Federal agencies working together to implement President Obama’s Chesapeake Bay Executive Order have published a first-annual Action Plan that details $491 million in fiscal year 2011 funding and activities dedicated to restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed, including meeting the specific goals set forth in the Executive Order strategy.
Download the Action Plan: Chesapeake EO Action Plan FY2011.pdf (726.29 kb)
The 2011 Action Plan, required by the Executive Order, conveys the full scope of on-the-ground and in-the water efforts the federal government will undertake between October 1, 2010, and September 30, 2011 in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. These actions and initiatives are based on the President’s FY 2011 Budget Request and are contingent upon receipt of congressional appropriations in support of that request.
“The Action Plan for FY 2011 reflects a deep commitment and unprecedented coordination among federal agencies and the Obama Administration to improve our results in protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed,” said Pete Silva, EPA Associate Administrator for Water. “The proposed funding and planned activities will help support state and local efforts, as well as be an investment in countless communities and local economies throughout the region.”
Allocations are based on funding proposed in the President’s Budget that is directly attributable to implementing the Executive Order strategy by the FLC agencies. This includes direct budgets for Chesapeake Bay activities, allocations of agency base funding toward the Executive Order strategy and shares of national programs that can be attributed to supporting the Executive Order strategy in the Chesapeake watershed.
Among the restoration projects and programs identified for FY 2011: $72 million in financial and technical assistance targeted to help farmers implement voluntary conservation practices in high-priority areas; over $20 million directly to the states and the District to implement stronger regulatory and accountability programs to control urban, suburban, and agricultural runoff; and $30 million dollars for land protection. The Action Plan also includes projects to restore fish passage to 67 miles of streams and design more than 60 acres of oyster reefs for establishment in the Piankatank River.
“USDA, alongside its federal partners, stands ready to provide historic levels of financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed in the coming year,” said Ann Mills, USDA Deputy Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment. “Each conservation practice implemented by producers will help Bay states achieve their TMDL milestones.”
Following the structure of the Executive Order strategy, the Action Planis organized into four goal areas (water quality, habitat, fish and wildlife and land and public access) and four supporting strategy sections (citizen stewardship, environmental markets, climate change and science). It also includes a brief section on implementation and accountability efforts.
Throughout each section of the Action Plan, specific activities, lead agencies and completion dates for each activity are identified. At the end of each goal or supporting strategy section is a summary of funding by outcome and agency. A summary table of funding by goal or supporting strategy and agency is also included.
“This action plan lays the groundwork for how the Department of Interior will invest in restoring the health of the wildlife, fish and shellfish, and habitats of the Chesapeake watershed – from its headwaters to the estuary,” said Deputy AssistantSecretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks Will Shafroth. “Our on-the-ground efforts with other federal agencies, states, local communities and stakeholders will help to restore and protect this national treasure.”
In addition to the annual Action Plan, the Executive Order directs the FLC to publish an annual Progress Report reviewing indicators of environmental conditions in the Chesapeake Bay, assessing implementation of the Action Plan during the preceding fiscal year and recommending steps to improve restoration and protection progress. These progress reports will help assess the success of the FLC agencies’ efforts in implementing the actions identified in annual action plans and provide the agencies with a regular opportunity to adjust implementation efforts to maximize success.Because the FY 2011 is the first full implementation year for the strategy, the FLC plans to release the first annual progress report early in 2012.
Federal agencies welcome public comment on this Action Plan, and are particularly interested in comments that will help improve future Actions Plans, including the level of detail needed, format, quantity of information, timing, and how to involve the Bay watershed community in development of future plans. The public can submit ideas and suggestions by October 31, 2010.
Download a briefing on the Action Plan: Action Plan Briefing.pdf (1.29 mb)
