Governor Wes Moore revealed that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources will distribute $31.5 million in grants through the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund for 25 environmental restoration initiatives covering 188 locations across the state to enhance water quality and wildlife habitats.
“The Chesapeake Bay is the centerpiece of our tourism and seafood industries in Maryland,” said Governor Moore. “It’s a key part of our cultural identity and the place where countless family memories are made. These new investments represent our commitment to continuing to improve the Bay, its surrounding watershed, and the rivers and streams that connect our communities.”
The Fiscal Year 2027 environmental restoration initiatives were chosen for their capacity to enhance water quality and deliver additional advantages including climate resilience, habitat improvement, and environmental justice. DNR projects the initiatives will eliminate approximately 45,100 pounds of nitrogen, 6,400 pounds of phosphorus, and nearly 8,900 tons of sediment annually. In waterways, nitrogen and phosphorus promote algae blooms that cloud water and decrease dissolved oxygen levels when they decompose, creating challenging conditions for marine life survival.
Trust Fund administrators utilize current scientific research and data to identify the most economical and efficient non-point source pollution reduction initiatives. DNR chose recipients from applications for outcome-based funding via the department’s digital Grants Gateway.
“Strong partnerships are key to making significant progress on reducing Chesapeake Bay pollutants,” said Maryland Secretary of Natural Resources Josh Kurtz. “The Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bay Trust Fund grants enable DNR to work directly with community organizations, local governments, and scientific experts to complete projects that will result in lasting improvements to the Coastal Bays, the Chesapeake Bay, and their watersheds throughout Maryland.”
This year’s collection of initiatives includes plans to establish 1,054 acres of forest, rehabilitate 55 acres of wetlands, execute 32,000 linear feet of stream restoration, construct or upgrade 11 stormwater reduction systems, establish 40 rain gardens in neighborhoods, develop 2,165 linear feet of living shoreline, minimize agricultural runoff, and address 960 impervious acres to decrease stormwater runoff in counties. Combined, the initiatives will provide multiple ecological, social and economic advantages throughout 16 counties and Baltimore City within the state.
These investments represent part of Governor Moore’s ongoing commitment to land preservation. In December, Gov. Moore alongside leaders from six other Chesapeake Bay watershed states, the Mayor of Washington, D.C., and federal representatives endorsed a revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement to advance the regional cleanup initiative. The updated agreement establishes new objectives for water quality, wildlife, and protected lands for states to achieve by 2040.
Since 1985, Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay cleanup initiatives have eliminated approximately 40 million pounds of nitrogen, 4.6 million pounds of phosphorus and about 1 billion pounds of sediment–allowing the state to achieve or nearly achieve all of its 2025 Chesapeake Bay pollution reduction goals.
The effort to minimize these Bay pollutants is crucial for protecting Maryland’s $32.3 billion tourism economy, $10.6 billion outdoor recreation economy, and $600 million seafood industry.
Last year, the Department of Natural Resources in collaboration with nonprofit organizations, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, and thousands of volunteers finished a decade-long effort to restore oyster habitat and introduce billions of new oysters to five different Chesapeake Bay tributaries in Maryland.
Maryland is pioneering innovative Chesapeake Bay protection initiatives. In January, the Department of Natural Resources announced $11.2 million in funding for 37 ecological improvement projects through the new Whole Watershed Program, which will concentrate different pollution reduction projects in five specific watersheds–Antietam Creek in Western Maryland, Baltimore Harbor, Newport Bay near Ocean City, the Severn River near Annapolis, and the Upper Choptank River on the Eastern Shore. Maryland state agencies have also contributed to planting over 1.5 million trees statewide as part of the 5 Million Trees Planting initiative. These new trees help filter pollutants, clean the air, and create new wildlife habitat.
Chesapeake Bay Improvement Project highlights for FY2027 include:
Baltimore Tree Trust will eliminate impervious surfaces to establish 900 new tree wells within Baltimore City. Urban trees will be planted to increase canopy coverage, reduce temperatures from urban heat island effect, and enhance water quality. All locations are in overburdened and underresourced communities with high climate vulnerability.
Bowie State University will convert an existing dry pond on its campus into a wet pond to enhance water quality for the untreated impervious area within the pond’s drainage area. The retrofit will function as a showcase project visible to all students.
The City of Frederick will rehabilitate 7,580 linear feet of the Carroll Creek watershed and plant 24,000 trees resulting in water quality and flooding improvements as well as a passive park for recreation.
Eastern Shore Land Conservancy will reclaim a degraded industrial site in St. Michaels along the Choptank River and transform it into a vibrant public conservation park that reconnects the community to the waterfront that will include 2 acres of pollinator meadow, 1.53 acres of wetland enhancement and creation, and 0.33 acres of tree and shrub plantings.
Gunpowder Valley Conservancy will restore riparian buffers and upland forests within the Gunpowder watershed by planting a total of 5,400 trees on 48.25 acres and treat a drainage area of 6.14 acres by installing 32 residential rain gardens, 9 institutional rain gardens, and 4 microbioretention practices on properties within the Gunpowder watershed.
SilvoCulture will plant 8,100 trees on 27 acres across two private farm sites in Middletown and Myersville, providing long-term sources of nutritious food, wildlife habitat, water quality improvement, and ecological services including outreach and education programming.
Dollar amounts for each project will be available later this year when the contracts are completed. DNR Watershed and Climate Services staff will continue to provide technical assistance to these designated recipients as the projects are finalized.
The complete list and location of funded projects can be found on the DNR webpage for the FY27 Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund. Beginning in mid-July, the Department of Natural Resources will accept applications for the next fiscal year through the department’s online Grants Gateway.
