2026 SESSION

ENROLLED

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 114

Commending Mission Blue.

Agreed to by the Senate, March 11, 2026

WHEREAS, Mission Blue, an organization dedicated to inspiring action to explore and protect the ocean, officially designated the Chesapeake Bay a Hope Spot in 2025, identifying the largest estuary in the United States as an area of exceptional ecological, cultural, and historical value that is critical to the health of the ocean; and

WHEREAS, led by the vision of renowned marine scientist Dr. Sylvia Earle, Mission Blue uses its Hope Spot designations to encourage scientific research and community engagement that will aid in the restoration and protection of significant marine areas; and

WHEREAS, in designating the Chesapeake Bay a Hope Spot, Mission Blue recognizes the challenges, such as sea level rise, pollution, habitat loss, invasive species, and declining water quality, that threaten the ecosystem, as well as the meaningful efforts that have been made over the past decades to support wetland recovery, oyster reef restoration, reductions in nutrient runoff, and other preservation endeavors; and

WHEREAS, by naming the Chesapeake Bay a Hope Spot, Mission Blue has brought greater awareness to the issues affecting the ecosystem while rallying resources and assistance to support various stakeholders and Tribal Nations committed to protecting this invaluable body of water from further harm; and

WHEREAS, today, the Mission Blue alliance brings together more than 200 ocean conservation groups and related organizations, from large multinational companies to independent scientific teams representing Western and Indigenous knowledge systems, to build its growing global network of Hope Spots like the Chesapeake Bay; and

WHEREAS, with a deep commitment to safeguarding the health of the ocean for the benefit of present and future generations, Mission Blue has made a profound and lasting impact on countless communities and lives; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That Mission Blue hereby be commended for designating the Chesapeake Bay as a Hope Spot in 2025; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Mission Blue as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's admiration for the organization's contributions to the preservation of the Chesapeake Bay and marine life in the Commonwealth.