From The Banner · Adam Willis · · 1m 50s
Trump kills Obama's Chesapeake Bay cleanup order
The president rescinded a 17-year-old executive order that shaped federal restoration efforts across six states.
In brief
The president rescinded a 17-year-old executive order that shaped federal restoration efforts across six states. Trump rescinded Obama's 2009 Chesapeake Bay executive order, removing federal coordination of cleanup efforts that had governed pollution standards for farms, sewage plants, and stormwater across a…
Trump kills Obama's bay order
President Trump rescinded a 2009 executive order Wednesday that had organized federal cleanup efforts for the Chesapeake Bay for nearly two decades.
What the Obama order did
The 2009 decree overhauled federal involvement and set new pollution standards for animal farms, sewage treatment plants, and stormwater from developed land across the watershed.
Trump calls it outdated
The White House called the Obama order outdated and misguided, directing federal agencies to steer funds away from programs that don't create measurable progress toward cleanup goals.
“"outdated and misguided"”
Sharpest attack yet
This marks perhaps Trump's strongest move against bay restoration in his second term, after his first-term attempts to slash federal funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program were blocked by Congress.
Foundation warns of damage
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation's president said the repeal undermines federal leadership and erodes states' ability to fix pollution and flooding problems across the six-state watershed.
“"destroy the bay restoration by executive order"”
Bipartisan support for bay
Maryland's entire Congressional delegation, including its lone Republican, said the bay needs continued federal support and called the decision shortsighted and harmful to communities.
“"the Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure"”
Local governments push back
Annapolis Mayor Jared Littmann and Alderman Rob Savidge pledged the city will continue meeting pollution requirements and limiting runoff regardless of federal policy changes.
“"Federal policy may evolve, but in Annapolis we will not let local stewardship falter"”
Rain tax in the crosshairs
Trump's order singled out local stormwater fees, which cities and counties levy on households to finance runoff management, frequently criticized as a rain tax.
The short version
Trump rescinded Obama's 2009 Chesapeake Bay executive order, removing federal coordination of cleanup efforts that had governed pollution standards for farms, sewage plants, and stormwater across a six-state watershed.
