President Biden signed into law bipartisan legislation last week to extend federal programs essential to restoring the Chesapeake Bay and increasing access to this national treasure.
The America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Reauthorization Act passed the Senate December 18 by voice vote with no objections. It passed the House on December 3 with overwhelming bipartisan support by a vote of 366-21.
The legislation extends the historic ACE Act of 2020, which President Trump signed, another five years through fiscal year 2030. It reauthorizes EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program at $92 million annually; renews the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense (WILD) program at $15 million annually; and re-ups the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Gateways and Watertrails program at $3 million a year.
The ACE Reauthorization Act also extends the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) through fiscal 2030. NFWF was created by Congress in 1984 and awards grants for conservation projects across the country. NFWF administers the Bay Program’s two main grant programs and Chesapeake WILD grants.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Federal Director Keisha Sedlacek issued the following statement:
“With the Chesapeake Bay cleanup facing new challenges, renewing programs that fund community-led efforts to restore the Bay and its waterways could not come at a better time.
“The America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Reauthorization Act will give the federal and state restoration partners the resources they need to improve water quality, protect vital habitats, and provide more recreational opportunities across the Bay region.
“CBF is deeply grateful to Reps. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), Bobby Scott (D-Va.), John Sarbanes (D-Md), and Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.), ranking member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), and Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) for their tireless work and bipartisan commitment to steering this vital legislation through Congress.
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