V-196 



A SUGGESTED USE OF THE INTERSTATE COMPACT 

 IN MANAGING CHESAPEAKE BAY 



Proposals to utilize a compact to improve State-level management 

 of the estuarine resources of Chesapeake Bay have been advanced 

 from time to time. In recent years, this proposal usually has 

 called for the enactment of a compact modeled after the Delaware 

 River Basin Compact and the two compacts now being urged for the 

 Susquehanna and Potomac River basins. Adherence to this approach 

 would place the estuarine resources of Chesapeake Bay under a 

 Federal -interstate commission empowered to perform the three 

 broad management functions which were noted earlier in describing 

 the latter two compacts. 



As here conceived, however, the interstate compact to manage the 

 estuarine resources of Chesapeake Bay would be an agreement 

 between Maryland and Virginia under which each State would commit 

 itself to tsko four actions: 



(1) To prepare and, after consulting with the other 

 State, to adopt and implement a management olan for 

 the portion of Chesapeake Bay under its jurisdiction; 

 to prepar'e this plan in cooperation with local govern- 

 ments, the other State, appropriate Federal agencies, 

 and others; and to include in such plan at least the 

 following components: (a) wetlands protection and 

 management component; (b) water quality management 



