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58 The Authority | February 2025 restoration, with added technical and administrative assistance to be true partners in this work.” "As the Executive Council contemplates what lies ahead, we invite them to envision a future that protects what we have, revitalizes more of what we've lost, and lays a foundation for a robust and sustainable Bay watershed that future generations will inherit,” Chuck Herrick, PhD., Chair, Chesapeake Bay Program Stakeholders Advisory Committee. “We welcome the new Agricultural Advisory Committee and look forward to working together to advise the Chesapeake Bay Program as it progresses through its 2025 milestone year and into an even stronger, more effective future,” Larry Sanford, PhD., Chair, Chesapeake Bay Program Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee. The Chesapeake Bay Executive Council was formed as part of the Chesapeake Bay Agreement of 1983 and consists of the governors of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, the mayor of the District of Columbia, the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, who represents the federal government. Reaction To Announcement Chesapeake Bay Foundation President and CEO Hilary Harp Falk issued the following statement-- “The Chesapeake Bay has always been our region’s greatest unifier, and we just saw that bipartisan support for the Bay is alive and well. It’s a really big deal when three governors and leaders from around the region meet to stack hands and reaffirm commitments to clean water. This kind of local and state leadership is more critical than ever. Now it’s time to put pen to paper on a revised Chesapeake Bay Agreement through a process that is clear, integrated, and inclusive. By this time next year, we expect to see an updated Agreement that follows the latest science with equal priority toward achieving water quality and living resource goals. Milestones that measure progress and provide accountability should also be updated to include a combination of scientific modeling and real-world monitoring. Demonstrating visible success in people’s local rivers and streams is critical to the longer-term goal of reduced pollution and improved oxygen in the Bay’s deepest waters. We have momentum. Water quality is improving. Crabs, grasses, and oysters are starting to recover. That recovery is fragile and facing new challenges like climate change. But as we saw in the Executive Council’s demonstration of leadership, partnership and commitment, the state of the Bay Partnership is stronger than ever.” CBF Pennsylvania Executive Director Julia Krall issued this statement-- “Governor Shapiro’s announcement of new investments demonstrates the Administration’s continued leadership and commitment to revitalizing the Commonwealths’ rivers and streams that flow to the Chesapeake Bay. These investments will not only deliver cleaner waterways but also empower farmers with more fertile soils, mitigate nuisance flooding in our communities, and stimulate local economies.” S Source: PA Environment Digest, December 10, 2024 Bay article continued from page 47.