May 9, 2017 — Maryland environmental scientists gave the Chesapeake Bay a “C” for overall health in 2016, with improved fish populations and water conditions contributing to the second-highest grade the ecosystem has received in 30 years of scoring.
The report card released Monday by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science showed that the bay is 54 percent of the way toward achieving key health benchmarks, an uptick of one percentage point compared with the previous year.
Experts cited the results as proof that efforts to clean up the estuary are working.
“While only a slight improvement, it’s encouraging that the overall health remained steady despite many pressures on the Chesapeake Bay and across its watershed,” said Bill Dennison, a top scientist with the center.
Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.), speaking at a news conference in Baltimore, called for continued federal support for bay restoration. He noted that President Trump this year proposed slashing funding for Chesapeake Bay cleanup efforts. Congress last month approved a fiscal 2017 budget that maintains funding for the bay at $73 million, the same level as the previous year.
“The long-term investment is working,” Cardin said. “We can’t slow down. . . . It’s critically important to maintain the strong federal role.”
The bay’s highest score on record, 55 percent, occurred in 2002. The Chesapeake earned its lowest score, 36 percent, the following year. The Center for Environmental Science awards an “A” for scores of 80 to 100 percent; “B” for 60 to 79 percent; “C” for 40 to 59 percent; “D” for 20 to 39 percent; and “F” for anything lower than that.