Critical Area Commission For The Chesapeake & Atlantic Coastal Bays

NEW! Regulation Updates

Water-Dependent Facilities Regulations

Publications

Bay Smart	The Green Book
Native Plants	Phragmites Fact Sheet

Renewable Energy Regulations

The Critical Area Commission adopted renewable energy provisions that became effective on March 8, 2021. These regulations provide applicants, local governments, and State agencies with the requirements for renewable energy applications in the Critical Area.

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Coastal Resilience

Climate change causes storm surges, higher sea levels and more intense storms, as well as droughts and higher air and water temperatures, making your property and its shoreline vulnerable to flooding and erosion.

Habitat Protection

A keystone of the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Protection Program is the establishment, preservation, and maintenance of a 100-foot, naturally vegetated, forested buffer (the Buffer) landward from the Mean High Water Line of tidal waters or from the edge of tidal wetlands and tributary streams.

Welcome!

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest and most productive estuary in the United States.

Created in 1984 by the Critical Area Act, the Commission is a 29-member autonomous body appointed by the Governor. The Commission is responsible for upholding the three goals of the Critical Area Law: to minimize adverse impacts on water quality from stormwater runoff; conserve fish, wildlife and plant habitat; and establish land use policies to accommodate growth, but recognize that human activities in the Critical Area can create adverse environmental impacts....(More)

Critical Area Commission
1804 West Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
Telephone:410-260-3460
Fax:410-974-5338

Call 410-260-3460 or Email Us

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