to Go Green - Richmond, Virginia’s Capitol Square is about to become one of the most environmentally friendly capitols in the nation, with a series of green construction projects set to begin this summer. The projects, including a retrofit of the capitol grounds and select streets and alleys, aim to reduce polluted stormwater runoff to the James River, a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture to Showcase Conservation Practices on Farmland in Three Small Chesapeake Bay Watersheds - The U.S. Department of Agriculture will expand outreach and innovative conservation practices on farmland in three small watersheds in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia to show how focusing funding, sound science and strong partnerships in small geographic areas can help improve the health of local waterways and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.
• Seven New Rivers and Creeks Added to Marylanders Grow Oysters Program - More than 2,000 new oyster cages are expected to be added along seven new creeks and rivers as part of a popular citizen oyster restoration program called Marylanders Grow Oysters.
• Bernie Fowler Measures "Sneaker Index" of 34.5 Inches at Annual Patuxent River Wade-In - Former Maryland State Senator Bernie Fowler saw his white sneakers through 34.5 inches of water at the 23rd annual Patuxent River Wade-In on June 13.
• Maryland Awards $6 Million in Trust Fund Grants to Local Pollution-Reduction Projects - Maryland has awarded $6 million in grants from the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund to help local communities and landowners reduce pollution to the Chesapeake Bay.
• Chesapeake Executive Council Launches ChesapeakeStat at Annual Meeting - At its annual meeting on June 3, the Chesapeake Executive Council launched ChesapeakeStat, an online tool to increase accountability and improve coordination of Bay Program restoration activities.

May 2010

• Maryland Proposes New Regulations for Oyster Sanctuaries, Aquaculture - Maryland will expand oyster sanctuaries and aquaculture to help rebuild the Chesapeake Bay’s depleted native oyster population under a three-point plan introduced by Gov. Martin O’Malley.
• Learn About the Health of Your Local Stream With StreamHealth - Maryland has launched a new website called StreamHealth to help residents learn about the health of their local streams and take action to improve them.
• Chesapeake Bay Gets “C” on Latest Annual Report Card - The health of the Chesapeake Bay improved last year to its highest level since 2002, according to the latest annual report card released by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), which gave the Bay a health grade of C.
• Eighth “Smart Buoy” Launched in Upper Potomac River - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has launched its eighth “smart buoy” in the Chesapeake Bay region as part of a network of interpretive buoys that display real-time information about environmental conditions.
• New Federal Strategy Will Restore Clean Water, Conserve Land, Rebuild Oysters in Chesapeake Bay Region - The federal government will restore clean water in the Chesapeake Bay and its thousands of local waterways, implement conservation practices on four million acres of farmland, conserve two million acres of undeveloped land, and rebuild oysters in 20 Bay tributaries as part of a new strategy for protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

April 2010

• New “Pollution Diet” Will Reduce Trash in Anacostia River - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the District of Columbia and the state of Maryland have announced a new draft “pollution diet” for trash in the impaired Anacostia River, only the second river in the country to get a daily trash limit.
• Underwater Bay Grasses Increase 12 Percent in Bay and Rivers in 2009 - Underwater bay grasses covered 85,899 acres of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers in 2009, about 46 percent of the 185,000-acre baywide abundance goal, according to data from scientists with the Bay Program. This was a 12 percent increase from 76,860 acres in 2008 and the highest baywide acreage since 2002.
• “Bay Game” Shows How Our Decisions Affect Bay, Rivers - A new computer game created by a team at the University of Virginia is giving students a real-life look at how decisions by the Chesapeake Bay watershed’s 17 million residents affect the future of the Bay and its local streams and rivers.
• EPA Proposes “Next Generation” Stormwater Runoff Controls for Washington D.C. - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a draft permit to the District of Columbia requiring the District to continue improving its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program for controlling stormwater runoff.
• Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Population Increases for Second Straight Year, Reaches Highest Level Since 1997 - The Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population has risen to an estimated 658 million, a 60 percent increase from last year and the highest level since 1997, according to the latest annual Bay-wide winter dredge survey.
• New Study Shows Rising Water Temperatures in Potomac, Other U.S. Rivers - New research by a team of scientists led by the University of Maryland shows that water temperatures are increasing in many streams and rivers throughout the United States, including two that flow to the Chesapeake Bay.
• 2009 Bay Barometer: Bay Health Poor Overall Despite Upticks in Specific Indicators - The Chesapeake Bay Program released the 2009 Bay Barometer, showing that the Bay continues to be degraded and illustrating a clear need to continue to accelerate restoration efforts across the region.

March 2010

• Oyster Shell Recycling Alliance Will Collect Used Shells to Help Restore Chesapeake's Oyster Reefs - The Oyster Recovery Partnership has launched Maryland’s first Oyster Shell Recycling Alliance, which will collect used oyster and clam shells from restaurants for oyster reef restoration projects in the Chesapeake Bay.
• Six Signs of Spring in the Chesapeake Region - After a long, cold winter full of snow, ice and disrupted plans, many people in the Chesapeake Bay watershed are looking forward to the first signs of spring. Whether good or bad, these six signals should give you a little bit of hope that the winter blues will soon be relieved by the warmer days of spring.

February 2010

• Six Ways African-American History Helped Shape the Chesapeake - In the Chesapeake Bay region, the African-Americans who lived and worked here helped define our history. Learn more about six key events, people and professions that influenced the history of the Chesapeake and the entire nation.
• High School Students on the Upper Susquehanna Learn About Science and Environment, Help Local Watershed Group - A group of high school students in New York is getting real-life experience monitoring environmental conditions on the upper Susquehanna River as part of a regional program for schools in the Chesapeake Bay watershed’s northernmost reaches.

