U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) wrote to President Trump to urge him to reconsider steep budget cuts within the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program.
Several recent published reports indicate the Trump Administration will recommend cutting the Bay program from $73 million annually to $5 million.
The Senators, both of whom were Virginia governors, each played vital roles managing Virginia’s multi-year, multi-state Bay restoration efforts.
“The Chesapeake Bay is an essential economic engine in our region, supporting thousands of jobs in the fishery and tourism industries and generating millions in revenue each year. We have worked tirelessly to improve the health of the Bay to ensure that these industries will continue to grow and flourish for years to come,” the Senators wrote. “While we’ve seen real improvements in the health of the Chesapeake Bay in recent years, we are deeply concerned about the potential consequences of such a significant and jarring cut in funding.”
The full text of the letter can be found here.