US Senate to designate parts of the Chesapeake Bay as National Park Service property, waits on House vote

BALTIMORE — The U.S. Senate unanimously voted to pass the Chesapeake National Recreation Act Wednesday, which designates parts of the Chesapeake Bay as a National Park Service (NPS) property.

Unfortunately, the U.S. House of Representatives did not pass the bill before leaving for the holidays.  

The bill – introduced in July 2023 by Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md) – combines a series of sites and Bay properties to create a Chesapeake National Recreation Area (CNRA).

The first sites in the CNRA would include Burtis House, Whitehall, Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse and the North Beach of Fort Monroe, according to the bill.

Under the bill, NPS can only acquire more land through voluntary donation, buying from a willing seller or transfer from another agency in consultation with an advisory commission.

According to the lawmakers, the CNRA would spur more federal resources for environmental conservation and support economic growth in the region.