January 2010

• Chesapeake Bay Education Website BayBackpack.com Launched - The Bay Program has launched BayBackpack.com, an online resource for teachers and environmental educators to engage students in hands-on learning about the Chesapeake Bay and its local waterways.
• Biofuels Could Create Jobs, Reduce Pollution in Chesapeake Bay Region, Report Finds - Homegrown energy could reduce millions of pounds of nutrients from entering the Chesapeake Bay’s streams, creeks and rivers and create more than 18,000 jobs in the region, according to a new report released by the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
• Virginia Permanently Protects 424,000 Acres of Land in Four Years - Virginia has permanently preserved more than 424,000 acres of land since 2006, surpassing Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine’s goal of 400,000 acres conserved during his term.
• New EPA Regulations Will Help Reduce Pollution from Stormwater, Animal Operations to Chesapeake Bay - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is initiating new federal rulemaking to help control polluted runoff from cities, suburbs and farmland to the Chesapeake Bay and its network of streams and rivers.
• EPA Administrator Voted Chair of Chesapeake Executive Council - The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been named chair of the Chesapeake Executive Council, assuming responsibility for the Chesapeake Bay Program’s policy-setting committee from outgoing Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine.

December 2009

• EPA Details Consequences to Hold States, D.C., Accountable to Reduce Pollution to Chesapeake Bay, Rivers - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has outlined a series of consequences it could impose on the six Chesapeake Bay states and the District of Columbia if the jurisdictions do not make adequate progress reducing pollution to the Bay and its local waterways.
• New York State Landowner Develops Wetland to Protect Local Stream, Chesapeake Bay - On the first Wednesday in December, landowner Ray Lewis proudly looked across one of three recently constructed wetlands on his upstate New York farm. Accompanied by several local organizations involved in the effort, Mr. Lewis explained to Jeff Lape, director of the Chesapeake Bay Program, why he had taken on such a project.
• EPA Releases Guidance to Help Federal Facilities Better Manage Stormwater Runoff - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued guidance to help federal agencies reduce polluted stormwater runoff from federal development projects to nearby water bodies. Under the new guidance, federal agencies must minimize runoff by using low-impact development practices, such as pervious pavement, green roofs and rain gardens.
• The 12 Days of Helping the Bay - This time of year, everyone’s minds turn to giving and spreading holiday cheer. But how much are you giving back to the environment in the process? Read our tips on the 12 ways to help the Bay during the holidays.
• Mercury in Shenandoah Valley Rivers from Contaminated Soil, Scientific Study Finds - A new report issued by the U.S. Geological Survey points to contaminated riverbank and floodplain soils as the main source of mercury found in fish in several Shenandoah Valley rivers.

November 2009

• Virginia to Buy Back Commercial Crab Licenses to Help Boost Bay Blue Crab Population - To help rebuild the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission will buy back 359 commercial crabber licenses, removing more than 75,000 crab pots from Virginia waters – nearly a 20 percent reduction in the number of pots permitted for use.
• 14 Places to View the Chesapeake’s Wintering Waterfowl - In autumn and winter, millions of migratory birds visit the Chesapeake Bay region as they follow the Atlantic Flyway during their seasonal flights. We’ve compiled a list of some of the top places in the watershed to spend a day enjoying the beautiful waterfowl that call the Chesapeake region their winter home.
• Draft Strategy Shows How Federal Agencies Will Restore, Protect Chesapeake Bay - As part of a draft strategy to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers, federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Homeland Security, Interior and Transportation will accelerate Bay cleanup efforts by meeting two-year milestones that lead to all activities needed to restore the Bay and its rivers being in place no later than 2025.
• EPA Sets Expectations for States, D.C., to Reduce Pollution to Chesapeake Bay and Rivers - The U.S. EPA has given the six states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the District of Columbia its expectations for the jurisdictions to reduce pollution to the Bay and its streams, creeks and rivers to meet federal water quality standards.

October 2009

• After Search, Status of Elusive Maryland Darter Still Unknown - A crew of about a dozen biologists from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Frostburg State University and Marshall University spent an October afternoon searching for the Maryland darter, a fish that was last seen in 1988 and is feared to be extinct. Though their search proved unsuccessful, biologists are not giving up hope.
• Maryland to Improve Three Wastewater Systems to Reduce Pollution to Bay and Local Rivers - Maryland will use $39.5 million in grants to help improve the health of local waterways that flow to the Chesapeake Bay by upgrading wastewater facilities and repairing a sewage system in three Bay watershed locations.
• Young Striped Bass Population in 2009 Slightly Below Average, but Considered Healthy - The number of young-of-the-year striped bass – fish that are less than one year old – found in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay in 2009 was up from last year but still a bit below average, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) 2009 Young-of-the-Year Striped Bass Survey.
• New Legislation Would Expand Federal Resources, Set Firm 2025 Deadline to Restore Chesapeake Bay - Maryland Senator Benjamin Cardin has introduced new legislation that would greatly expand federal resources, including funding, authority and enforcement tools, and set a legally binding deadline of 2025 for states to put all necessary measures into place to achieve a healthy, restored Chesapeake Bay.
• Maryland Plants Record 750 Million Oyster Spat in 2009 - The state of Maryland planted nearly 750 million baby oysters – called oyster spat – in the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers in 2009, surpassing last year’s total of 600 million spat and marking a new record for the state’s oyster restoration program.
• Virginia Toughens Stormwater Regulations to Reduce Polluted Runoff to Chesapeake Bay, Local Rivers - Virginia has approved new stormwater rules that will help reduce polluted runoff – the fastest-growing source of pollution to the Chesapeake Bay – to the streams, creeks and rivers that feed the Bay.

