Chesapeake Bay Foundation reacts to Trump executive order revoking bay protections

ANNAPOLIS, Md — The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is responding to a Trump administration executive order released last week that eliminates the Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration Order, which has been in place since 2009.

The executive order revokes the Obama-era framework that has been in effect for 17 years and provided federal oversight for bay restoration efforts across multiple states.

"The 2009 executive order set a really important framework in place that had federal oversight for all of the various states involved," Gussie Maguire said. "Its very hard to get states to work together but watersheds don't care about your political boundaries so loosing the federal aspect of it does take away some of the backbone for the agreement and partnerships that we had in place."

The order also eliminates support for stormwater management fees, which President Trump referred to as rain taxes. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation says that funding is important to continue bay protection work.

"It's a really unfortunate misconception that the work that has been done to fund really important stormwater management infrastructure has been reduced to something that doesn't people think is not effective," Maguire said.

Maguire says while she understands the administration's desire to reduce tax revenue, the decision may be damaging long term.

"I feel for people in the affordability crisis moment, but I think that we will have far larger impacts downstream if we give up things like good stormwater infrastructure," Maguire said. "It prevents flooding. It helps keep people safe and the economic engine that is the bay really needs us to do this work to keep it clean to keep the economy of Maryland of Virginia of all the states that rely on the bay going."

Maguire says she hopes the change motivates people in Maryland to advocate more for the Chesapeake Bay and the impact of not preserving it on their communities.

"We know that it's a bipartisan issue to take care of the Chesapeake Bay so make sure that your representation knows that no matter what side of the aisle you're on it's critically important to have clean water and to have a framework that lets us get there," Maguire said.

The mayor of Annapolis also released a statement in reaction to the executive order, saying in part:

"Federal policy may evolve, but in Annapolis we will not let local stewardship falter. The health of the bay depends on persistent action and Annapolis will continue to lead the way." — Mayor Jared Littmann

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