10.20.2022
Over $3.5 million in grant funding was made possible through legislation written by Reps. Sarbanes, Scott and Wittman
WASHINGTON – Congressmen John Sarbanes (D-Md.), Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Rob Wittman (R-Va.), all co-chairs of the bipartisan Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force, today issued the following statement after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced the inaugural slate of awards for the Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) program, issuing 12 grants totaling $3.5 million.
“The Chesapeake Bay is one of America's greatest treasures and restoring the watershed is vitally important. The announcement of the first Chesapeake WILD grant awardees is great news for the Chesapeake Bay and all those who call the 64,000 square mile watershed home. These projects leverage the on-the-ground expertise of regional, state, and local partners to conserve land; enhance resilience; restore critical habitat, including wetlands; and make recreational experiences more accessible to the public. The projects funded by these grants will also reduce nutrient and sediment pollution, improve water quality and help boost the long-term health of the Chesapeake Bay.”
This funding was made possible by the Chesapeake WILD Act, which was introduced by Reps. Sarbanes, Scott and Wittman in the 116th Congress. Ultimately, that legislation was included in the America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act (Pub. L. No. 116-118), which President Trump signed into law at the end of 2020.