WASHINGTON
–
The U.S. Senate has passed legislation containing an appropriations request by
U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and
Barbara A. Mikulski, (both D-MD) of $1 million for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network.
Funding for the Network supports both matching grants to participating Gateway sites for development of high-quality interpretation, access or conservation and restoration projects.
Established in 1998, the Chesapeake Gateways and Watertrails Network has created a partnership system of parks, refuges, museums, historic sites ands water trails spanning the Bay watershed.
In 11 years, the Network has grown to include more than 150 Gateway sites and more than 1,500 miles of Water Trails, attracting more than 10 million visitors annually.
“The Chesapeake Bay Watertrails Network is instrumental to making the entire Chesapeake Bay experience accessible and enjoyable for Marylanders and all Americans,”
said Senator Cardin,
a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “The Bay is one of our nation’s most treasured resources and the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network helps visitors understand and appreciate the important role the Bay has had in our region’s culture and history.”
“The Chesapeake Bay is part of who we are as Marylanders – it is part of our heritage and part of our culture. I am proud to support the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network,” said
Senator Mikulski, a member of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee that funds this program. “The Gateways Program will help record our history, protect the Bay, reflect our values, and renew our sense of pride and wonder. I will continue to fight to preserve our national treasure and its history for future generations.”
The National Park Service provides matching grants up to $100,000 for projects that advance Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network (CBGN) goals of accessibility and stewardship.
The CBGN provides essential infrastructure for developing the Captain John Smith Chesapeake Bay National Historic Trail.
