Chesapeake Bay Initiatives John Kennedy VA DEQ, Chesapeake Bay Program

Maryland Delaware New York DC Virginia West Virginia Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Virginia’s Bay Watershed

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: USEPA, USGS, USFWS, NRCS, FS, NPS, NOAA, DOD, USCG STATE/DISTRICT GOVERNMENT: MD, PA, VA, DC WV, DE, NY LOCAL GOVERNMENT PRIVATE INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM UNIVERSITIES & RESEARCHERS CONCERNED CITIZENS Bay Cleanup Involves Partners at all Levels:

Natural Resources Education Transportation Health & Human Res. VA’s Interagency Chesapeake BayTeam: Chesapeake Bay Team: Commerce & Trade

Living Resources Protection & Restoration Living Resources Protection & Restoration Vital Habitat Protection & Restoration Vital Habitat Protection & Restoration Water Quality Protection and Restoration Water Quality Protection and Restoration Sound Land Use Sound Land Use Stewardship and Community Engagement Stewardship and Community Engagement Five key activity areas: Chesapeake 2000 Agreement : A Watershed Partnership

Improving water quality is the most critical element in the overall protection and restoration of Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Goal for Nutrients: By 2010, correct the nutrient- related problems in the Bay and its tributaries sufficiently to remove them from the Federal “Impaired Waters” list Chesapeake 2000 Agreement : A Watershed Partnership

Large portions of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers are listed under the Clean Water Act as “impaired waters” primarily because of low dissolved oxygen levels and other problems related to nutrient pollution. Impaired Water Unimpaired Water Impaired Chesapeake Bay

Sunlight Healthy Habitat Unhealthy Habitat Balanced Algae Growth Low Nutrient and Sediment Inputs High Nutrient and Sediment Inputs Healthy Bay Grasses Reduced Bay Grasses Algae Die-off Algae Decomposition Low Oxygen Lack of Benthic Community Diverse Benthic Community Healthy Oyster Reef Adequate Oxygen Algae Blooms Barren Oyster Reef Healthy vs. Unhealthy Water Quality

The Chesapeake Bay: How is it Doing?

Threats to the Bay and Rivers N UTRIENTS S EDIMENT T OXIC CHEMICALS H ABITAT LOSS O VERFISHING

Industry Reduces Chemical Releases Industrial plants have achieved a voluntary goal of reducing releases and transfers of chemicals by 65% from 1988 to Since the YR 2000 goal has been achieved, the Bay Program is working with industry to set new targets. Original Goal

* Note - The hatched area of the bar includes estimated additional acreage. Restoration Goal (185,000 acres by 2010) Acreage estimates vary year to year, data generally shows slow, steady increase from 38,000 acres in 1984 to nearly 78,260 acres in Record-setting decrease between 2002 and 2003, highlights the critical need to further control nutrient and sediment pollution flowing into the Bay in both wet and dry years. Underwater Bay Grasses

Forest Acreage Declining Forests provide critical habitat and prevent pollutants from reaching the Bay and rivers. About 59% of the Bay basin is currently forested. The forest that regrew from the 19th to the mid-20th centuries is steadily declining. Current losses represent permanent conversions.

Wetlands protection is vital to restoring the Bay ecosystem. Tidal wetlands losses were reduced in the 1980’s, but freshwater wetlands, like forested swamps, were lost at an increasing rate -- up from 2,400 ac/yr 1950s-70s, to 2,800 acres/yr during the 1980s. “C2K” Goal is no-net loss in regulated wetlands, and a net resource gain of 25,000 acres of tidal and non-tidal wetlands by Wetlands Protection

Striped bass have responded to a moratorium followed by harvest restrictions, stocking efforts and improved habitat conditions. The stock was declared restored in January Fishing moratoria: MD & DE: VA: Baywide Female Spawning Stock Biomass Striped Bass Recover!

Mature Female Blue Crabs Average 2003 Mature female abundance has trended upwards for the past three years after hitting an historic low in 2000, but has been below the long-term average for six straight years and ten of the past 12 years. Bay partners agreed to increase spawning potential by reducing harvests 15% by Blue Crabs Hanging On

A “keystone” species: filter feeding an important part of Bay ecosystem. Oyster harvests are only 2% of harvest highs recorded in the 1950s. Declines since the 1950s are due to overharvest, disease, pollution and loss of oyster reef habitat. Oyster Harvests and Population are Down

Watershed Approach to Nutrient Reduction Virginia’s Tributary Strategies define needed point and nonpoint source control actions Virginia’s Tributary Strategies define needed point and nonpoint source control actions Point source (wastewater treatment) controls recognized as highly reliable, cost effective, measurable, enforceable, and critical to achievement of water quality objectives Point source (wastewater treatment) controls recognized as highly reliable, cost effective, measurable, enforceable, and critical to achievement of water quality objectives Remaining nutrient reduction must be accomplished by nonpoint source runoff controls Remaining nutrient reduction must be accomplished by nonpoint source runoff controls

VA’s Point Source Control Initiative Discharge regulations = mandatory treatment Discharge regulations = mandatory treatment Nutrient Credit Exchange Program Nutrient Credit Exchange Program Water Quality Improvement Fund: Cost-share grants for technology installation Water Quality Improvement Fund: Cost-share grants for technology installation

WQIF Current Status: ~ $284 million available ~ $284 million available ~ $631 million requested ~ $631 million requested WQIF GRANT GRANTAPPLICATIONS

WQIF Funding Prospects: Grant funds available ~ $284 million Grant funds available ~ $284 million Grant Funds needed through 2025: ~$750 M - $1 B Grant Funds needed through 2025: ~$750 M - $1 B –Cost range: depends on compliance dates, project scheduling, technology, construction market, trading, etc. –60 – 70% of funds needed by ~2011 –$17 M appropriated in FY07-08 for projects outside Ches Bay watershed General Assembly Policy: “…provide annually its share of financial support…to fulfill the Commonwealth’s responsibilities under Article XI of Constitution of VA” ( § B) General Assembly Policy: “…provide annually its share of financial support…to fulfill the Commonwealth’s responsibilities under Article XI of Constitution of VA” ( § B)

Federal-Interstate CBP Homepage: VA Sect. of Natural Resources Homepage: Dept. of Env. Quality Homepage: Dept. of Cons. & Recreation Homepage: Other Reference Sources:

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