Restore the Chesapeake Bay

He's done something no president has done before: he issued an executive order in May directing the Environmental Protection Agency to lead a renewed federal effort to clean up the Bay. Now is our best chance yet to make a difference, and we can't let this historic moment pass by.

Write a comment today on the EPA's website to show your support for enforceable limits on all sources of pollution entering the Bay.

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the country. Home to blue crabs, bald eagles, and hundreds of native species, the bay is one of our nation's most valuable natural resources.

For 25 years states haven't been enforcing their own goals and instead have relied on voluntary programs. Every summer, pollutants from factory farms and unchecked development turn a third of the Bay into an underground desert where almost nothing can live. We need enforceable pollution limits, which the federal government can provide. On May 12th Lisa Jackson announced that President Obama is calling for federal leadership, a potential game-changer in restoration efforts if they get it right.

The EPA and other federal agencies issued initial draft reports on Sept. 10th. Right now they're combining these reports into a comprehensive strategy. They'll release a draft version of that strategy in early November and then take official public comments for 60 days. But there's no time like the present to make some noise. To help counteract powerful developers like Ryan Homes and big chicken businesses like Purdue and Tyson, Administrator Jackson needs hear from all of us.

Visit the EPA's website and post your comment calling for strong, enforceable limits on all sources of pollution.

http://executiveorder.chesapeakebay.net/post/Tell-us-what-you-think.aspx