Earth Day Events with Your Waterkeeper
Saturday, April 22 offers several Earth Day events hosted by local Waterkeepers throughout our region. Check out our community calendar to find one near you. Not only is April 22nd full of events, all during the year our Waterkeepers offer opportunities for volunteering, learning and having fun on the water. Be sure to sign up for their newsletters so you don’t miss out.
Local Clean Water Heroes Film Fest – May 4
Join us at Patagonia Alexandria for a FREE film festival on Thursday, May 4 at 8:30pm. We will screen our 4 short films on local communities facing the challenges of water pollution and how they organized to find solutions. The first 3 films profile communities who rallied to address sewage in a Baltimore river, flooding along the Patuxent River due to overdevelopment, and toxic coal ash contamination of drinking water wells and the Potomac River. The fourth film chronicles two local farmers who are practicing climate-smart regenerative practices that grow healthy soil which protects water quality, improves ecosystem health, and reduces farm risk from extreme weather events. Q&A will follow the films. A Patagonia item will be given away to a lucky attendee. Refreshments will be available, including Patagonia Provisions. RSVP HERE
Maryland & Virginia Legislative Sessions End with Mixed Results
The 2023 Maryland General Assembly session was certainly an eventful one for Waterkeepers Chesapeake, our Maryland Waterkeepers, and other partners. With a new Governor and strong environmental leadership in his administration, it became clear that change had come to Maryland. While many of our priority bills passed, others were altered or withdrawn to give agencies the opportunity to maximize previously underutilized legislation or authority. We will be closely following the success of these efforts, ready to re-introduce our priorities in 2024 if we’re not seeing progress. In Virginia, the legislative climate was different with a divided government. The conservation community’s efforts were largely devoted to defending past progress made, and opposing rollbacks in pollution protections and climate-smart bills. While the legislative wins were slim, some rollbacks were prevented. In addition, historic amounts of funding for clean water programs are proposed in the budget.
Bay Paddle 2023
Bay Paddle is mixing it up this year with a weekend of paddling, running and celebrating the Chesapeake Bay. Waterkeepers Chesapeake is a beneficiary again this year along with Chesapeake Conservancy and Oyster Recovery Partnership. There is something for everyone. The Bay Paddle is Saturday, July 22 and you can join or support our Waterkeeper Team.
On Sunday, July 23 you can run in the Rock Hall 5K and paddle in the 5 mile Rock Hall Eco-Adventure Paddle.
Follow our paddle adventure on social media at #waterkeepersbaypaddle!
Celebrating Our Waterkeepers for Our 10th Anniversary
All this year, Waterkeepers Chesapeake staff, Board and Waterkeepers will be celebrating 10 years of harnessing the collective power of our local Waterkeepers to protect clean water and our communities. We want to thank you for your support over the years, helping us build an effective regional organization that makes a difference supporting Waterkeepers and ensuring clean water for all of our communities. Check out our special 10th Anniversary page and our impressive timeline of successes. We invite you to consider a special anniversary donation. We have an ambitious goal of $100,000 and we’re 24% the way there — your donation of any amount will help us reach it!
WKC in the News
Conowingo Must Center on water quality, not profits, by Ted Evgeniadis, Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper, published in Baltimore Sun, January 11, 2023
Big Opportunity at Conowingo Dam, by Ridge Hall, published in The Baltimore Sun, February 15, 2023
Opinion: Oyster Farmers of the Chesapeake Bay breathe hopeful sigh of relief after Conowingo Dam decision, by Scott Budden, Orchard Point Oyster Company, published in Maryland Matters, February 21, 2023
In Response to Lawsuit, EPA Announces Timeline for First Revisions to Slaughterhouse Water Pollution Standards in Nearly 20 Years, March 1, 2023
Support Us While You Shop!
Amabile Designs Use code CHESAPEAKE for 15% off your purchase and Waterkeepers Chesapeake will receive 10% of the sale. The code is per order, unlimited uses, and never expires. SHOP TODAY!
Go Play Outside donates 4% of online purchases to us! Go Play Outside’s awesome outdoor wear is sourced responsibly. SHOP TODAY!
You Can Make Difference
We have made it easier to find and report pollution — and to report the fun things you see and do on the river. Working with Chesapeake Commons, we developed the free Water Reporter app so you can send reports directly to your local Waterkeeper. Download it today!
Take Swim Guide with you – wherever you go. The free Swim Guide app makes it easy to know the water quality at your beach. Several of our Waterkeepers post water quality monitoring results every week — check it out before you head to your favorite river, bay or beach.
Follow us on social media!
Waterkeepers Chesapeake fights for clean water and a healthy environment by supporting Waterkeepers throughout the Chesapeake and coastal regions as they protect their communities, rivers, and streams from pollution.
For info: www.WaterkeepersChesapeake.org or email info@waterkeeperschesapeake.org.
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