The power of the Coalition lies in the work of our more than 300 member organizations.
(ANNAPOLIS, MD)—As the effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay faces a critical juncture, nonprofit organizations throughout the region are presenting a united front. The Choose Clean Water Coalition gathered 131 signatures from nonprofits across the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed urging regional leaders to recommit to the Bay restoration effort and update its goals.
(ANNAPOLIS, MD)—Last night, Congress rejected Amendment #82 to the House Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill (H.R. 8998). The amendment, offered by Congressman Scott Perry (R-PA), was resoundly defeated on a bipartisan basis, by a vote count of 231 against and 185 for. If adopted, the amendment would have crippled the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort by removing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to enforce the Chesapeake Bay clean up. In response, Choose Clean Water Coalition Director Kristin Reilly issued the following statement.
(ANNAPOLIS, MD)—As the EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program seeks public input on the next phase of Chesapeake Bay restoration, this week a bipartisan group of 25 U.S. Senators and Representatives from Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, New York, and the District of Columbia urged regional leaders to recommit to the Chesapeake Bay. In response, the Choose Clean Water Coalition and Chesapeake Bay Foundation issued the following joint statement.
(ELLICOTT CITY, MD)—The future of the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort is taking centerstage this week at the 2024 Choose Clean Water Conference. More than 300 individuals from local, state, and national nonprofits, elected officials, government agencies, and businesses are gathering to discuss ways these different sectors can work together toward our collective goal of clean water in the Bay region.
(WASHINGTON, DC)—Today, nearly 100 members of the Choose Clean Water Coalition met with their members of Congress to urge support for the restoration of the rivers and streams that feed the Chesapeake Bay.
Nearly 100 members of the Choose Clean Water Coalition and members of Congress will discuss their support for the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort and will honor Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), and Congressman John Sarbanes (D-MD) as "Chesapeake Champions," for their significant contributions to protecting and restoring clean water in the Chesapeake Bay region throughout their careers.
(HARRISBURG, PA)—Today, a collection of nonprofit organizations released a comprehensive guide to protecting and restoring Pennsylvania's rivers and streams. The Pennsylvania Clean Water Legislative Briefing Book examines a wide array of issues plaguing the Keystone State's waterways and provides a variety of solutions and investments to leave a legacy of clean water to future generations.
The Town Run Watershed Group was officially started in 2023, following the announcement that the Potomac River would be mixed with the Town Run, to serve as the town of Shepherdstown's drinking water source.
For this Member Highlight, the Coalition's Virginia State Lead, Pat Calvert, interviews Kyle Hart, Mid-Atlantic Program Manager at National Parks Conservation Association.
The future of the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort is at a crossroads. What can your organization can do?
We’re delighted to share that several more organizations and partners, including a farmer and small business leader, have published op-eds making the case for recommitting to the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort. These pieces showcase the wide array of perspectives with compelling narratives on the need for clean water in our communities.
For this Member Highlight, the Coalition’s Maryland Lead, Marisa Olszewski, interviews Bonnie Bick, Vice President of Mattawoman Watershed Society and Tina Wilson, MWS Committee on Strategies and Coalition Building.
We are thrilled to share that for the first time in the Coalition’s 15-year history, we are welcoming a Coalition Lead for the District of Columbia.
For quite some time now, the Coalition and many of our member organizations have circled 2025 as we chart the future of the Bay restoration effort. In this op-ed published today in The Baltimore Sun, Coalition Director Kristin Reilly shares the story of her connection to the Chesapeake Bay, the status of the decades-long effort to protect and restore the Bay’s rivers and streams, and how it’s crucial for state and federal leaders to recommit to the Bay restoration effort and refresh the goals and outcomes of the 2014 Chesapeake Watershed Agreement.
Hello! My name is Wuillam Urvina (he/him/él), and I am excited to join the Choose Clean Water Coalition as the Equity and Outreach Specialist. I'm eager to work with Coalition members and staff to place people at the heart of the fight for clean water.
The effort to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay and the rivers and streams that feed it is facing a critical juncture. For several months, the Coalition has closely followed discussions on the future of the Bay restoration effort as it approaches an important deadline.
The Coalition gathered 131 signatures from its member organizations to our recommendations letter. But many groups are taking it a step further, submitting their own letters and making their voices heard in the opinion pages of their local newspapers.
For this Member Highlight, the Coalition’s Virginia State Lead, Pat Calvert, interviews Amy Wentz and Sheri Shannon, cofounders of Southside ReLeaf. Their edited conversation follows.
(ANNAPOLIS, MD)—Following last night's election, Choose Clean Water Coalition Director Kristin Reilly issued the following statement.