Opponents of a proposal to construct a second golf course at Greenbury Point near Annapolis are applauding federal legislation that bars the Navy from going forward with the project.
The provision was included in the nearly $1 trillion 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The Senate approved the legislation Dec. 17, sending it to the White House, and President Trump signed it the following day.
The legislation prohibits any funding contained with the 2026 defense budget from being used to construct a golf course at Greenbury Point or otherwise limit public access to the conservation area. The provision’s backers argue that the language amounts to a permanent prohibition on golf course construction there.
It also bans the Defense secretary from using outside funds to “make improvements” to the acreage, which is part of Naval Support Activity Annapolis.
“This legislation preserves the natural integrity of Greenbury Point and ensures that residents and visitors can continue to experience all it has to offer,” said one of the provision’s backers, Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen.
Greenbury Point is a 230-acre peninsula extending from the Chesapeake Bay’s Western Shore just south of the Bay Bridge. It has several miles of trails and narrow access roads. The Navy uses it as a training ground for midshipmen and a buffer for a nearby firing range.
But when it’s not in use for those purposes, the site is a popular destination for birders and hikers. It is one of the few public access points along the shoreline in Anne Arundel County. The conservation area is just east of an 18-hole golf course belonging to the Naval Academy Golf Association.
The latest legislation grew out of concerns that the golf course proposal was again gaining traction, according to a press statement from Van Hollen’s office. Two other Maryland Democrats, U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Rep. Sarah Elfreth, also helped usher the provision through Congress.
Sue Steinbrook, a founder of the group Save Greenbury Point, lauded the latest action as a victory for nature lovers. “We heard rumors that some folks were still trying to put a golf course here, and this legislation is what was needed: permanent protection,” she said. “The Annapolis community will always stand on the side of preservation of this historically and environmentally important piece of land.”
Naval Support Activity Annapolis plans to conform with the new policy, said Naval District Washington public affairs director Ed Zeigler.
“We remain committed to supporting the mission of the U.S. Naval Academy while continuing to be good stewards of our Navy property at Greenbury Point,” he said. “We will continue to allow public access to Greenbury Point as operations and safety requirements allow.”
Alsobrooks and Elfreth voted in favor of the overall defense spending bill, including the Greenbury Point provision. But Van Hollen voted against it, saying his concerns over what he called “unchecked growth” in defense spending and the president’s domestic troop deployments outweighed his support for the golf course prohibition.