I recently heard a program on NPR about the current state of the Chesapeake Bay. A panel of experts reviewed the failures of the 1983 Chesapeake Bay Agreement which was signed by the heads of the watershed states; Maryland, Pennsylvania, DC, and Virginia. Gerald Winegrad highlighted some reasons for the agreement's failure. One reason for failure that he spoke of was the lack of enforcement and cooperation at the local government levels. Because there was no penalty for not following the guidelines set forth by the agreement, local development ignored regulation to protect vital wetland and eco-systems surrounding tributeries of the Bay.  As a result the filtration of pollutants coming from construction sites, parking lots, and farms was reduced or eliminated. Mr. Winegrad also noted that agriculture and the spreading of fertilizers is the number one threat to the health of the bay eco-system. Combine the increase of ferlizer run-off with the loss of filtering vegitation and you get a big problem for the Chesapeake Bay. One alarming thought that was discussed on the program was the disregard of the public to the dire environmental issues facing the Bay. Without public support many of the actions needed to help save the bay will fall short. What the public must realise is that as the Chesapeake Bay declines so does the standard of living for all those connected to the bay area. Loss of the blue crab, the stripe bass, the bay oysters and all the livelyhoods that surrond the chesapeake bay resources will die. For those who sail in the bay waters and for those who water ski or live in the Bays watershed, please pay attention to what's happening in your local area and be consious of the fragility of our precious resource. If we don't act now we could lose the Chesapeake Bay forever. For  more information or to volunteer, refer to the following sites; The Chesapeake Bay Program, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation,and the Environmental Fund for Maryland.