Progress, partnership and pivots. Those were the key themes from last week’s Chesapeake Bay Executive Council meeting in Annapolis — where Gov. Wes Moore, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Gov. Josh Shapiro, and other leaders gathered to recommit to our shared Chesapeake Bay cleanup goals.

Their enthusiasm and commitments are a big deal. But as a recent Baltimore Sun editorial on bay cleanup discussed, we’ll need to “do more to fight air and waterborne pollution if real progress is going to be made,” (“Chesapeake Bay cleanup faces Trump EPA tsunami | Editorial,” Dec. 14, 2024).

Gov. Moore has, on several occasions, reiterated his strong commitment to bay health with action. During last week’s meeting, the governor announced his intention to sponsor a Chesapeake Bay bill during the 2025 Maryland General Assembly that will focus on regenerative agriculture, oyster aquaculture, water quality monitoring and environmental project permitting.

That’s why it is more critical than ever that Maryland’s budget reflects these promises for the bay and its watershed’s natural resources.

The state is facing a budget deficit of up to $2.7 billion. Historically, during tight budget years, legislators have looked to close deficits by pulling from funding sources that support environmental progress. But investments in clean water and air are also investments in Marylanders — our health, our jobs, and our ways of life. Programs like the Bay Restoration Fund, Atlantic and Coastal Bays Trust Fund, and Maryland’s Agricultural Cost Share program are key to sustaining a healthy environment, thriving communities, and the Chesapeake Bay.

It’s a smart investment to save the bay. Each year, Maryland’s seafood industry contributes nearly $600 million to the state’s economy. Fully funding farm pollution-reduction programs would inject $655 million annually into the region’s economy, according to CBF’s 2022 Farm Forward report.

From a public health perspective, protecting air and water quality can save lives and reduce economic stress for families. In the U.S., an estimated 20,000 heart attacks are caused per year from coal-fired power plant pollution. Living downwind of these plants can be like living with a smoker and induce conditions like asthma which cost the U.S. economy more than $80 million annually.

We know many tough budget decisions lie ahead, but investing in oyster restoration, outdoor learning for students, climate resiliency, and stormwater management are investments in Maryland’s future. It’s not just good for the bay, but makes good financial sense.

— Allison Colden, executive director, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Maryland