Annapolis, MD – Chesapeake Bay Foundation President William C. Baker issued this statement following the Trump Administration’s decision to open coastal waters to oil drilling.
“The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure, and drilling offshore poses unjustifiable risks to the Bay, its living resources, the tourism economy, and the many jobs that depend on clean water.
“The waters off the mouth of the Chesapeake are as much a part of the Bay system as all the fresh water rivers that feed it. These ocean waters play a critical role in supporting the Bay’s natural resources. For example, all of the Bay’s blue crabs utilize these waters during their early life stages. An oil spill at the wrong time of year could destroy an entire year class.
“We are beginning to see progress in Bay restoration. Now is not the time to put that progress at risk”