September 2009

• More Than $800,000 Awarded to Chesapeake Bay Restoration Projects Throughout Maryland - The Chesapeake Bay Trust has awarded more than $800,000 to 109 projects that will carry out on-the-ground restoration efforts and teach children and adults to help clean up the Maryland streams, creeks and rivers that flow to the Chesapeake Bay.
• Thirty-two Projects Receive $2.8 Million to Protect and Restore Chesapeake Bay and Local Waterways - Thirty-two environmental restoration and protection projects from across the Chesapeake Bay watershed have been awarded more than $2.8 million in grants from the Chesapeake Bay Program and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to help clean up local streams, creeks and rivers that flow to the Bay.

August 2009

• Eelgrass Continues to Rebound in Lower Chesapeake Bay - Mid-season monitoring of underwater bay grasses in Virginia’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay is showing beds of eelgrass and widgeon grass that are similar to or slightly denser and larger than 2008, reflecting continued recovery from a large-scale eelgrass die-off in 2005, according to updates from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.
• Va. Receives $80.2 Million in Recovery Act Funding to Upgrade Wastewater Treatment Plants - Virginia has received $80.2 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to upgrade and improve wastewater treatment facilities throughout the state, which will help lessen a major source of nutrient pollution to the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers.
• Chesapeake Bay Executive Order Website Features News, Information on Development of New Strategy to Clean Up the Bay - Website for the Chesapeake Bay Executive Order on Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration will be used to distribute news, events, documents and other information from the various federal agencies working on a new strategy to advance Bay cleanup.
• U.S. Senate Holds Hearing on Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization - On Monday, Aug. 3, the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee of the U.S. Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee held its second hearing on reauthorizing the Chesapeake Bay Program, listed in section 117 of the federal Clean Water Act.
• Pesticide Runoff Can Pose Risk to Humans, Wildlife in Chesapeake Bay Region - Pesticides used by farmers, residents and business owners pose a significant risk to Chesapeake Bay wildlife and human health, according to a recent report released by the Maryland Pesticide Network.

July 2009

• Federal Bill Would Improve Stormwater Runoff Management in Chesapeake Bay Region - Virginia Rep. Gerald Connolly has introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would reduce pollution from impervious surfaces and increase forest cover in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
• Smaller Low-Oxygen Zone, Fewer Harmful Algae Blooms Expected In Bay This Summer - Chesapeake Bay scientists are predicting a smaller low-oxygen area and fewer harmful algae blooms in the Bay this summer due to a lower-than-average flow of water that brought a lighter load of nutrients from the Susquehanna River into the Bay, according to an annual summer forecast released by Chesapeake EcoCheck.
• Washington, D.C., Bans Use of Coal-Tar Pavement Products Containing Toxic PAHs - Washington, D.C., has banned the use and sale of coal-tar pavement products to curb the flow of a toxic chemical contaminant called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to the Anacostia River, Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay.
• Maryland to Buy Back Crabbing Licenses to Aid Blue Crab Conservation - The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is seeking to buy back more than 3,500 commercial limited crab catcher licenses to reduce the amount of inactive crabbing licenses in the state and better manage the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population.

June 2009

• Green Summer Job Corps Will Train D.C. Youth to Help Environment, Chesapeake Bay - Eight hundred teenagers and young adults will help make the parks, rivers and schools of Washington, D.C., a little greener this summer through the city’s second annual Green Summer Job Corps.
• Scientists Forecast Smaller Low-Oxygen Zone in Chesapeake Bay This Summer - Scientists with the University of Michigan are predicting that the Chesapeake Bay’s low-oxygen “dead zone” will be the smallest in eight years due to dry weather this winter and early spring.
• Washington, D.C., Passes Bill to Reduce Plastic Bag Trash in Anacostia River - The District of Columbia Council has unanimously approved a bill that will help clean up the Anacostia River by placing a fee on disposable bags.
• Bernie Fowler Sees His Sneakers Through 25.5 Inches of Water at Annual Patuxent River Wade-In - At his 22nd annual Patuxent River Wade-in on June 14, former Maryland State Senator Bernie Fowler saw his white sneakers through 25.5 inches of water -- similar to last year’s measurement of 26 inches but still far from the 60-plus inches Fowler could see his sneakers through during his childhood.
• Bill Would Strengthen NOAA’s Role in Chesapeake Bay Cleanup - Virginia Senator Mark Warner has introduced legislation that would strengthen and enhance the role of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the Chesapeake Bay cleanup effort.
• Scientists Find Possible Link between Intersex Fish and Fish Kills in Potomac, Shenandoah Rivers - U.S. Geological Survey researchers have found a possible connection between the occurrence of intersex fish and fish kills and lesions on bass in the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.
• Twenty-four Innovative Projects Awarded Grants to Reduce Pollution to Local Waterways and the Chesapeake Bay - Twenty-four innovative projects in Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia have received a total of $12.9 million in grants from the Bay Program and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution to the local streams, creeks and rivers that flow to the Chesapeake Bay.
• Md.'s Pyle Middle School Promotes Chesapeake Bay Student Engagement - Sixth-grade students at Pyle Middle School in Bethesda showcase their year-long efforts to reduce pollution, restore habitats and clean up trash at their third annual Chesapeake Bay Extravaganza.

May 2009

• Chesapeake Bay States Push Congress for Tighter Highway Runoff Controls - The governors of the six Bay states, the mayor of Washington, D.C., and the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission have submitted a letter to the U.S. Congress to include in the reauthorized Federal Surface Transportation Act a policy to reduce polluted stormwater runoff from federal highway construction and reconstruction projects.
• 4,188 Acres Along Va.'s Dragon Run Permanently Protected - The Commonwealth of Virginia and The Nature Conservancy have purchased 4,188 acres of environmentally extraordinary land within the Dragon Run watershed, located on Virginia's Middle Peninsula.
• New Bay Coalition Launches “Choose Clean Water” Campaign - More than 60 nonprofit organizations from throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed have launched a new campaign called “Choose Clean Water” that will help local communities clean up and protect the waterways that flow to the Bay.
• President Obama Issues Chesapeake Bay Executive Order - On May 12, President Obama signed an Executive Order that calls on the federal government to lead the effort to control pollution that flows to the Chesapeake Bay and protect wildlife habitats in the region.
• Executive Council Sets New Goals for Reducing Bay Pollution - At its annual meeting on May 12, the Chesapeake Executive Council set new short-term goals to reduce pollution to the Bay and dramatically accelerate the pace of restoration of the Bay and its rivers.

