At the 10th annual Chesapeake Bay and Water Quality Forum, federal and state officials stressed the importance of partnership with local leaders while outlining plans to leverage newly available funding to support Bay restoration efforts, address climate change, and prioritize equity within water quality programs. The forum, hosted by the COG Chesapeake Bay and Water Resources Policy Committee, was held virtually on September 17.

Committee Chair Laurie-Anne Sayles welcomed leadership from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state guests to share priorities, goals, and updates on current Chesapeake Bay and water quality initiatives with local governments and water utilities from around the region.

Forum participants heard about the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) Strategy Implementation Plan, following its Statement in Support of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice signed by the Chesapeake Executive Council in 2020. The draft plan lays out a strategy to advance the DEIJ pillars within the Bay program’s work.

“The emphasis on local involvement is increasingly important. We can’t do the work without the local engagement that’s needed,” said Michelle Price-Fray, Acting Director of the Chesapeake Bay Program. “These are really historic clean water opportunities to reap the benefits of our environment, our economy, our quality of life, and also for our families and future generations.”

Local leaders also discussed how essential funding is to advancing Bay restoration initiatives. They highlighted how the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) presents new opportunities for governments to address water quality issues such as stormwater and wastewater infrastructure projects. In Virginia, funds from ARPA have been directed toward wastewater upgrades, septic system repairs, and other drinking water improvements throughout the state. In the District, ARPA funds provided an opportunity to repair, upgrade, and maintain stormwater management techniques and practices.

Participants also highlighted the interconnection of many of these water issues with climate change and how climate has become a big focus across state and local government water quality projects. Maryland’s Department of Environment Secretary Benjamin Grumbles discussed the efforts Maryland has put into tracking greenhouse gas reductions to reach a 50 percent reduction goal by 2030, which aligns with the regional goal approved by COG. Grumbles emphasized how important community engagement will be to tracking this progress and building resiliency. The state and local input on climate and water issues was timely, given the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Executive Council signed a climate change directive on October 1 committing the program to address climate change threats throughout the Bay partnership’s work.

State representatives noted their strong relationship with CBPC members—on the webinar, it was clear that state and local officials had good familiarity with one another—and they acknowledged CBPC’s leadership at the local level. CBPC members reaffirmed their support to help local governments leverage federal funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program and related water programs.