Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act set to drive economic growth, protect Maryland's natural resources

The Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act, a bill introduced by the Moore-Miller Administration in February that seeks to improve the Chesapeake Bay's water quality, is one step closer to becoming a reality. 

The bill was sent to Gov. Wes Moore's desk earlier this month after being passed by Maryland lawmakers. 

According to the Moore-Miller Administration, the act supports farmers in developing more efficient farming methods and improves oyster aquaculture. Overall, this will create new sources of income for farmers and uplift Maryland's most crucial industries.  

 "I think a lot of things kind of came together. This was the culmination of years of study, of working with partners to develop this piece of legislation," Josh Kurtz, Maryland's Department of Natural Resources Secretary, said.

Kurtz explained that once the bill takes effect,  they plan to hit the ground running.

"We put together these suites of policies that touch several state agencies that really directly look at improving water quality and driving economic increases across many, many communities in the state of Maryland, and that touch the bay and are not anywhere near the bay," he said. 

Kurtz also says the bill aligns with the planned updates to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and introduces reforms like the Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) program.

"Whether it's water quality, best management practice, a conservation practice for wildlife habitat, or an opportunity for bringing people onto the farm to educate them, feeding our local communities...this really is a holistic approach to thinking about agriculture in that conservation space," he explained. 

The act includes provisions for water quality trading credits for oyster restoration and updates to fisheries management.

"It gives us the opportunity to really recognize and continue to incentivize our farmers who are doing really good conservation work, and it allows us to kind of identify, evaluate, and give credit for multiple things that these farmers are doing, " Kurtz added. 

How will this affect the economy?

Cleaner waterways support Maryland's tourism economy, which generates $3.2 billion in economic activity around the Chesapeake Bay. Cleaner water and improved habitat also benefit Maryland's seafood industry, which contributes about $600 million annually to the state's economy.

As estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency, future water clarity improvements could significantly increase property values in the state.

The legislation also expands water quality monitoring programs to help evaluate and speed up restoration efforts. 

The bill outlines several other changes for Bay restoration, including updates that would:

• Make fisheries management more streamlined and climate-adaptive
• Close a gray area to allow interested fish processors to use a Japanese fish processing technique known as ikejime that can produce high-value seafood
• And allow state agencies to come together to expedite the review of Whole Watershed project permits

"The focus here is, how we, you know, keep our eye very much on that bigger water quality picture, but get much more into the local benefits that we can, we can really help drive from a centralized program,"  Kurtz said. 

Maryland's aquaculture industry

These reforms would support an important industry in the state, Maryland's shellfish aquaculture, which has an estimated economic impact of more than $13 million annually. 

Within the last three years, the state has seen over 90,000 oyster bushels, a record number of aquaculture harvests. 

Oyster aquaculture proves to be a sustainable industry, providing multiple benefits to water quality as private investment ensures they're replaced soon after they're sold.

"This legislation is driving economic growth while protecting our natural resources," MDE Secretary Serena McIlwain affirmed. "From creating hundreds of jobs through innovative aquaculture projects to boosting farm profitability and supporting tourism, these initiatives strengthen our economy and ensure a sustainable future for all Marylanders."