Ambassadors for a Clean Bay

• The 1972 amendments to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (known as the Clean Water Act or CWA) specifically required EPA to develop and implement the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program.

• ARTICLE XI of Virginia's Constitution
  Conservation
  Section 1. Natural resources and historical sites of the Commonwealth.
  To the end that the people have clean air, pure water, and the use and enjoyment for recreation of adequate public lands, waters, and other natural resources, it shall be the policy of the Commonwealth to conserve, develop, and utilize its natural resources, its public lands, and its historical sites and buildings. Further, it shall be the Commonwealth's policy to protect its atmosphere, lands, and waters from pollution, impairment, or destruction, for the benefit, enjoyment, and general welfare of the people of the Commonwealth.

It is your Constitution Right to have CLEAN WATER!!

In 1972 there were over 8,000 working watermen in Virginia. Although 3,000 Virginian's hold a Commercial Registration Card today less than half could be classified as full time working watermen. What has happened? Is it overharvesting as many would have you believe or has pollution caused the decline in the once plentiful bounty that the Chesapeake Bay provided?

Virginia's Watermen Say it is Pollution!!!

• Nitrogen and phosphorus run off cause algae blooms that prohibit sunlight from getting to grass beds (submerged aquatic grasses)

• Bay grasses serve as protective nurseries for young crabs and fish, including menhaden, herring, shad, spot, croaker, weakfish and white perch. Bay scientists have found 30 times more juvenile blue crabs in bay grass beds than in areas with no grasses.

• Just like humans the animals in the Bay need oxygen. High amounts of nutrients in the water, called nutrient pollution, can fuel the growth of excessive algae, or algae blooms. A portion of the algae is consumed by filter feeders like oysters. But unconsumed or “leftover” algae die and sink to the bottom of the Bay, where they are decomposed by bacteria. During this process, bacteria consume oxygen until there is little or no oxygen left in these bottom waters causing dead zones. Animals in these zones DIE!!!

• Sediments are a natural part of the Chesapeake Bay, created by the weathering of rocks and soil. However, in excess, sediment clouds the waters of the Bay and its tributaries, which harms fish, oysters and underwater bay grasses. Oysters and other bottom-dwelling species can be smothered when excess sediment settles to the bottom, excess sediment is the primary reason that many of the Bay watershed's streams are degraded, ports and channels can become clogged by accumulated sediment, affecting commercial shipping and recreational boating.

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