Senate Appropriations Committee restores funding for Chesapeake Bay Restoration Programs

The Senate Appropriations Committee voted 26-2 on July 24 to approve a fiscal year 2026 spending bill that maintains current funding levels for key Chesapeake Bay restoration programs, countering proposed cuts from the Trump administration.

The committee’s bipartisan decision would preserve funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Chesapeake Bay Program and Interior Department grant initiatives focused on habitat restoration and historic preservation.

Earlier in the week, the House Appropriations Committee approved a parallel funding measure, aligning with the Senate on Chesapeake Bay-specific programs. However, the broader House bill includes significant reductions elsewhere, such as a 23 percent cut to the EPA’s total budget and a 26 percent reduction in funding for municipal sewage treatment upgrades. It also reflects the administration’s proposed staffing reductions and includes several policy riders that have not garnered bipartisan support.

The Trump administration’s fiscal proposal recommended eliminating funding for the Interior Department’s Chesapeake WILD program, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Gateways and Watertrails program. The House and Senate instead proposed maintaining funding for these programs at $8 million and $3 million, respectively.

The administration also sought to end funding for the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Chesapeake Bay research and monitoring efforts. While the House bill proposes continued support at $17.6 million, the Senate bill does not list a specific amount for Bay-related work. Instead, it increases the USGS ecosystem research budget overall, from which most of the Bay activities are funded.

The EPA Chesapeake Bay Program plays a central role in coordinating the multistate and federal partnership to restore the Bay and its tributaries across six states and the District of Columbia.

Both the House and Senate spending bills are still subject to amendments and further debate. Floor votes have not yet been scheduled.