Luria requests appointment of EPA senior advisor on Chesapeake Bay

Second District Congresswoman Elaine Luria led a letter to the Biden administration last week urging the appointment of an EPA senior advisor focused on the Chesapeake Bay and Anacostia River.

“The Chesapeake Bay generates $33 billion in economic value annually, and its health directly impacts Coastal Virginians’ livelihoods and the culture of our community,” Luria said. “While we have made significant progress, the health of the Bay is still deteriorating. A senior advisor to the EPA administrator on the Chesapeake Bay will help pave the way to restoration.”

The Obama administration appointed three senior advisors to the EPA administrator for the Chesapeake Bay and Anacostia River. Their work laid the foundation for the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, which established the Bay’s total maximum daily load (TMDL), an agreement between seven jurisdictions within the watershed on levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment that can enter the Bay.

The 2020 State of the Bay Report gave the Chesapeake Bay an overall score of 32 out of 70, a one-point decrease from 2018.

A senior advisor dedicated to the Chesapeake Bay would give the EPA insight to its most pressing issues and provide expertise for effective regulations.