Regardless of Who Is in the White House
by William C. Baker, CBF President
In 1984, President Reagan said in his State of the Union address, “Preservation of our environment is not a liberal or conservative challenge, it’s common sense.” Turning attention to our national treasure, he continued, “We will begin the long, necessary effort to clean up a productive recreational area and a special national resource — the Chesapeake Bay.”
That was a great moment for the Bay, indicative of the extraordinary bipartisan cooperation the Bay has always enjoyed.
Decades later, with the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint as our guide, we are making progress. Underwater dead zones are getting smaller. Water clarity is improving. And oysters are beginning to make a comeback. By following the science, holding polluters accountable, and increasing investments in reducing agricultural pollution, we can leave a legacy of clean water to future generations.
Saving the Bay and its rivers and streams has always been our top priority at CBF, regardless of who is in the White House.
And though we do not yet know who will be inaugurated in January, there’s one thing I do know for certain: Our commitment to restoring the Chesapeake Bay and clean water across the region has never been stronger, as embodied in our simple, three-word mission statement — Save the Bay. We will continue working toward this goal every single day, partnering with elected officials from both sides of the aisle to fight for clean water.
With you by our side, we will keep fighting. We will save the Bay.
