H.R. 258: The Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act of 2011

The Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act of 2011 (H.R. 258) requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in consultation with the Chesapeake Executive Council, the chief executive of each Chesapeake Bay state, and the Chesapeake Bay Commission, to submit to Congress a financial report. H.R. 258 also requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop and update every two years an adaptive management plan for restoration activities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and sets forth reporting requirements that require the Administrator to: (1) report annually to Congress on the Plan; and (2) ensure that the Annual Action Plan and Annual Progress Report required by the Executive Order 13508 includes the adaptive management plan. H.R. 258 requires an Independent Evaluator for restoration activities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, who shall review and report to Congress every two years on restoration activities and the use of adaptive management in such activities. The Evaluator is to be appointed by the Administrator from among nominees submitted by the Chesapeake Executive Council.