WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) introduced legislation today that would bring increased accountability measures and a more collaborative management approach to Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. The Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act of 2013 requires the Office of Management and Budget to prepare a crosscut budget to better track the progress of Bay restoration efforts, comparing costs and the performance of restoration activities by the various federal agencies involved in the Bay preservation effort. The multi-state, multi-year initiative to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay involves at least 10 federal agencies, Virginia and five other states, the District of Columbia, and more than 1,000 local governments.

“The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure that is central to the culture and the economy of many coastal communities in Virginia and neighboring states. In order to be successful in our efforts to improve the health of the Bay, the different agencies and groups who share concerns about the Bay must do a better job of coordinating their efforts,”  Senator Warner said. “By applying new performance-based measures, this legislation will help us ensure that the federal dollars being spent on Bay restoration activities produce real results. We must continue to focus on ways to make government work smarter and use the best tools and technology to analyze outcomes.”

Companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA-01), Co-Chairman of the Congressional Chesapeake Bay Watershed Caucus. “As Virginians, we understand the important role that the Chesapeake Bay plays in our Commonwealth: economically, environmentally, and culturally,” Rep. Wittman said. “This commonsense legislation will bring transparency to Bay restoration and ensure efforts and funds from the various entities involved are being harnessed effectively. I am pleased that Senator Warner has introduced the Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act in the Senate, and I am hopeful that it will see passage in both chambers and be signed into law.”

As Governor of Virginia from 2002-2006, Sen. Warner increased spending on natural resources by 34% and took a leadership role in protecting the Bay, including adoption of the most comprehensive nutrient reduction standards in the nation. Governor Warner’s final budget included $243 million for clean drinking water programs, and the Warner Administration funded the largest single investment in water quality in state history.

The full text of the legislation is below: