Welcome, Ernesto!
Waterkeepers Chesapeake is excited to share the news that Ernesto Villaseñor, Jr. has joined the staff at Waterkeepers Chesapeake as our new Director of Advocacy and Member Support. Ernesto started on May 14th and dove right in on day one, working on one of our major campaigns—the clean up surrounding Conowingo Dam.
Ernesto, a first-generation Compton Lawtino, embodies resilience and commitment in his pursuit of law and environmental justice. With over a decade of immersion in community organizing and legislative advocacy, he began by championing fair wages for farmworkers in California, extending to advocacy for reproductive rights and support for Skid Row’s most vulnerable. During law school, Ernesto delved into environmental rights through support for a Green Amendment in the Maryland Constitution, and examining the implications of climate change and extreme heat on property and tenant rights. Learn more about Ernesto.
Maryland Plans to Take Action on PFAS, the Forever Chemical
There has been a lot of action on the state level and from the EPA to address the toxic PFAS chemicals found throughout our environment, including our water. Read our blog about recent actions taken in Maryland through legislation and with the state’s PFAS Action Plan.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a widely known class of over 10,000 toxic chemicals. Used since the 1940s, they can be found in household items like cookware, rain jackets, and rugs, and in commercial items such as food packaging, adhesives, and firefighting foam. PFAS causes a host of human health problems including increased cholesterol, high blood pressure, fertility issues, and cancer. PFAS chemicals are nicknamed “forever chemicals” because they are long-lasting: they do not break down in the environment or in our bodies, and are found in ground and drinking water sources worldwide.
Waterkeepers are working hard to stop PFAS at its source — industrial facilities, wastewater treatment plants, and biosolids (sewage sludge) used on farm fields. Stay tuned as we share more information about PFAS throughout the summer. Read more
Welcome Summer Interns, Malvika & Helena
This summer we have the great opportunity to work with two Yale Conservation Scholars—Malvika Shrimali and Helena Souffrant.
Malvika is interested in environmental justice and science communication, and plans to work on projects relating to cultural and traditional ecological knowledge preservation through biodiversity conservation. Malvika is a recent graduate from The College of William and Mary with a degree in Environmental Science, Conservation, and Hispanic Studies with a focus in Indigenous studies.
Helena is a senior at Bowdoin College, where she is double majoring in Environmental Studies and Africana Studies. She is interested in ecology and environmental justice, particularly the ways in which ecological research can be used to highlight injustices within and around underserved and overlooked communities.
Malvika and Helena are undertaking a variety of projects focused on PFAS—the dangerous forever chemical that has polluted our waterways and our bodies.
Welcome New Board Members, Tom & Evan
We’re thrilled to welcome Tom Dunlap and Evan Isaacson to our Board of Directors! Tom Dunlap became the James Riverkeeper in 2022. After receiving his bachelor’s in environmental studies and his master’s in biology from Virginia Commonwealth University, Tom worked in agricultural conservation on the lower Peninsula with the Colonial Soil & Water Conservation District, assisting farm operators, landowners, and conservation partners with on-the-ground conservation work that helped reduce pollution in the James and York River watersheds.
Evan Isaacson is a Senior Attorney and Director of Chesapeake Legal Alliance’s (CLA) Environmental Action Center. Evan directs legal research and provides strategic insight to CLA staff and volunteer attorneys based on legal, policy, and data-driven research and analysis. Evan also provides legal assistance to Maryland clients and consults on legislative matters, including several Waterkeepers. Prior to joining CLA, Evan was the Chesapeake Bay Policy Analyst at the Center for Progressive Reform where he advocated for rigorous implementation of the Chesapeake Bay cleanup plans and effective enforcement of the Clean Water Act. Before that Evan served as a senior analyst for the Maryland Department of Legislative Services. Evan holds a J.D. from the University of Maryland, with a specialization in Environmental Law.
Bay Paddle 2024
Here’s your chance to paddle in the Bay — and support us! The Bay Paddle is on Saturday, July 20, hosted at the Kent Island Outrigger Canoe Club. 100% of your registration fee (or donation) is tax deductible as a charitable donation supporting Waterkeepers Chesapeake, Oyster Recovery Partnership, and Chesapeake Conservancy.
There are 3 exciting paddling options – a 35 mile, solo and team, circumnavigation race, including a OC6 Change Race, a 10 mile, solo only, out and back race, and a 3 mile, solo only, out and back race. Bring your kayaks, SUPs, surfskis, OC1/2s, OC6s and head out onto the water.
After the race, join us for a post-race celebration featuring a festive luau and refreshing beverages courtesy of the Kent Island Yacht Club.
REGISTER
Get out on the water with your Waterkeeper!
This is peak season to get out on the water with your local Waterkeeper, Riverkeeper or Coastkeeper. Check out our online calendar for the latest Waterkeeper events. Waterkeepers are busy monitoring the health of your local waterways. Check out their websites, social media and the SwimGuide app before you head out to your favorite river or beach.
Here are few upcoming events:
Splash! Swim event with Anacostia Riverkeeper, June 29, 2024 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm, See more details
RiverPalooza with Potomac Riverkeeper Network: Shenandoah Bird Watching Walk, June 29, 2024 See more details
Paddle & Boat Trips with James River Association, June 27, June 29, July 10 See more details
Friday Night Fishing with Anacostia Riverkeeper, July 12, 2024 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm See more details
Farm Tour with Wildlife Artist Jonathan Shaw, with Shore Rivers, July 17, 2024 9:30 am – 11:30 am See more details
Job Notice: York River Steward
Do you live in the York/Pamunkey/Mattaponi watershed in Virginia? Do you love these rivers and would like to be on the ground floor in an effort to increase advocacy and monitoring for these rivers? Here is a job for you — the York River Steward. Co-funded and supported by Waterkeepers Chesapeake and Friends of the Rappahnnock, this position will help establish a new advocacy group for this watershed, with the hope that it will become a Waterkeeper program. Check out the job notice.
Clean Water Act Playbook
We created the Clean Water Act Playbook for Frontline Communities for communities that have experienced and continue to experience environmental racism. It offers easy online access to the Clean Water Act’s tools and resources to enforce the law when government fails to do so. We invite you to explore the Playbook and share it with groups and communities who could benefit from this open resource.
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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