April 2009

• Underwater Bay Grasses Increase in 2008 - Underwater bay grasses increased by 18 percent in 2008 to cover 76,861 acres throughout the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers, according to data collected by scientists with the Bay Program. This is the fourth largest total amount of bay grasses recorded since surveying began in 1984.
• RainScaping Campaign Promotes Homeowner Involvement in Reducing Bay Pollution - A new campaign is urging Anne Arundel County, Md., residents to find “beautiful solutions to water pollution” by installing rain gardens, rain barrels and other methods of absorbing polluted runoff before it makes its way into the Bay.
• Bay Blue Crab Population Increases Significantly - Scientists estimate that a total of 400 million blue crabs overwintered in the Bay in 2008-2009, up from 280 million in 2007-2008, according to data from the latest Bay-wide winter dredge survey conducted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.
• Mattawoman Creek Named One of America’s Most Endangered Rivers - A highway and development threatening Mattawoman Creek in Maryland has caused this “gem” of the Chesapeake watershed to earn the number four spot on American River’s 2009 list of Most Endangered Rivers in the United States.
• Officials Rule Against Introducing Asian Oysters into Bay - Officials with Maryland, Virginia, the U.S. Army Corps and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission have decided against introducing Asian oysters as a way to restore the Bay’s degraded oyster population, citing “unacceptable ecological risks.” The states will instead focus on native oyster restoration.
• Bay Receives a C-Minus on Latest Health Report Card - For the second year in a row, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) has given the Bay a C-minus on its annual Chesapeake Bay Health Report Card.

March 2009

• More Low Health Grades for Maryland Rivers - The Severn and Patuxent rivers are the latest receive report cards on their health.
• Bay Barometer Released; Annual Assessment Shows 38 Percent of Bay Health Goals Met in 2008 - Despite increased restoration efforts throughout the watershed, the overall health of the Bay did not improve in 2008, according to Bay Barometer: A Health and Restoration Assessment of the Chesapeake Bay and Watershed in 2008.
• Canada Goose Population Increases in Maryland in 2009 - There was a notable increase in the number of Canada geese along Maryland’s Chesapeake and Atlantic shorelines this winter according to a recent survey.
• EPA Names Senior Advisor on Bay and Anacostia River - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson has named J. Charles Fox as senior advisor on the Chesapeake Bay and Anacostia River.

February 2009

• Pennsylvania Protects Farmland and Clean Water - Two recent actions by the state of Pennsylvania will help protect clean water and working farmland throughout the Susquehanna River system, the Chesapeake’s largest tributary.
• Health of Magothy River Decreases in 2008 - The health of the Magothy River, located just north of Annapolis in Anne Arundel County, Md., fell in 2008 to a score of 30 percent, the lowest value since scorekeeping began six years ago, according to the latest Magothy River Index.
• Maryland, Virginia Report Decreased Female Crab Harvest in 2008 - Watermen in Maryland and Virginia caught fewer of the Bay’s female blue crabs in 2008, achieving the targeted reduction of 34 percent set by the governors of the two states last spring, according to preliminary harvest data released by both states.
• USDA Breaks Ground on Bay-friendly "People's Garden" - The U.S. Department of Agriculture is installing a 2,500 square foot "People's Garden" at its Washington, D.C. headquarters to help reduce polluted runoff to the Bay and teach visitors to the Nation's Capital about the benefits of native landscaping.
• Maryland Preserves 20 Miles of Potomac River Shoreline - The state of Maryland has preserved nearly 4,500 acres of land in Cecil, Charles and St. Mary’s counties, including 20 miles of Potomac River shoreline that was once explored by Captain John Smith.

January 2009

• Maryland Receives Federal Aid to Help Blue Crab Industry - The National Marine Fisheries Service has awarded Maryland $2.2 million in federal fishery disaster funding to assist the state’s watermen and help revitalize the Bay’s struggling blue crab industry.
• EPA Report Shows Potential Damaging Effects of Sea Level Rise on Bay’s Marshes - A recently released report by the U.S. EPA shows that many areas around the Bay’s shoreline are already witnessing the effects of sea level rise and that vulnerable tidal marshes may erode more rapidly over the next century because of climate change.
• $23 Million in Farm Bill Funding to Support Agricultural Conservation Practices - 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.
• Annual Oyster Survey Shows Decreases in Mortality, Reproduction - 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).
• Virginia Grants $500,000 to Preserve Bay Watershed Farmland - Virginia has awarded a total of $500,000 to 11 localities in the Bay watershed portion of the state to preserve privately owned farmland.
• Annapolis Bans Use of Lawn Fertilizer Containing Phosphorus - 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.

December 2008

• New Online Calculator Assesses Your Nitrogen Footprint - 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.
• Buy for the Bay this Holiday - 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?
• Maryland DNR Proposes 2009 Blue Crab Regulations - 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.
• Rep. Wittman Speaks About Bay Restoration Bill - Virginia Rep. Rob Wittman spoke at the recent Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) meeting about his legislation.
• Invasive Zebra Mussels Found in Susquehanna River - The invasive zebra mussel has been found for the first time in the Maryland portion of the Susquehanna River, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
• Partnership Protects Virginia Marsh from Erosion - A partnership between the James River Association, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership and several other organizations has protected from erosion more than 500 acres of tidal freshwater marsh on Herring Creek in Charles City County, Virginia.

