Chesapeake Bay Conservation Acceleration Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
Introduced
Summary
Creates targeted conservation help for farmers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to cut erosion, sediment, and nutrient runoff. It would also create a federal task force to improve how conservation investments are credited and shift oversight of two invasive catfish to FDA authority.
Show full summary
- Farmers and landowners in the Chesapeake Bay watershed would get new enrollment opportunities and funding under Farm Bill conservation programs to control erosion, reduce sediment and nutrient runoff, restore habitat, and boost climate resilience.
- State and local water-quality programs and the agricultural community would gain a Task Force co‑chaired by USDA and EPA to design a federal action plan for counting, reporting, and verifying nutrient reductions and to promote data sharing and time‑saving technologies.
- Seafood processors, importers, and regulators handling blue catfish and flathead catfish would see inspection and grading move from USDA meat rules to Food and Drug Administration oversight, with a required memorandum of understanding in 90 days and final regulations in 180 days.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More conservation help for Bay farmers
If enacted, farmers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed would get a package of targeted conservation help. The bill would create a Chesapeake Bay States Partnership Initiative to fund erosion control, nutrient and sediment reduction, better livestock waste systems, and wetland conservation through existing programs. More rural land, including cropland, marginal pasture, and grassland, could enter the Conservation Reserve Program when set aside as riparian buffers. The CRP authorization would be extended through fiscal year 2028 and some CREP contracts could be updated with new incentives requiring at least 40% of certain actual costs. A CREP pilot would let the agency pay to establish and manage forested riparian buffers for enrolled landowners. EQIP would give higher priority to grazing projects that coordinate with CRP/CREP. The maximum payment under the cited program would increase to $100,000. The bill would also create a joint Task Force to improve how nutrient reductions are measured and reported.
More food and farm training grants
If enacted, the bill would expand grants and paid work-based learning in food and agricultural sciences. Community colleges and postsecondary vocational institutions would be explicitly eligible. The bill would authorize $60 million each year for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to support these grants and fellowships.
Faster hiring for NRCS technical jobs
If enacted, the Secretary could directly appoint qualified people to Natural Resources Conservation Service technical assistance jobs without most normal hiring rules. Appointees must still meet qualification standards set by the Office of Personnel Management. This could speed hiring for conservation technical roles.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
MD • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]
PA • D
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 3/13/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov