Chesapeake Bay Watershed Advancement for Training, Education, Restoration, and Science (WATERS) Act
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3]
In Committee
Summary
Reauthorizes and reshapes NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Office to expand science, restoration, and education across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This bill would create a Director with Chesapeake Bay research or resource management experience and broaden NOAA's responsibilities to cover coastal hazards, climate change, and education while adding new program authorities.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Support for Bay fisheries and aquaculture
This bill would authorize a Chesapeake Bay Coastal Living Resources and Habitat Program. The Director would be able to give grants, contracts, and technical help for oyster and shellfish restoration, permitted aquaculture, submerged plant restoration, habitat mapping, and applied fisheries research. Aquaculture support would only apply when activities are done under a valid Federal or State permit. The program would also fund resilience and information-sharing projects for coastal communities.
Expanded Bay buoy and monitoring
This bill would authorize support for the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System and an integrated Bay observations network. The Director would coordinate tidal-Bay monitoring, identify new data needs, deploy technologies, and add buoy data into the regional Integrated Ocean Observing System. The Office would also provide real-time data and waypoints for the Captain John Smith Trail and interpret buoy data for educators and students.
New NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office
This bill would create a NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office led by a Director with Chesapeake Bay experience. The Administrator would be the named NOAA official and would delegate authority and staff to the Director. The Office would be able to make contracts, grants, leases, and cooperative agreements and use other agencies' resources with consent. The Director would be required to consult the Chesapeake Executive Council when running programs.
Watershed education and internships
This bill would create a Chesapeake Bay watershed education and training program. The Director would be able to award grants for K–12 classroom lessons, distance learning, teacher training, hands-on watershed experiences, and internships that build career pathways. The program would continue and expand the Office's existing education work and coordinate with other Federal agencies as appropriate.
Reporting and peer review rules
This bill would require the Director to send a report to Congress and the Commerce Secretary every two years. Each report would include a two-year action plan listing research, monitoring, and data collection priorities and ways to coordinate with partners. The Director would also have to use a transparent peer review process to ensure that projects funded under the Office meet sound scientific and technical standards.
Free Policy Watch
You just read the policy. Now see what it costs you.
Pick a topic. PRIA runs your household against live legislation and sends you a free personalized readout.
Pick a topic to get started
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3]
VA • D
Cosponsors
Elfreth
MD • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Wittman
VA • R
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2]
VA • R
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Rep. Ivey, Glenn [D-MD-4]
MD • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]
VA • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
McClain Delaney
MD • D
Sponsored 4/29/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Take the PRIA Score to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in