With the 2026 Legislative Session rapidly approaching, MACo is profiling some major issues that stand to gather attention in the General Assembly.
The single most defining feature of Maryland is the Chesapeake Bay. Its waters shape our geography, flow into our culture, and provide a source of sustenance and cuisine. Unfortunately, Maryland cannot act alone in cleaning and preserving the bay – Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, & West Virginia all lay within the greater watershed and also contribute to its pollution. The Chesapeake Bay Agreement was recently renegotiated with a new sunset of 2040 and a midpoint check-in at 2033. Some critics have argues though that the agreement doesn’t go far enough, and Bay issues generally will likely be a major focus for some in the upcoming session.
According to the 2026 Issue Papers,
…the Chesapeake Bay is in “moderate ecosystem health” and shows an improving long-term trend. However, the bay appears unlikely to meet several key 2025 milestones established under the federal Clean Water Act and the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. Going forward, the bay faces numerous challenges impacting its progress, including climate change, changes to land use, and population growth, as well as uncertainty regarding federal funding for key programs supporting restoration and conservation efforts.
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Reaching the Goal:
Progress and What Lies Ahead Maryland’s Phase III WIP originally projected that the State would achieve (and possibly exceed) statewide nutrient and sediment pollution reduction goals by 2025. However, more recent modeling suggests that these goals may be more difficult to meet than anticipated. Moreover, Maryland’s Phase III WIP acknowledges that pollution loading resulting from climate change, population growth, and the Conowingo Dam may impact the achievement and sustainability of restoration beyond 2025.
In its August 2024 evaluation of Maryland’s 2022-2023 completed and 2024-2025 projected milestones, EPA noted that Maryland did not achieve its 2023 target for nitrogen but did achieve its target for phosphorus and sediment. The evaluation specifically notes, as areas for improvement, (1) the State’s implementation of best management practices for agriculture and urban and suburban stormwater management and (2) the State’s reporting of milestone progress that has resulted from activities relating to investments under the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. EPA plans to release its evaluation of the 2024-2025 completed milestones in late May or early June 2026. However, this timeframe may be delayed in light of the fact that 2025 is a critical deadline for restoration goals under the TMDL.
Looking ahead, while state and federal leaders have solidified a new watershed agreement, changes in federal funding are adding a new level of uncertainty to the likelihood of future progress.
Funding for Environmental and Climate Programs
President Donald J. Trump’s federal fiscal 2026 budget request recommends maintaining CBP funding at $92 million, consistent with appropriations in recent years. However, the budget request calls for reductions across other environmental and climate programs that support bay restoration efforts, such as water quality monitoring and computer modeling activities under EPA, water quality monitoring and analysis under the U.S. Geological Survey, and climate change research and oceanographic studies under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. While the appropriations committees of both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate have passed versions of spending bills that would keep funding for these programs largely intact, Congress has yet to take final action on the fiscal 2026 budget.