To reauthorize the Chesapeake Bay Office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes.

This bill would provide continued funding through 2006 for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Chesapeake Bay Office to support the ongoing restoration and management of the bay’s ecosystem. It updates the office’s responsibilities to include a new program that offers technical assistance and small grants directly to local communities for fishery and habitat restoration projects. For citizens, this means increased federal support for local conservation efforts and improved scientific monitoring to ensure the long-term health and productivity of the Chesapeake Bay’s natural resources.