A bipartisan group of lawmakers from the Chesapeake Bay region has been pushing to designate the Chesapeake Bay as a National Recreation Area—adding and improving parks and protecting lands on the Bay and its tributaries. On Wednesday, that effort took a step forward.
In July 2023, Senator Chris Van Hollen introduced the Chesapeake National Recreation Area Act. Today, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources voted the legislation out of committee.
The proposed law would establish a Chesapeake National Recreation Area (CNRA), which would protect the nation’s largest estuary, provide more public access to it, and infuse federal funding to new and existing parks all over the watershed. Under the legislation, the National Park Service would be authorized to acquire four sites, including Whitehall in Annapolis, the first National Historic Landmark ever to be designated in Maryland. Here’s a map of the initial proposed sites, stretching from Thomas Point Light to Fort Monroe:
Chesapeake Conservancy is an organization on the front lines of the effort. CEO Joel Dunn says that a CNRA would “ensure public access to our nation’s largest estuary while providing for the needs of those who live here and depend on the bay for their livelihood.” Dunn says the Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure and should be treated as such, just like Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Great Smokies and the Grand Tetons.
From a tourism perspective, the NPS would be able to acquire lands for visitors centers and permanently fund the Chesapeake Gateways grant program, which supports recreation tourism, and business on the Bay. Chesapeake Conservancy says the CNRA will be a major new draw for visitors to the region.
National Parks Conservation Association President and CEO Theresa Pierno says that the National Parks designation will “better connect green spaces and waterways, improve access and help build a more sustainable future for those that live, work and adventure in the Bay.”
The Chesapeake Conservancy hopes the House and Senate will pass the CNRA legislation and send it to the President’s desk.
