A new study by EFC sets the path for successfully restoring and protecting the Chesapeake Bay, the state’s most important natural resource. The study, titled “Chesapeake Bay Financing Strategy”, provides a comprehensive assessment of the financial resources and investment strategies that will be necessary for Maryland to achieve its goals for reducing pollution to the Bay and the many rivers and streams that make up its watershed.
The complexity and scale of the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort has often seemed insurmountable due to a lack of sufficient funding or innovative financing programs. However, as the EFC study indicates, the state of Maryland has made steady progress in achieving pollution reductions, and the resources, policies, and programs are in place to achieve its restoration and pollution reduction goals. As the study indicates, however, achieving and maintaining restoration success will require state, local, and federal leaders to adopt and implement innovative new financing approaches.