Webb, Warner introduce Bay-restoration bill

U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., and Jim Webb, D-Va. have introduced legislation that would bring increased accountability measures and a more collaborative management approach to Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts.

The Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act of 2011 requires the Office of Management and Budget to prepare a crosscut budget to better track the progress of Bay restoration efforts, comparing costs and the performance of restoration activities by the various federal agencies involved in the Bay preservation effort.

The multi-state, multi-year initiative to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay involves at least 10 federal agencies, Virginia and five other states, the District of Columbia, and more than 1,000 local governments.

“The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure that is central to the culture and the economy of many coastal communities in Virginia and neighboring states. In order to be successful in our efforts to improve the health of the Bay, the different agencies and groups who share concerns about the Bay must do a better job of coordinating their efforts,” Warner said. “By applying new performance-based measures, this legislation will help us ensure that the federal dollars being spent on Bay restoration activities produce real results. We must continue to focus on ways to make government work smarter and use the best tools and technology to analyze outcomes.”

“The Chesapeake Bay is a vital resource to the citizens and economy of Virginia that must be protected and preserved,” said Webb. “This bipartisan legislation will ensure that the critical Bay restoration effort is implemented in a timely and fiscally responsible manner.”