ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland lawmakers and aquaculture business owners gathered at the State House in Annapolis Tuesday to eat farm-grown oysters and fret over federal rollbacks on environmental regulations and budget cuts that could impact the Chesapeake Bay.

The Chesapeake Bay, home to a $600 million seafood industry, is facing uncertainty as federal agencies responsible for water quality and restoration efforts undergo significant funding and staffing reductions. At the event, legislators were treated to fresh oysters, courtesy of some of Maryland’s leading aquaculture businesses, which rely on clean water to sustain their harvests.

Johnny Shockley, founder of Blue Oyster Environmental, emphasized the importance of maintaining federal support for the Bay’s recovery efforts. “I am incredibly concerned that we have completely lost our way at the federal level with respect to the environment,” said Shockley who uses 300 acres of Chesapeake Bay bottom to grow oysters for food and to populate restoration projects.   “There have been hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars spent on the Chesapeake Bay’s health since the early 70s. We’re finally seeing positive changes, and now we’re being asked to walk away from it all. That is very worrisome for us.”

Shockley’s concerns come in response to recent federal decisions, including the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) plan to roll back 31 environmental regulations and the termination of 880 jobs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA provides critical baseline data for tracking water quality in the Bay among other critical functions to cleanup efforts.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin defended the agency’s policy changes, stating that the administration aims “to fulfill President Trump’s promise to unleash American energy, revitalize the auto industry, restore the rule of law, and give power back to the states.” 

RELATED: EPA faces regional backlash to cuts in ‘deregulation bombshell’

Kim Coble, executive director of Maryland’s League of Conservation Voters, warned of the widespread consequences of rollbacks. 

“The chaos being created by regulations being rolled back, grant funds being pulled and reissued, and the removal of staffing across the board is creating uncertainty in the environmental field, especially for the Chesapeake Bay,” said Coble. “There’s public health at risk, there’s environmental health at risk, and so many businesses depend on the Bay’s natural resources. Any backsliding on the environment is backsliding on our business community.”

A proposed 65% EPA budget cut could jeopardize essential restoration projects, including oyster reef restorations that help filter pollutants from the Bay, according to aquaculture leaders and state legislators.

Delegate Kristopher G. Fair (D) Frederick County expressed his concerns while sampling bay oysters, saying Maryland may be called on to invest more to make up the loss of federal funds.

“We’re always willing to show the rest of the country what investing in your environment looks like. Sending that message forward is exactly what we need to be doing right now,” Fair said.

Federal spending on Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts reached $840 million in fiscal year 2024. The the money flows through numerous agencies including the EPA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Defense which is conducting cleanups on numerous military bases in the region.

RELATED: NOAA to cut more than 1,000 jobs amid staffing reductions

Legislators and state agency leaders said there is uncertainty surrounding which grants will be cut and how water quality may be affected in the long run.

“Things could change at the drop of a hat,” said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz who says he has assigned his agency to track potential grant and spending cuts daily.