Van Hollen Statement on Chesapeake Bay Foundation's State of the Bay Report

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding the release of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's 2020 State of the Bay Report: 

“Protecting the Chesapeake Bay is critical for the health of Maryland’s environment and the success of our Bay economy. Today's State of the Bay Report marks another disappointing D+ rating for the Chesapeake Bay after an extensive evaluation of the Bay's health. While I'm pleased with some areas where we've seen improvements, as I often say, preserving the health of the Bay is like trying to walk up a down escalator – in order to protect the Bay, we must outrun all the stresses it faces from all the states and cities that drain into it. 

“While Congress, on a bipartisan basis, has increased the federal resources available to protect the Bay, the Trump Administration has refused to hold Pennsylvania more accountable for failing to meet their pollution reduction targets under the Chesapeake Bay Agreement. Everyone needs to work together and I look forward to working with the incoming Biden Administration EPA to meet our mutual goals of Clean Water in the Chesapeake Bay by 2025 by holding all partner states accountable. I am also concerned by the decline of the rockfish population, and encourage states, including Maryland, to use science-based management methods to reverse this disturbing trend. I will continue to fight to ensure we are more equipped to achieve and maintain a clean and healthy Chesapeake Bay for generations to come.”