November 2008

• Executive Council Reviews Past Year’s Accomplishments, Sets New Agenda at Annual Meeting - The Chesapeake Executive Council announced at its annual meeting on Nov. 20 ambitious new actions to intensify the Bay clean-up effort, request support from the President-elect, pursue development of next-generation biofuels and increase partner accountability for restoration of the Bay and its watershed.
• New Research Vessel Will Enhance Bay Monitoring - The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science introduces the R/V Rachel Carson, a state-of-the-art research platform to help scientists monitor Bay conditions.
• EPA Sets New Requirements for Controlling Manure, Wastewater from Large Animal Feeding Operations - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a rule to require concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) nationwide to safely manage manure by including a nutrient management plan as part of their Clean Water Act permit applications.

October 2008

• New Wetlands Restoration Partnership Launches in Maryland - A new wetlands restoration partnership in Maryland will bring corporations, government agencies and nonprofits together to help improve and restore the state’s aquatic wildlife habitats.
• Climate Change Will Affect Chesapeake Restoration Efforts - A new independent report shows the Bay ecosystem will be significantly impacted by climate change during the next century.
• Maryland Implements New Regulations to Reduce Polluted Runoff to Bay - The Maryland Department of the Environment is adopting new regulations to help combat polluted stormwater runoff, the fastest-growing source of pollution to the Bay and its rivers.
• Partnership Tackles Removal of Invasive Rodent - Maryland Nutria Project, led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will eliminate nutria from Eastern Shore marshes by 2013.
• Bay Grass Restoration Sprouts through Partnership and Innovation - Over the past five years, the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office and the U.S. Army Corps have led innovative new research to increase underwater grasses in the Bay.
• "Living Shorelines" Offer Protection, Habitat - Research continues into how quickly living shorelines assume the “natural” ecological functions of marshes.
• Chesapeake Restoration Topics Featured at National Estuary Conference - Restoration work by Bay Program partners and other organizations throughout the Chesapeake region is being featured at the National Conference on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration on Oct. 12-15 in Providence, R.I.
• Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Launches First Online Network for Bay Community - The Chesapeake Watershed Network is an online networking community that will connect scientists, environmental professionals and local citizens working to restore the Bay region’s land and waterways.

September 2008

• New Oyster Growing Program Engages Maryland Residents in Bay Restoration - Waterfront property owners on Maryland’s Tred Avon River have a new way to become involved in the Bay restoration effort through a pilot oyster-growing program set up by several Maryland state agencies and Bay Program partners.
• Maryland County Takes Strong Stance on Stormwater - Montgomery County, Maryland, has recently introduced two draft regulations to help control polluted runoff from roads and developed areas to the county’s Chesapeake Bay tributaries.
• Federal Agency Declares Disaster for Bay Blue Crab Fishery - The U.S. Department of Commerce has declared a state of disaster for the Chesapeake blue crab fishery after determining that poor environmental conditions have led to economic losses for the region's blue crab fishing industry.
• Park Service Invites Public to Help Develop John Smith Trail - The National Park Service will hold a series of open houses throughout the Bay region in late September and early October to gather input from the public on the new Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.
• NOAA Launches Susquehanna River “Smart Buoy” - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has launched its fifth “smart buoy” along the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail to track air and water conditions at the mouth of the Susquehanna River.
• Maryland Issues Draft Requirements for Farm Animal Feeding Operations - New controls to properly manage poultry litter at about 200 of the state’s largest poultry operations will help reduce nutrient pollution to the Bay and its rivers.
• Help Collect Tree Seeds to Protect the Potomac River - From now through November 1, you can help the Bay by collecting native tree seeds that will be used to plant streamside forests throughout the Potomac River region.
• New Report Outlines Potential of Cellulosic Biofuels in Bay Region - The Chesapeake Bay Commission and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have released a new report that explains how the Chesapeake region can become a national leader in the shift to home-grown, environmentally beneficial biofuels.

August 2008

• Environmental Education Initiatives Gain Momentum in Bay Region - Environmental Education Initiatives Gain Momentum in Bay Region Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature and No Child Left Inside highlight growing movement to teach children about the environment.
• Free Rain Barrels Available Through New Partnership - The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay is offering free 55-gallon barrels to local watershed organizations and environmental education groups through a partnership with Baltimore Coca-Cola Bottling Company.
• Harmful Algae Bloom Confirmed in Potomac River Creek - The Charles County, Md., Department of Health has issued a water advisory for Mattawoman Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River, after scientists collected water samples containing high concentrations of potentially harmful cyanobacteria, often called blue-green algae.
• New Ballast Water Initiative May Help Stop Spread of Invasive Species - Several Maryland agencies have joined together to launch the Maritime Environmental Research Center, a new research and testing project that aims to help prevent the spread of harmful aquatic invasive species via ship ballast water.
• Forestry for the Bay Featured at Conference in Pennsylvania - Forestry for the Bay, which brings together private landowners interested in actively preserving and restoring their woodlands, was featured at the recent Pennsylvania Forest Stewards annual meeting in Bradford County.
• Congressional Hearing Focuses on Chesapeake Bay Restoration Efforts - Testimony provided at a congressional hearing this week acknowledged the Chesapeake Bay Program’s progress in improving restoration efforts and focused on the continuing challenges to restoring water quality throughout the watershed.

