Warner, Kaine Statement on the Trump Administration’s Repeal of an Executive Order to Clean Up the Chesapeake Bay

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement on the Trump administration’s repeal of an executive order to clean up the Chesapeake Bay: “For more than a decade-and-a-half, the federal government has worked alongside states and local communities to restore the Chesapeake Bay and protect one of Virginia’s greatest natural and economic resources. The Trump administration’s decision to repeal the 2009 executive order, which to this point has maintained considerable bipartisan support, dismantles a longstanding framework for coordinating that federal effort, including work to expand scientific research, assess the impacts of climate change, and tackle pollution from agricultural runoff and stormwater. “Restoring the Chesapeake Bay is critical to the Commonwealth’s seafood and tourism industries, thousands of good-paying jobs, educational opportunities, and Virginians’ recreation. Rolling back efforts to clean up the Bay is dangerous not just for our environment but for our economy. We should be building on the progress we’ve made instead of walking away from a framework that has guided restoration efforts for more than 15 years.” ###