Abstract |
The 1987 Chesapeake Bay Agreement committed the signatories to develop, adopt and begin implementation of a basinwide strategy to achieve a reduction of toxics, consistent with the Clean Water Act of 1987, which will ensure protection of human health and living resources. The resultant Chesapeake Bay Basinwide Toxics Reduction Strategy, adopted by the Chesapeake Executive Council in January 1989, initiated a multi-jurisdictional effort to define the nature, extent, and magnitude of Chesapeake Bay toxics problems more accurately and initiate specific toxics reduction and prevention actions. The Chesapeake Bay Agreement signatories also committed to reevaluate the strategy during 1992. The strategy reevaluation found no evidence of severe chemical contamination impacts that are baywide like other problems, such as excess nutrients which has caused declines in underwater grasses and low dissolved oxygen levels. The reevaluation did, however, clearly document severe localized toxicity problems, adverse effects from chemical contamination on aquatic organisms in areas previously considered unaffected, and widespread low levels of chemical contaminants in all Bay habitats sampled. Existing state and federal regulatory and management programs continue to reduce the input of potentially toxic chemicals to the Chesapeake Bay. |