Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the America’s Conservation Enhancement Act, the “ACE Act”, (S. 3051), a bipartisan conservation package featuring numerous provisions supporting wildlife conservation and habitat protection, including for the Chesapeake Bay.

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Chesapeake Conservancy President and CEO Joel Dunn applauded the House passage of the ACE Act:

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“With commercial and sport fishing, hunting, wildlife watching, and other outdoor recreation activities contributing millions of dollars each year to the Chesapeake Bay’s local economies, the conservation and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay’s waters and wildlife habitats is essential for our region’s economic resilience and growth, and the ACE Act will greatly enhance these conservation efforts.

“I thank the U.S. House of Representatives and members of the Chesapeake Bay watershed congressional delegation for passing this important and bipartisan legislation that will provide necessary and long-term support for conservation and restoration efforts here in the Chesapeake Bay and across the country.”

The ACE Act extends the authorization for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, a program which provides millions of dollars in grants each year for bird and wetland habitat protection. The bill also reauthorizes the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act.

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Notably, the bill also extends authorizations through fiscal year 2025 for two Chesapeake Bay programs – the Chesapeake Bay Program and the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network – and it establishes a new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service program for the Chesapeake Bay, called the Chesapeake WILD Act.

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The bill was recently passed by the U.S. Senate, and will now be sent to the President to be signed into law.

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Feature Photo by Kelsey Everett