PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT AND RESTORING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY

Bobby has spent his career in public service fighting to protect our environment. In Congress, Bobby serves as co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force.  Bobby has co-authored with fellow Virginia Congresswoman Elaine Luria the Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization Act. 

This bill would update and authorize new funding for the federal Chesapeake Bay Program to improve conservation and restoration efforts across the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  Bobby has also introduced the Chesapeake Bay Science, Education and Ecosystem Enhancement Act with Maryland Congressman John Sarbanes and Virginia Congressman Rob Wittman to support federal and local efforts to protect the Bay, improve fisheries management, restore watershed habitats, and expand environmental educational opportunities for our students.  Bobby has also introduced the Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) Act, which would create a new federal grant program to assist local communities to protect and restore wildlife habitats throughout the Chesapeake Bay. 

Bobby believes it is critical that the federal government aggressively address climate change.  He has supported efforts to restore the United States’ commitment to the Paris Climate Accord, as well as other legislative and regulatory efforts to reduce climate change contributing CO2 emissions, and invest in clean, renewable sources of energy.  This is why Bobby is opposed to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which would increase and expand the use of CO2 emitting fossil fuels, and cut across protected wilderness and the Appalachian Trail potentially harming these beautiful natural resources for future generations.  Bobby is also opposed and has led the fight against oil and natural gas drilling off Virginia’s coast.  Bobby believes the potential environmental cost to our shorelines, marine life and ecosystems, and the Chesapeake Bay far outweigh the value of the negligible oil and gas that may be produced from offshore drilling.