VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Congresswoman Elaine Luria this week met with her office’s Chesapeake Bay Advisory Board to brief the region’s key stakeholders about her legislative efforts to protect and preserve the Chesapeake Bay.
Experts in agriculture, aquaculture, and conservation also shared updates on topics including fisheries management and ongoing environmental restoration efforts during the meeting.
Luria gave an update on the Chesapeake Bay Reauthorization Act, which she introduced in March.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed the legislation and recommended it for a vote in the full House of Representatives.
The bill would fully fund the Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program by authorizing an injection of $455 million into the Program over the next five years. The Chesapeake Bay Program coordinates data collection and distributes grants to states for local Bay restoration efforts.
Here's the full bill:
During her visit, Congresswoman Luria also discussed how she successfully advocated for the House passage of $110 million in funding for important environmental priorities. This funding included $85 million for the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program, a $12 million increase over the last fiscal year.
“The Chesapeake Bay is an invaluable economic, environmental, and recreational resource that we must keep clean and thriving for future generations,” Congresswoman Elaine Luria said. “It was a pleasure to meet with members of our Chesapeake Bay Advisory Board to discuss how we can improve the health of our Bay. I will continue to lead bipartisan efforts that preserve and protect this national treasure.”
