Chesapeake Bay (photo by Michelle Kwajafa, courtesy of morgueFile.com)

The devastation of the Gulf’s seafood industry by the BP oil spill is a disaster that will be felt for years to come. Livelihoods that have supported families for generations have been destroyed and seafood lovers will not be enjoying the Gulf’s bounty of shrimp, oysters and crab as they have in the past.

The Chesapeake Bay is another of America’s great sources of seafood in need of protection if the harvesting of shellfish including scallops, clams, blue crab, soft-shell crab and oysters, and fresh fish such as flounder, mackerel, croaker, and striped bass is to be preserved for future generations. It is the nation’s largest estuary and one of the most popular travel destinations in the U.S.

Major New Online Campaign

Now the great bay is the focus of a major new online campaign, “Restoring our Waters”, that aims to ensure Congressional support comparable to that already in place for other major American bodies of water.

The new Web-based campaign targeting transplanted natives, outdoors enthusiasts, vacationers, travelers and others around the United States is being launched in advance of the U.S. Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee markup this month of S. 1816, the Chesapeake Clean Water Act.

“Restoring our Waters tells the story of how people around the country consider the Chesapeake a national treasure, worthy of protection,” Hilary Falk, director of the Choose Clean Water Coalition (CCWC), which is organizing the national effort.

Those who love the Chesapeake Bay know it deserves the national attention and iconic status of the Florida Everglades, the Gulf Coast, the Great Lakes, or the Mighty Mississippi. Having Americans who care about clean water and the great outdoors sign this petition and contact their legislators will demonstrate how important the Chesapeake is to our nation.

Peter Johnson, manager of the Restoring Our Waters campaign added:

Thousands of gallons of oil a day are spilling into the Gulf of Mexico. We are all astonished by this thought and the fact that we are largely helpless to stop it. But nutrients have been pouring into the Chesapeake, its rivers and streams for decades now. Its effects are more subtle than the startling images of oil-soaked birds and wildlife; yet nitrogen and other pollutants strangle the very life-blood out of the Chesapeake and the economy of the region. The federal government is finally starting to realize the devastating impact that decades of neglect and misuse have had on the waters of the Chesapeake.

Prevention as the Wise Choice

Johnson said, “Unlike a disaster situation, preventing more of this pollution from happening in the first place is a far better and more cost-effective solution. The Chesapeake Clean Water Act (S.1816) introduced by Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland will provide the tools and resources to address the persistent pollution plaguing the Chesapeake Bay.”

“What happens with this bill will show the concern Americans have for clean water in iconic places like the Chesapeake or the Gulf Coast. Passage of this bill depends of the support of citizens across the country, and now is finally the time to demand clean water.”

About Choose Clean Water & Restoring Our Waters

The Choose Clean Water coalition brings together people and more than 130 organizations from Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, working together to help everyone in the region choose clean water.

To learn more about the nonprofit organization go to: Choose Clean Water

The Restoring Our Waters campaign was launched in June 2010 to build the national case for support of the Chesapeake Bay as an Iconic American Waterway.

To learn more about the nonprofit organization go to: Restoring Our Waters

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