Program Description

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chesapeake Bay Program is a unique regional partnership that has led and directed the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries since 1983. The District has been a partner since its inception. Other Bay Program partners include the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia; the Chesapeake Bay Commission, a tri-state legislative body; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, representing the federal government; and participating citizen advisory groups. The District Department of the Environment is the DC agency responsible for carrying out program activities related to the Bay.

Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Strategy

In June 2000, Chesapeake Bay Program partners adopted the Chesapeake 2000 agreement, a strategic plan to achieve a vision for the future of the Chesapeake Bay. Under this agreement, the signatories pledged to take the next step in nutrient reduction by establishing revised nutrient goals based on the Bay’s water quality. The original strategy addressed reductions in the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus but did not include a sediment goal. The revised strategy will recognize that the District fulfilled its commitment made in the original 1987 Chesapeake Bay Agreement to reduce the controllable portion of these nutrients by 40% and will indicate how it plans to meet its new nitrogen allocation of 2.4 million pounds/year, phosphorus allocation of 0.34 million pounds/ year, and sediment allocation of 0.006 tons/year.

The District Department of the Environment with contributions from other District agencies has completed a DC Tributary Strategy. For more information please email or write to:

DC Tributary Strategy Coordinator
Hamid Karimi, PhD
Tel: (202) 535-1636
Fax: (202) 535-1364
Email: hamid.karimi@dc.gov

Mailing Address:
District Department of the Environment
Natural Resources Administration
51 N Street, NE, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20002