****MEDIA ADVISORY****
U.S. Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works
*Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife*
“Examining the Strategy for Achieving the Goals of the New Voluntary Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement”
BACKGROUND: Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife, will hold a field hearing to discuss how the signatories of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement will work to meet the new goals under the June 16, 2014, agreement. The agreement establishes goals and outcomes for the restoration of the Bay, its tributaries, and the lands that surround them.
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the Northern Hemisphere. Its watershed spans 64,000 square miles across six states and the District of Columbia. It includes 150 major rivers and 11,684 miles of shoreline. Economically diverse, it has an economic value of more than $1 trillion, but that value is dependent on the health of the Bay’s waters and fisheries. Labeled a National Treasure by presidents, the Chesapeake Bay continues to represent one of the most biological diverse ecosystems in the country.
WHEN: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
1:00 PM ET
LOCATION: Legislative Services Building
Joint Committee Hearing Room
90 State Circle
Annapolis, MD 21401
WITNESSES: (Order subject to change)
Panel I:
- Mr. Nick DiPasquale, Director, Chesapeake Bay Program, EPA
- Mr. Peyton Robertson, Director, NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office
- The Honorable Molly Ward, Secretary of Natural Resources, State of Virginia
- The Honorable Ronald Miller, Representative, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
- The Honorable Mary Ann Lisanti, Councilmember, Harford County Council
- The Honorable Steve Hershey, Senator, Maryland Senate
Just a reminder: Please note that media are required to display press credentials. Please RSVP if you plan to attend to Colin MacCarthy at Colin_MacCarthy@epw.senate.gov or to Sue Walitsky at sue_walitsky@cardin.senate.gov. Reporters should plan to arrive prior to the scheduled start time of the hearing.