Positive news about the health of the Chesapeake Bay. The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) released its annual report card with the overall Chesapeake Bay earning a grade of C+, its highest grade since 2002.
"The Chesapeake Bay restoration is seen as a global model of sustainability," said Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm, president of UMCES.
"The Report Card shows that the results are moving in the right direction but we need to pick up the pace of these efforts particularly in light of climate change which will make meeting the targets more difficult."
The overall Chesapeake Bay score is improving with eleven of fifteen regions showing better scores.
The Lower Bay received the highest score, once again, with a B, followed by the Upper Bay improving to a B- for the first time.
"There is still much to do, but this is a strong indicator of progress," said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator, Adam Ortiz.
The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Health, which includes ecological, societal, and economic indicators, scored C, the same as last year's score.
The report card uses extensive data and analysis in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Chesapeake Bay Program, academic institutions, and watershed jurisdictions.
