(The Center Square) – Through thousands of streams and waterways, Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna watershed supplies about half of the freshwater emptied into the Chesapeake Bay.
The stewardship of those waterways is a responsibility the state government has, in the past, had mixed results undertaking.
Two major appointments, however, demonstrate the progress the commonwealth has made both in its conversation efforts and its leadership in the region. On Friday, Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Williamsport, was elected chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission for 2026.
The commission brings together state legislators from Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland to work toward common environmental and economic goals. Yaw previously led the 21-member group in 2020. The group is part of the Chesapeake Bay Program governed by the Chesapeake Executive Council, a group which Gov. Josh Shapiro was elected to lead in December.
Within the commonwealth, Yaw is the chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. Yaw has been recognized for his work on the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Fund, a $50 million recurring investment from the state. The fund aims to bring the one third of streams of the state’s 85,000 miles of waterways that are under quality standards for drinking and recreation.
“With the entire partnership united behind a revised agreement and committed to success, now is the time for bold ideas that deliver healthy streams and a restored Chesapeake Bay,” said Yaw. “I’m proud that Pennsylvania is being recognized as a leader on clean water and a showcase for innovative projects that highlight local benefits. I am looking forward to scaling up our efforts over the coming year.”
The efforts are a point of harmony between two parties that frequently feud over environmental concerns. In addition to its importance for plants and wildlife, water conservation plays a role in supporting the state’s agriculture industry and its outdoor recreation industry, a major focus of the Shapiro administration over the past year.
The governor expressed similar sentiments to Yaw’s at the time of his own election.
“I think for a long time Pennsylvania took a back seat when it came to cleaning up the Bay, and now we are helping lead that discussion,” said Shapiro. “I made commitments when I was elected governor to clean up our waterways to support our farmers and grow the tourism economy that relies on clean air and pure water in Pennsylvania and beyond.”
The state’s efforts to improve its waterways include providing support to farmers toward sustainable agriculture. Shapiro said their efforts have reduced nitrogen pollution by ten times the amount reduced in the entire decade prior. He said they had planted 945 miles of buffers along rivers and restored 139 miles of streams “to water quality standards that are acceptable.”
