June 20, 2019 – Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed legislation to increase funding for Chesapeake Bay restoration projects led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. As passed by the House, the FY 2020 Energy and Water Appropriations bill would increase funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s Environmental Restoration and Compliance programs from $50M in FY 2019 to $150M in FY2020.
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is an important Federal partner in Bay restoration and these new monies will allow us to make strategic investments in restoration,” said Ann Swanson, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission. “The House’s decision to invest in the Corp’s restoration work will help us get one step closer to a heathy Chesapeake Bay.”
Considering a large funding package for several federal agencies, including the Energy and Water Appropriations bill, the House approved this measure by a vote of 226 to 203. The bill allocates specific amounts for oyster recovery and upstream water quality projects that benefit the entire watershed. The House Appropriations Committee voiced support for Bay oyster recovery efforts and the implementation of the Corps’ Chesapeake Bay Environmental Restoration and Protection Program’s comprehensive plan. The bill also provides significant funding for the Poplar Island dredged material placement and wetland habitat restoration project, aquatic system restoration, and streambank and shoreline protection programs. The Senate must now consider this legislation, which would set federal funding for Fiscal Year 2020 beginning on October 1, 2019.
The Chesapeake Bay Commission is a tri-state legislative Commission with bipartisan membership from Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The Commission has spearheaded this effort, working closely with members of the Congressional delegations of each of those three states and other key stakeholders to support this additional funding.