Without clean water, the value of Maryland’s coasts would be vastly diminished. Good water quality is essential for life and necessary for fishing, shellfishing, boating, swimming, and most of the other activities that draw people to Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic coast. Pollution from sources of nitrogen and phosphorous as well as sediment are currently the biggest pollution problems in our coastal waters and has disrupted the balance of our coastal and terrestrial ecosystems. Every local government, every business and every citizen has a significant role to play in order to meet this challenge and the Chesapeake and Coastal Program is helping by providing technical and financial resources.

The associated costs and resource needs will prove to be a significant barrier to meeting the challenge of restoring our Bay and coastal waters. Overcoming this barrier will require the state to work with local and federal partners to administer funding through new and innovative approaches that leverage the funds to the greatest extent possible, target the funds to the most cost effective locations and practices, engage the community at large, and hold everyone accountable.

Recent News

GOVERNOR O'MALLEY KICKS OFF THE STREAM RESTORATION CHALLENGE

New grant program open to local governments, schools and NGOs

On August 6, 2012, Governor Martin O'Malley kicked off the Stream Restoration Challenge. The challenge is a new grant program where the State and its partners plan to establish 1,000 acres of forested stream buffers by 2015. The program-open to local governments, school systems and non-governmental organizations-will provide up to $6 million over the next three years to help to improve Chesapeake Bay water quality and create service learning and environmental literacy activities for students.

The deadline to submit proposals is October 31, 2012. The Request for Proposals and additional resources are available online. Click here to view the full press release.