July 2008

• NOAA Launches Fourth Bay “Smart Buoy” - New interpretive buoy, located off Stingray Point on the Rappahannock River, provides real-time weather and water quality information to boaters along the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.
• Research Shows Drop in Bay Blue Crab Population - The population of spawning-age blue crabs in the Bay fell to 120 million in 2007-08, compared with 143 million in 2006-07, according to the 2008 Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Advisory Report. Both of these figures are below the interim target population of 200 million spawning-age crabs.
• Over $2.1 Million Awarded for Local Waterway Protection and Restoration Projects - Thirty-four organizations from across the Bay watershed receive more than $2.1 million from the Bay Program and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for projects that will protect 3,400 acres of land, restore approximately 15 miles of streams and plant more than 160 acres of marsh and wetland grasses.
• Bay Program Submits Report to Congress Outlining Chesapeake Action Plan - Chesapeake Action Plan features tools that can strengthen and expand partnerships in the watershed, enhance coordination of restoration activities and increase the collective accountability for protecting the Bay.
• Mid-Summer Bay Grass Monitoring Shows Some Increases, But Concern Remains - Annual monitoring for underwater bay grasses is now in full swing, and scientists with the Bay Program are currently conducting aerial observations of the middle and lower Bay to document bay grass acreage.

June 2008

• B-WET Grant Workshops to be Held this Summer - The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office will hold several summer workshops for local, regional and state organizations that plan to apply for 2009 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) grants.
• Scientists Predict Poor Summer Water Quality Conditions - University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science predicts poor water quality conditions in the Bay and several of its rivers this summer, according to annual summer ecological forecast.
• Bay Program Featured at Spain’s World Water Expo - The Bay Program’s integrated models, monitoring and research used for Chesapeake restoration were featured at a scientific symposium for the 2008 World Water Expo in Zaragoza, Spain, in mid-May.
• NRCS Provides $5 Million in Grants to Protect Water Quality - The Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Conservation Innovation Grants will fund 11 Bay watershed projects that protect water quality, recycle nutrients and improve wildlife habitat.
• Bernie Fowler Wade-in Brings Community, Leaders Together to Focus on Water Quality - The retired state senator sees his white sneakers through 26 inches of water during his 21st annual wade-in on the Patuxent River.
• Del., Md. Pledge to Protect and Restore Nanticoke River - Officials in Delaware and Maryland have signed on to a bi-state effort to ensure long-term stewardship of the Nanticoke River, a major component of the new Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and one of the newest sites in the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network.

May 2008

• Thomas Pyle 6th Graders Showcase Bay Projects - On Thursday, May 22, Thomas Pyle Middle School in Bethesda, Maryland, hosted its annual Chesapeake Bay Extravaganza. The event showcased the work of the school’s 460 sixth grade students.
• It’s Wade-in Season! - This spring, more than a dozen wade-ins will be held on Maryland’s rivers, creeks and streams -- from the Monocacy all the way to the Nanticoke.
• National Aquarium Wins Grant to Help Improve Patapsco Water Quality - $200,000 cleanup grant from the U.S. EPA’s brownfields program will help Aquarium’s Center for Aquatic Life and Conservation remediate a 13-acre site on the Middle Branch of the Patuxent River.

April 2008

• Underwater Bay Grasses Up in 2007, But Still Short of Restoration Goal - Grasses covered nearly 65,000 acres of the Bay and its tidal rivers in 2007, about 35 percent of the 185,000-acre baywide restoration goal. Though a 10 percent increase from 59,000 acres in 2006, bay grasses have not yet recovered to the recent high of 90,000 acres in 2002.
• Watershed cleanups thousands of tons of success - Thousands of volunteers across the watershed stepped up on Saturday, April 5 to turn the tide on trash along the Potomac, South and other local rivers.
• Annual Bay Assessment Shows Ecosystem Health Still Poor, Restoration Progress Falling Short - The Bay Program released its Chesapeake Bay 2007 Health and Restoration Assessment, a four-part snapshot of health conditions and restoration efforts in the Bay and its watershed.

March 2008

• Volunteers Turn the Tide on Trash - Building on the success of last year’s cleanup, the Alice Ferguson Foundation will host its 20th annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup on Saturday, April 5, 2008.
• South River Receives Grade of 34 in Latest Scorecard - The overall health of the South River declined in 2007, according to the South River Federation’s 2008 South River Scorecard, an annual report on the health of the river.
• New Mentoring Program Helps Both Farmers and the Bay - A new farmer-to-farmer mentoring program will help improve the economic productivity of Maryland farms and bring healthy, grass-fed livestock to restaurants and local residents -- while also reducing pollution to the Bay.

February 2008

• More Trees Needed in Frederick, Study Finds - Urban tree canopy covers just 12 percent of city, but an additional 72 percent could possibly be covered in the future, according to a recent Md. DNR study.
• Environmental Forum Open to High School Students - Cacapon Institute will hold its third annual Stream Cleaner Environmental Forum this spring, an internet-based watershed education activity for high school classes.

January 2008

• Commission Submits Oyster "Vision" - Maryland's Oyster Advisory Commission (OAC) recently submitted their “possible vision” of the future of Maryland's oyster management program to Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, the Maryland General Assembly and the secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources
• New Watershed Management Program to Help the Heart of the Shenandoah - The Page County, Virginia Board of Supervisors has passed a resolution to adopt a new watershed management program (WMP) that will help improve water quality in the South Branch of the Shenandoah River by reducing polluted runoff from the land.
• Tree Plantings Promote Clean Air - The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, in partnership with Constellation Energy and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, recently wrapped up a three-year Baltimore-area reforestation project, intended to help slow the harmful effects of global warming and clean local waterways.

December 2007

• Bay Region Leaders “Champion” New Actions to Accelerate Chesapeake Clean-Up - Chesapeake Executive Council pledges to accelerate nutrient and sediment reduction efforts across Bay watershed.
• New Conservation Goals Aim to Protect More Chesapeake Forests - At its annual meeting in early December, the Chesapeake Executive Council (EC) signed the Forestry Conservation Initiative, committing the Bay states to permanently conserve an additional 695,000 acres of forested land throughout the watershed by 2020.
• Virginia Receives National Award for Water Quality Improvement Fund - The Virginia Resources Authority and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality were recently recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for excellent work in the area of water quality protection with a Performance and Innovation in the SRF (Clean Water States Revolving Fund) Creating Environmental Success, or PISCES, award.

