SAVE THE BAY

Two pieces of news this month provided perhaps the best snapshot of the current state of the Chesapeake Bay. First, CBF staff, students, and community volunteers celebrated the official return of oyster restoration work on the Fort Carroll sanctuary reef in Baltimore's Patapsco River, just over a year after the tragic collapse of the nearby Key Bridge made the reef inaccessible. To everyone's relief, the oysters on the reef appear to be thriving, and half a million more will be joining them this summer if all goes to plan. It's the latest example of what's turning into one of the Bay's biggest success stories: the slow return of its once-decimated oyster population. Yet, just a week later, news broke that the number of blue crabs in the Bay reached its second-lowest level on record, a distressing and mysterious decline that scientists are still scrambling to unravel. These twin stories illustrate both the incredible progress restoration efforts are making and the Bay ecosystem's persistent fragility. And they underscore what is at stake in the federal government's ongoing assault on agency budgets and resources that are critical to Bay restoration, as CBF President Hilary Harp Falk recently told NBC News4 in Washington. The cuts threaten to unravel decades of progress on environmental and human health, undermine the momentum for clean water on Pennsylvania farms, and suspend environmental education initiatives that are creating more opportunities for students across the watershed to experience and learn about their local environment. “[The Bay is] getting better,” Falk told News4. “The idea that we would stop or take a step back really is hard to get your head around.”

Advocates worry about future of Chesapeake Bay: Conservationists and advocates, including CBF President Hilary Harp Falk, spoke with NBC News in Washington, saying federal chaos and proposed budget cuts are putting decades of environmental progress in jeopardy.

Trump budget would desvastate Chesapeake Bay restoration: The president's proposed fiscal year 2026 “skinny” budget would gut funding for key federal agencies involved in restoration and eliminate resources that support joint state and federal cleanup efforts.

Chesapeake Bay blue crab population drops to distressing low: The 2025 Winter Dredge Survey conducted by Maryland and Virginia estimated total crab abundance at 238 million, the second lowest since the survey began in 1990.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signs Bay Legacy Act: The legislation will make implementing environmentally friendly practices easier and more appealing for individuals and businesses across Maryland.

CBF challenges Maryland salmon farm discharge permit: The court petition raises major concerns about a key permit for the proposed AquaCon salmon farm in Cecil County.

Hampton River restoration kicks off with CBF's largest living shoreline: The new “Roots to Reef” initiative is underway to protect the city of Hampton from climate change threats by building its largest living shoreline combined with oyster reefs.

Virginia Senate appoints CBF's Jay Ford to key flooding committee: The committee will focus on developing comprehensive legislative solutions to aid communities in persistent problems related to Virginia's most costly natural hazard.

Federal funding freeze is blow to clean water momentum on Pennsylvania farms: The freeze leaves behind unpaid contracts, people out of work, and obstacles to reducing pollution to local waters and the Chesapeake Bay.

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