Overview
- President Trump signed the order on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, formally revoking Executive Order 13508 and changing federal direction for Chesapeake Bay restoration.
- The order tells federal agencies to shift funding away from activities that do not show measurable water‑quality gains and to prioritize projects that reduce nutrient and sediment runoff.
- The Environmental Protection Agency must work with the six watershed states and the District of Columbia to assess stormwater management fees, explore lower‑cost alternatives, and encourage repeal of fees the White House calls burdensome.
- The administration justified the move by citing 2025 pollution‑reduction milestones and a 2026 scientific projection of a much smaller dead zone, and it said EPA streamlined programs in FY2026 to cut administrative costs and increase direct awards.
- Conservation groups warned the revocation weakens federal leadership and could disrupt coordinated restoration, and implementation now depends on agency actions, guidance and future congressional appropriations.