November 2007

• Report Details Agency's Restoration Efforts - Defending Our National Treasures describes the Department of Defense's restoration initiatives over the past 10 years.
• Partners Unite to Restore Wetland Habitat - Maryland DNR, Ducks Unlimited, the Maryland-DC Audubon Society and the 37th annual Waterfowl Festival have teamed up to restore and enhance 63 acres of wildlife habitat at the Jean Ellen DuPont Shehan Audubon Sanctuary on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
• New Gains in Wetland Restoration - Between 2005 and 2006, Bay Program partners established and/or reestablished nearly 1,000 acres of wetlands.
• 2007 State of the Nation's River Released - New report by Potomac Conservancy assesses condition of Potomac River and offers solutions for healthy lands & waters.
• Fall Waterfowl Viewing Guide - From New York to Virginia, learn where you can view migrating ducks and geese this autumn.

October 2007

• Fresh or Salty? Bay's Salinity Makes a Big Difference to Underwater Life - Have you ever noticed that the air smells salty in some places on the Chesapeake Bay, while in others it does not? The salt you smell has to do with the salinity, or amount of salt, in the water you're near.
• Watershed Growth Outpacing Restoration - Development growth in the Bay watershed is outpacing restoration efforts, according to the EPA Office of Inspector General.
  Download: Development Growth Outpacing Progress in Watershed Efforts to Restore the Chesapeake Bay
• Two Reports Detail New Bay Stressors - Biofuels and the Bay and Chesapeake Bay and Global Warming show wide-ranging potential pressures on Bay health.
  Download: Biofuels and the Bay | The Chesapeake Bay and Global Warming

September 2007

• Eelgrass aquaculture holds promise - MD-DNR is conducting large-scale bay grass restoration at their Piney Point Aquaculture Center on the Potomac River.
• The ABCs of HABs - Algae are a vital component of the Bay’s ecosystem — these free-floating plants make up the base of the food chain. However, when algae populations explode to unusually high numbers they create what are called harmful algae blooms (HABs).

August 2007

• How Do Bay's "Dead Zones" Form? - High temperatures and excess nutrients lead to summer “dead zones” in parts of the Bay and its tributaries, stressing fish, crabs and other critters.
• Summer Dissolved Oxygen Updates - Early July: Just over 3% of the Bay's mainstem was anoxic, with too little dissolved oxygen to support most life.
• John Smith Shallop Visits Annapolis - Two days of festivities about region's history, heritage and environment marked halfway point of shallop's journey

June 2007

• 2006 Bay Health & Restoration Assessment Details Bay 's Degraded Water Quality, Restoration Efforts Throughout Watershed - The Chesapeake Bay 2006 Health and Restoration Assessment reports show that the Bay's overall health remains degraded, despite significant advances in restoration efforts by Bay Program partners through newly focused programs, legislation and/or funding.
• Scientists Forecast Average Summer - Though considered “typical,” water quality conditions will be far from what’s needed for a healthy Bay ecosystem.
• Bernie Fowler Wade-in Draws Attention to Patuxent Water Quality - Former Maryland State Senator Bernie Fowler remembers the days of his youth, when he could wade up to his shoulders in his beloved Patuxent River and still see the river's bottom, teeming with crabs and fish swimming among the grasses and oyster shells.
• Drop in Returning Shad to Susquehanna - Despite this spring’s decline, the overall number of returning American shad has increased over past two decades.

May 2007

• Summer of Celebration for Watershed - From Port Deposit to Virginia Beach, Bay region commemorates John Smith's Chesapeake explorations.
• Bay Program Updates Toxics of Concern List - The Bay Program Toxics Subcommittee has updated its list of Toxics of Concern, ranking the toxic organics in the Bay with the most potential for harm. PCBs topped the list, followed by PAHs and organophosphate pesticides. Organochlorine pesticides and five other organic toxics are also included in the list.
• Turning Over to No-till - More watershed farmers are practicing “no-till” farming, a more Bay-friendly method of crop production.

April 2007

• Significant Underwater Bay Grass Acreage Lost in 2006 - Bay-wide acreage of underwater bay grasses (SAV) decreased by 25 percent in 2006, dropping to 59,090 acres from 78,263 acres in 2005, according to data from scientists with the Bay Program. This loss marks the first setback for SAV after two consecutive years of moderate gains and the lowest total SAV acreage figure since 1989.
• Development Trouble for Water Quality - Centuries of population growth and landscape changes have taken their toll on the Bay's water quality.

March 2007

• Non-tidal Wetlands Help Bay in Many Ways - Less well known than tidal wetlands, non-tidal wetlands can be found throughout the Bay watershed.
• Chesapeake Club Brings Message to Virginia - Skipping the spring lawn fertilizer can help the Bay's blue crabs — and those crab feasts you've been waiting for all winter

February 2007

• Tidal Rivers Impaired by Chemical Contaminants - Fifty-three percent of the tidal tributaries in the Bay watershed are contaminated by chemical pollutants in fish tissue, according to newly compiled data by the Bay Program.
• Would You Kiss These Lips? - PAHs shown to cause high rates of lesions and tumors on bottom-dwelling fish in at least two Bay tributaries.
• A Star on the Rise - Once considered by the community to be “dead,” Va.’s Elizabeth River is being revived by the Elizabeth River Projec

January 2007

• Good News, Bad News for the Bay’s Crab Population - Read about how scientists measure the health of the Bay's blue crab population, and what the future may hold for Chesapeake crabs and crab lovers everywhere.
• The Art of “Catch and Release” Angling - Even with the best efforts of federal and state agencies, it's impossible to combat all the environmental problems facing the Bay watershed without the work of watershed organizations. Learn how you can contribute to the Bay restoration effort by assisting your local watershed organization.
• Spat-on-shell Experiments Hold Promise for Bay's Oyster Population - Learn more about spat-on-shell oyster programs and how this method may become a viable and effective process for growing healthy and harvestable oysters in Virginia waters.

