President Orders Fee-Free Teamwork to Revive Chesapeake Bay
Published Date: 9/21/2026
Presidential Document
Summary
This new order helps states and local governments work better together to improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay without unfairly charging residents and small businesses extra fees. It focuses on clear rules and smart spending to keep the Bay healthy while supporting local economies. Starting now, federal support will be more closely watched to make sure every dollar helps clean water and communities thrive.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Assessment and Repeal of 'Rain Taxes'
The Environmental Protection Agency must assess stormwater management fees (sometimes called “rain taxes”) charged in the Chesapeake Bay jurisdictions—New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia—and explore ways to protect Bay health without increasing costs to residents. The EPA is directed to take measures to encourage repeal or rescission of stormwater management fees that impose "hundreds of dollars in annual financial burdens" on residents and small businesses.
Redirect Federal Bay Funding to Measurable Projects
Federal agencies must assess their Chesapeake Bay support and prioritize fiscal and personnel resources for direct, on-the-ground projects in areas of highest need that will measurably reduce nutrient and sediment runoff. Strategies must be grounded in empirical data and document performance indicators such as reductions in sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen loads.
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Key Dates
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