(4) CHESAPEAKE
EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL.—The 
term ‘‘Chesapeake Executive Council’’ means the 
council comprised of— 
(A) the Governors of each of the States of 
Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, 
Virginia, and West Virginia; 
(B) the Mayor of the District of Columbia; 
(C) the Chair of the Chesapeake Bay Com-
mission; and 
(D) the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency. 
(5) CHESAPEAKE WILD PROGRAM.—The term 
‘‘Chesapeake WILD program’’ means the nonregula-
tory program established by the Secretary under sec-
tion 3(a). 
(6) GRANT PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘grant pro-
gram’’ means the Chesapeake Watershed Invest-
ments for Landscape Defense grant program estab-
lished by the Secretary under section 4(a). 
(7) RESTORATION
AND
PROTECTION
ACTIV-
ITY.—The term ‘‘restoration and protection activity’’ 
means an activity carried out for the conservation, 
stewardship, and enhancement of habitat for fish 
and wildlife— 
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(A) to preserve and improve ecosystems 
and ecological processes on which the fish and 
wildlife depend; and 
(B) for use and enjoyment by the public. 
(8) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di-
rector of the United States Fish and Wildlife Serv-
ice. 
SEC. 3. PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall es-
tablish a nonregulatory program, to be known as the 
‘‘Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape De-
fense program’’. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the Chesapeake 
WILD program include— 
(1) coordinating restoration and protection ac-
tivities among Federal, State, local, and regional en-
tities and conservation partners throughout the 
Chesapeake Bay watershed; 
(2) engaging other agencies and organizations 
to build a broader range of partner support, capac-
ity, and potential funding for projects in the Chesa-
peake Bay watershed; 
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(3) carrying out coordinated restoration and 
protection activities, and providing for technical as-
sistance, throughout the Chesapeake Bay water-
shed— 
(A) to sustain and enhance restoration and 
protection activities; 
(B) to improve and maintain water quality 
to support fish and wildlife, habitats of fish and 
wildlife, and drinking water for people; 
(C) to sustain and enhance water manage-
ment for volume and flood damage mitigation 
improvements to benefit fish and wildlife habi-
tat; 
(D) to improve opportunities for public ac-
cess and recreation in the Chesapeake Bay wa-
tershed consistent with the ecological needs of 
fish and wildlife habitat; 
(E) to facilitate strategic planning to maxi-
mize the resilience of natural ecosystems and 
habitats under changing watershed conditions; 
(F) to utilize green infrastructure or nat-
ural infrastructure best management practices 
to enhance fish and wildlife habitat; 
(G) to engage the public through outreach, 
education, and citizen involvement to increase 
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capacity and support for coordinated restora-
tion and protection activities in the Chesapeake 
Bay watershed; 
(H) to sustain and enhance vulnerable 
communities and fish and wildlife habitat; 
(I) to conserve and restore fish, wildlife, 
and plant corridors; and 
(J) to increase scientific capacity to sup-
port the planning, monitoring, and research ac-
tivities necessary to carry out coordinated res-
toration and protection activities. 
(c) DUTIES.—In carrying out the Chesapeake WILD 
program, the Secretary shall— 
(1) draw on existing plans for the Chesapeake 
Bay watershed, or portions of the Chesapeake Bay 
watershed, including the Chesapeake Bay agree-
ments, and work in consultation with applicable 
management entities, including Chesapeake Bay pro-
gram partners, such as the Federal Government, 
State and local governments, the Chesapeake Bay 
Commission, and other regional organizations, as 
appropriate, to identify, prioritize, and implement 
restoration and protection activities within the 
Chesapeake Bay watershed; 
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(2) adopt a Chesapeake Bay watershed-wide 
strategy that— 
(A) supports the implementation of a 
shared set of science-based restoration and pro-
tection activities developed in accordance with 
paragraph (1); and 
(B) targets cost-effective projects with 
measurable results; and 
(3) establish the grant program in accordance 
with section 4. 
(d) COORDINATION.—In establishing the Chesapeake 
WILD program, the Secretary shall consult, as appro-
priate, with— 
(1) the heads of Federal agencies, including— 
(A) the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency; 
(B) the Administrator of the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration; 
(C) the Chief of the Natural Resources 
Conservation Service; 
(D) the Chief of Engineers; 
(E) the Director of the United States Geo-
logical Survey; 
(F) the Secretary of Transportation; 
(G) the Chief of the Forest Service; and 
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(H) the head of any other applicable agen-
cy; 
(2) the Governors of each of the States of Dela-
ware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, 
and West Virginia and the Mayor of the District of 
Columbia; 
(3) fish and wildlife joint venture partnerships; 
and 
(4) other public agencies and organizations with 
authority for the planning and implementation of 
conservation strategies in the Chesapeake Bay wa-
tershed. 
SEC. 4. GRANTS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. 
(a) CHESAPEAKE WILD GRANT PROGRAM.—To the 
extent that funds are made available to carry out this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall establish and carry out, as part 
of the Chesapeake WILD program, a voluntary grant and 
technical assistance program, to be known as the ‘‘Chesa-
peake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense 
grant program’’, to provide competitive matching grants 
of varying amounts and technical assistance to eligible en-
tities described in subsection (b) to carry out activities de-
scribed in section 3(b). 
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