Sponsors (5)
The bill expands federal advisory support, technical assistance, and funding to speed and scale Chesapeake Bay watershed restoration—improving water quality and easing local costs—while increasing federal spending and the risk of uneven funding distribution and perceived federal influence over state programs.
Residents and communities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed will see more on-the-ground restoration and likely improved water quality because projects gain access to federal technical assistance that increases the likelihood of successful implementation.
State and local governments gain a coordinated federal advisory role that improves planning, reduces duplication across partners, and can speed project delivery for Maryland's Whole Watershed Program.
Local governments, utilities, and other project sponsors become eligible for federal financial resources, lowering local cost burdens and enabling more restoration and resilience work.
Some rural and urban localities may receive less financial assistance if funding is prioritized elsewhere, producing uneven outcomes and potential disparities in restoration benefits.
Taxpayers could face higher federal spending (and potential downstream fiscal impacts) because projects become eligible for federal resources.
Giving the EPA office an explicit advisory role in state program teams may be perceived as increased federal influence over state-managed watershed programs, raising state-federal tension over control.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Makes the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office an official advisory member of Maryland’s Whole Watershed Program and authorizes coordination, technical assistance, and financial support for Chesapeake Bay watershed projects.
Designates the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office as an advisory member of Maryland’s Whole Watershed Program State Management Team and for substantially similar state programs, and authorizes that office to coordinate with state, local, and federal partners and to provide technical assistance and financial resources for projects in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The change creates a formal advisory role and explicit authority for the existing Chesapeake Bay Program Office to support on‑the‑ground watershed projects without changing the underlying statute that established the office.
Official title: To authorize the Chesapeake Bay Program Office to serve as a member of certain State watershed programs, and for other purposes.
Introduced March 4, 2026 by Sarah Elfreth · Last progress March 4, 2026