December 2006

• Milestone Reached in Riparian Forest Buffer Restoration - Bay Program partners are roughly on track to meet their goal of restoring 10,000 miles of riparian forest buffers by 2010. In 2006, more than 731 miles of forest buffers were restored in the Bay watershed, bringing the total number of restored miles to 5,337 since 1996. Learn more about how forest buffer restoration efforts benefit the Bay.
• Watershed Forests Impacted by Growing Deer Population - Learn how growing whitetail deer populations are having an impact on the Bay watershed's forests.
• New Program Promotes Sound Forest Management in Residents’ Backyards - Learn how Forestry for the Bay, a new voluntary program, will assist private forest land owners implement sustainable forestry practices on their land.

November 2006

• Slight Improvement in Bay Health Seen During Summer 2006 - Read about scientists' analysis of summer conditions in three key areas of Bay health, compared with their initial forecast in May.
• Fish Kills Illustrate Harmful Effects of Excess Nutrients - Two of the Bay's tributaries experienced fish kills this summer, illustrating the impact of high nutrient loads on the Bay's ecosystem. Learn more about the sources of nutrients and how excess nutrients diminish water quality.
• Cover Crops: One Key to Reducing Nutrients to Bay - Find out how cover crops may have had an influence on summer 2006 water quality conditions in the Bay.

October 2006

• Autumn's Whistling Wings: The 2006 Fall Flight - Find out which waterfowl species are expected to be abundant in the Bay region this winter.
• Bay Islands, Wildlife Habitat Succumbing to Sea Level Rise - Learn about the causes and effects of sea level rise , as well as innovative techniques that are taking place to save some of the Bay's history and valuable wildlife habitats.
• Slight Gains in Wetlands Restoration - Today, Bay Program partners are creating and re-establishing wetlands throughout the watershed to help improve water quality and aid in flood control. Read more about the work being done to achieve the Chesapeake 2000 wetlands restoration goal.

September 2006

• 2006 Executive Council Meeting: New Goals Target Farms, Forests Lawns - The Chesapeake Executive Council adopted new policies to improve water quality throughout the watershed by conserving forests, reducing phosphorus in home lawn care products and supporting efforts to fund Bay-friendly farming practices.
• Retaining a "Sense of Place"- As development threatens much of the watershed, a group is working to protect one road's local character.
• Nonprofit Group Reaches Out to Hispanics - At a time when most popular environmental initiatives are geared toward white, middle-class residents, one family-run nonprofit has instead directed their efforts toward the Hispanic community, a fast-growing segment of the watershed's population.
• Watershed Population Hits 16.6 Million - The latest Bay watershed population estimates show that population continues to grow, and it may not slow anytime soon.

August 2006

• Small Watershed Grants Help Jumpstart Local Bay Restoration Efforts - Local governments and community-based organizations throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed will have help funding local Bay and river restoration projects, thanks to over $2.6 million in grants provided by the Bay Program and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
• The Heat Is On - Hot, steamy summer weather can spell trouble for fish, crabs, grasses - and people - in the Bay.
• SAV Beds Show Improvement in Parts of Middle Bay, Virginia Tributaries - Widgeon grass beds are flourishing in many areas of the middle Bay this year, and eelgrass beds in the same part of the Bay have rebounded from last year's late-season loss and are so far doing well, according to aerial observations taken in late July by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS).

  July 2006

• Scientists Evaluate Effects of June Rainfall on Bay Health - Scientists are closely monitoring conditions in the Bay this summer to assess the impacts of the major rainstorms and flooding that took place in the Bay watershed during the end of June.
• Saving the Bay's Blue Crab Population - Many of us take for granted the presence of the famous blue crab, but its population has been at a historic low for the past decade.
• Nature's Sponges: The Importance of Forests in the Bay Watershed - Learn more how forests play an important role in reducing runoff and nutrient pollution into the Bay.

  June 2006

• Bernie's Wade-In Highlights Clarity Problems for River and Bay - Bernie Fowler remembers the days when he could wade up to his shoulders in his beloved Patuxent River and still see the river's bottom, teeming with crabs and fish swimming among the grasses and oyster shells.
• Bay Grass Acreage Sprouts in 2005; But Unusual Late-season Losses Concern Scientists - Underwater bay grass acreage increased by seven percent in 2005 to a total of 78,260 acres, according to data gathered by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science for the Chesapeake Bay Program. The 2005 acreage represents about 42 percent of baywide restoration goals.
• Targeted Watershed Grants Empower Partnerships to Accelerate Bay Restoration - Ten watershed-based partnerships have received grants ranging from of $500,000 to $1 million to help improve the quality of local waters and the Chesapeake Bay.

  March 2006

• Record Low Streamflow to Bay - Find out how March's record low river flow could impact Bay ecosystem conditions this summer.

  February 2006

• White Perch Clue Scientists In to Local Pollution - Researchers have found that examining tissue from local fish helps them understand the severity of chemical contaminants in local waters. Learn what Bay scientists have discovered by focusing on white perch, a resident fish of the Bay.

January 2006

• MWEEs Foster Young Bay Stewards - Bay Program partners are incorporating Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences into their local curriculums . Find out more about this initiative and what teachers are doing to ensure that their students experience the Bay both inside and outside of the classroom.
• Invasion of the Wetland Snatchers: Nutria Eradication in the Watershed - Between 1968 and the late 1990s, the nutria population in Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge expanded from about 150 to 50,000. The creatures chased out other native animals and damaged local wetlands. Learn how they were eradicated from the refuge.