Federal Protection Proposed for Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay, known as “the gateway for European explorers who established the first permanent English-speaking colony in North America at Jamestown” and one of the country’s most important landscapes, could soon be designated as a national recreation area, opening up federal funding sources for protecting the bay and improving public access to the watershed. Fredrick Kunkle describes the proposed legislation, the result of years of activism and coordination by dozens of organizations, in the Washington Post.

“Among other things, the group wanted to ensure that the effort would highlight the bay’s connection to Indigenous peoples and previously marginalized histories such as the impact and legacy of slavery,” Kunkle explains. “They also said that listing the bay as a national recreation area would not lead to tighter regulations or restrictions on commercial activity or recreation, but could instead help to promote tourism and the area’s commercial prospects.”

According to the article, “the proposal builds on the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network that’s been in place since 2000,” which aims to connect hundreds of historically, ecologically, and culturally important sites. Under the proposal, “The National Park Service would assume more authority over the area but would not supersede state powers. The Park Service would, however, be able to identify and absorb additional properties into the park on a voluntary basis or enter into agreements to jointly manage sites belonging to states, local jurisdictions or nonprofits.”