Chesapeake Bay Foundation

CBF is fighting to restore our national treasure. A saved Bay means clean water with healthy oxygen levels; abundant underwater grasses and oyster reefs; and natural buffers that filter pollution along our rivers and streams. CBF is working hard for a healthy, productive, and resilient Bay that provides valuable habitat for wildlife and prosperity for us and future generations.

Please help Save the Bay with a generous donation today!

Our mission is to "Save the Bay" through education, restoration, advocacy, and litigation.

However, saving the Bay means much more than simply saving the Bay. It means we must save the 64,000-square mile, 6-state watershed, which is home to over 18 million people. Over half of the freshwater entering the Bay comes from the Susquehanna River, meaning that to save the Bay, we must start with local rivers and streams in Pennsylvania. Central to CBF’s work in the Commonwealth is Lancaster county. We work on multiple fronts to build a movement to clean our water. Activities include tree plantings, community outreach, agricultural policy advocacy, volunteer cleanups, educational opportunities, and more.

Thank you for  your support through Lancaster Extra Give. We hope you will join us for two in-person celebrations on Friday, November 22! 

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• 2-3:00 PM | Bloombox's Second Chance Plants located at 1201 Harrisburg Pike Lancaster (corner of Dillersville Road). Meet and greet with CBF staff, learn from our rainfall simulator about how water runs off different land uses, participate in clean-water crafts and activities, and shop with Bloombox. During this time, David Bender will match all Lancaster Extra Give donations up to $3,000! 6
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• 9:00 PM | Zoetropolis Cinema Stillhouse located at 112 N Water Street Lancaster. Celebrate with staff throughout the evening and enjoy a specialty cocktail in honor of our rivers, streams, and the Bay. Br
e

aking News The

Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is considering its next move in the fight against plans to create a hydroelectric facility in York County and build a 1.8-mile-long dam and flood 580 acres of farms, fields, and forests at Cuffs Run.Pho

to by John PavoncelloThe

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) today granted a preliminary permit to York Energy Storage LLC, for a 1,000-acre pumped-storage hydroelectric facility proposed for Cuffs Run, near the Susquehanna River.“Th

is is a phenomenal natural area, and this facility is the wrong project, in the wrong place, at the wrong time,” said Paul Smail, Vice President for Litigation and General Counsel at CBF. “We will review FERC’s order at length and determine how best to proceed. Make no mistake about it, we remain committed in the long term to opposing this project.”Sma

il said CBF questions how FERC could grant the fourth consecutive preliminary permit application for the same project, when others were denied in the past, and again place substantial burdens on the region. He also noted that FERC’s ruling could lead to severe threats to people and the landscape, a concern expressed by so many.As

a next step, CBF could petition FERC within 30 days for a rehearing. If FERC’s decision to grant the permit is left standing, CBF could then consider appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals.In

March, CBF filed a motion to intervene in the administrative proceedings and also filed a protest and comments on the project. CBF previously joined other groups in signing a letter to FERC, urging it to deny the preliminary permit application.Sma

il said CBF stands with the Lancaster Conservancy, Susquehanna River Heritage Area, Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper and other partners in opposing the project, as well a local, state and federal officials, and residents and businesses who filed hundreds and hundreds of comments opposing the permit application.CBF

collected signatures from 462 of its members in Pennsylvania on a petition urging FERC to deny the preliminary permit. Read more at CBF.org.Edu

cation The

 Pennsylvania Rivers & Streams Environmental Education Program has been serving Pennsylvania for 32 years. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation provides engaging, hands-on student programs designed to enhance and supplement classroom instruction. This is a canoe-based exploration of local waterways in central Pennsylvania. Students conduct macroinvertebrate surveys and water chemistry assessments to examine the effect of agriculture and other human impacts on water quality.

 In addition to youth education programs, we work with closely with landowners and farms on adapting vital best management practices like rotational grazing, no-till farming, installing riparian buffers, and more!

Restoration through the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnershi

pTrees play a vital role in keeping soil in place and preventing it from washing into waterways. This is essential for maintaining clean water in our local rivers, streams, and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. That is why we launched the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership (K10) in 2018, aiming to plant 10 million trees by 2025. This initiative targets Pennsylvania’s agricultural riparian buffers, urban and suburban landscapes, and abandoned mine lands

.A diverse coalition, including organizations in Lancaster County, supports this goal. Partners range from local to national conservation groups, government bodies, and businesses across Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic.

Innovation in tree cultivation and planting is k…