Chesapeake Executive Council approves revised watershed agreement, outlining next phase of restoration

The Chesapeake Executive Council has formally approved a revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, setting a new roadmap for restoring the nation’s largest estuary and advancing clean water goals across the multi-state watershed. The update follows more than three years of work to reassess the previous agreement—much of which carried 2025 targets—and align future efforts with improved science, conservation priorities and clearer, measurable outcomes.

“Today we made a commitment to the Chesapeake Bay and a commitment to the people of Maryland and our neighboring states,” said Maryland Governor Wes Moore in a press release. “The revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement will make our rivers and streams cleaner… and ensure we protect the precious heirloom that is the Chesapeake Bay.”

The refreshed agreement outlines four primary goals—Thriving Habitats, Fisheries and Wildlife; Clean Water; Healthy Landscapes; and Engaged Communities—supported by 21 outcomes. The Chesapeake Bay Program will now develop updated Management Strategies for each outcome, including monitoring and reporting frameworks, with revisions expected to be approved by July 1, 2026.

The Executive Council also backed recommendations to streamline the partnership’s governance structure and directed the development of recommendations for expanding participation of federally recognized tribal nations.

“The Chesapeake Bay Program is a model for the nation of what is possible with state-led, federally backed and community-driven restoration,” said Maryland State Senenator Sara Love, chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, in a press release.

This year’s meeting marked the first participation of the Agricultural Advisory Committee, established in 2024. “With farming now fully recognized in the revised… Agreement, we see a real opportunity to move from restoration toward preserving a restored Bay watershed for future generations,” said committee chair Bill Fink.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro was unanimously elected the next chair of the Executive Council, which includes leaders from six states, the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.