Chesapeake Bay National Recreation Area Act Move Foreward

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday passed the Chesapeake Bay National Recreation Area Act, moving it onto the Senate floor.

The measure, sponsored by Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen, would create the Chesapeake National Recreation Area in Maryland and Virginia and make it part of a network of sites overseen by the National Park Service.

In 2021, Van Hollen and Maryland Rep. John Sarbanes, a Democrat, created a working group to help draft the language for the legislation. The working group included Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin, a Democrat, Virginia Democratic Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, and Reps. Bobby Scott, D-Virginia, Rob Wittman, R-Virginia, and various conservation groups. Van Hollen and Sarbanes introduced the measure in the Senate and House, respectively, last year. However, the idea of the Chesapeake National Recreation Area dates as far back as the 1980s.

“The Chesapeake Bay is an extraordinary national treasure and a vital resource for our region,” Sarbanes said in a statement. “I am thrilled that the Chesapeake National Recreation Area Act has advanced out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee – a crucial milestone in our efforts to safeguard the Bay for the well-being and enjoyment of future generations.”