Jeremy Cox
Verified
@ChesBayJournal environmental reporter covering Maryland and Virginia. @salisburyu journalism professor. Host of @chesuncharted podcast. Baseball nerd.
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Jeremy Cox
Stormwater woes flow downhill, but funding often doesn’t
A $350 million plan for the historically Black neighborhood near Bear Creek has no timetable, as UMBC researchers study what they call "altitudinal discrimination"
Stormwater woes flow downhill, but funding often doesn’t
Margaret Risher, 96, lives on a road in the Maryland community of Turner Station that frequently floods. The Turner Station neighborhood was hardly what someone might call a developer’s dream. Much of it was untamed marshland that often flooded when it rained. If tides or storms caused the adjacent Back River to escape its banks, the low-lying terrain gave way to a sheet of water. Today, all that still happens — but now there are homes and businesses in the way.
Perdue seeks to increase discharges, despite forever chemicals
Jeremy Cox Bay Journal News Service Oct. 6, 2026, 5:03 a.m. ET Maryland’s environmental regulator is poised to allow a soybean processor on the Eastern Shore to discharge up to five times more polluted water into the headwaters of a Chesapeake Bay tributary. The pending action comes as the owner of the Salisbury soybean plant, agribusiness giant Perdue Farms, continues to struggle with removing PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” from its effluent more than three years after their discovery.
Decades later, a big gap persists for key Chesapeake Bay pollution goals
Computer model shows region hit 57% of 2025 goal, with uneven progress among states The leaders of the Chesapeake Bay cleanup have officially missed another deadline for achieving their nutrient-reduction targets needed to meet the estuary’s water-quality goals — the third time that’s happened in as many tries. News of the missed deadline didn’t come out of the blue.
Maryland soybean plant seeks to increase discharges, despite forever chemcials
Matt Godbey and his dog, Mango, stand outside their home in Salisbury, MD, where Perdue Farms paid to install a treatment system to address pollutants in his water. Maryland’s environmental regulator is poised to allow a soybean processor on the Eastern Shore to discharge up to five times more polluted water into the headwaters of a Chesapeake Bay tributary.
Update: Trump order unravels Obama-era cleanup framework for Chesapeake Bay
Farmland and marsh are nestled together along Tuckahoe Creek in Maryland. The creek flows into the Choptank River, which in turn enters the Chesapeake Bay. Note: This is an update to the Bay Journal article that appeared on Sept. 17, 2026. President Trump on Sept. 16 repealed a policy that has guided federal participation in Chesapeake Bay cleanup efforts for nearly two decades.
Maryland seafood worker gets probation in tampering case
Daniel R. Webster Sr. exits the Somerset County District Court on Maryland’s Eastern Shore after his trial slated for June 4, 2026, was postponed. An employee of a Maryland seafood company will not face jail time after he was found guilty of interfering with a state Natural Resources Police investigation. Daniel R. Webster, 75, received three years’ probation and had to pay a $1,500 fine stemming from misdemeanor charges of altering evidence and obstructing an investigation.
Saving a drowned island: Construction underway at Maryland’s James Island
By Jeremy Cox/Chesapeake Bay Journal Barely three months ago, there was nothing here but open water — about 12 vertical feet of it from the gray-green surface to the silty bottom. Now, there stands a brand-new dot of land. It’s small but has room for multi-ton construction vehicles to roam hither and yon on a 12-acre plain interspersed with dunes. Everywhere is sand, and there’s more of it with each passing minute.
Plans for old Six Flags site in Maryland reignite concerns for Belt Woods
By Jeremy Cox, Chesapeake Bay Journal A development partnership backed by an A-list sports celebrity is looking to transform a former amusement park in Maryland into an entertainment and shopping hotbed accompanied by a broad spectrum of housing types. “Our goal is to deliver several different uses that kind of work together in a generative way to create a real ecosystem,” said Adam Rashid of TPA Group during a community meeting about the project in June.
A new beginning: Construction underway at Maryland’s James Island
By Jeremy Cox Barely three months ago, there was nothing here but open water — about 12 vertical feet of it from the gray-green surface to the silty bottom. Now, there stands a brand-new dot of land. It’s small but has room for multi-ton construction vehicles to roam hither and yon on a 12-acre plain interspersed with dunes. Everywhere is sand, and there’s more of it with each passing minute.
Plans for Six Flags site in Prince George’s County reignite Belt Woods concerns
By Jeremy Cox The Chesapeake Bay Journal A development partnership backed by an A-list sports celebrity is looking to transform a former amusement park in Maryland into an entertainment and shopping hotbed accompanied by a broad spectrum of housing types. “Our goal is to deliver several different uses that kind of work together in a generative way to create a real ecosystem,” said Adam Rashid of TPA Group during a community meeting about the project in June.
Plans for old Six Flags site in Maryland reignite concerns for Belt Woods
A development partnership backed by an A-list sports celebrity is looking to transform a former amusement park in Maryland into an entertainment and shopping hotbed accompanied by a broad spectrum of housing types. “Our goal is to deliver several different uses that kind of work together in a generative way to create a real ecosystem,” said Adam Rashid of TPA Group during a community meeting about the project in June.
A new beginning: Construction underway at Maryland’s James Island
A lush knee-high jungle grows in the Arctic, but warming is changing Earth’s mini-greenhouse
Plans for old Six Flags site in Maryland reignite concerns for Belt Woods
Gary Allen and Pam Cooper lead a tour of the old-growth forest in the Belt Woods Natural Environment Area near Bowie, MD, in August 2026. A development partnership backed by an A-list sports celebrity is looking to transform a former amusement park in Maryland into an entertainment and shopping hotbed accompanied by a broad spectrum of housing types.
‘Hundred Acre Wood’ saved from bulldozers in Maryland
By Jeremy Cox The Chesapeake Bay Journal A Maryland version of Winnie-the-Pooh’s fabled magical forest has been officially protected from development. Informally known as the “Hundred Acre Wood,” the forested tract was transferred by NASA to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service during a signing ceremony in July. The 105-acre property is now managed as part of the adjoining Patuxent Research Reserve, which is a publicly accessible national wildlife refuge.
A unique Chesapeake Bay island that’s by permission only
Black vultures roost in the bare February trees of Fisherman Island, at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. There’s a story that park rangers tell about Fisherman Island — a tale that underscores the landscape’s propensity for change. “In the very early 1600s, Captain John Smith was exploring the Eastern Shore [of Virginia],” Lydia Hansen recounted in February as the tour group I had joined prepared to visit the island.
A new beginning: Construction underway at Maryland’s James Island
Joe Bieberich of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers monitors the construction of James Island in August 2026 as sand is dredged from the nearby bottom. Barely three months ago, there was nothing here but open water — about 12 vertical feet of it from the gray-green surface to the silty bottom. Now, there stands a brand-new dot of land. It’s small but has room for multi-ton construction vehicles to roam hither and yon on a 12-acre plain interspersed with dunes.
Governor enacts strict regulations for Pennsylvania data centers
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order directing state agencies to require all data center proposals to comply with new environmental guidelines. Pennsylvania is clamping down on AI data center development in what Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro is touting as the “strictest guardrails” in the country. “We have a long history in Pennsylvania of industry running roughshod over our communities to make a buck,” Shapiro said during an Aug. 18 announcement.
‘Hundred Acre Wood’ saved from bulldozers in Maryland
A Maryland version of Winnie-the-Pooh’s fabled magical forest has been officially protected from development. Informally known as the “Hundred Acre Wood,” the forested tract was transferred by NASA to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service during a signing ceremony in July. The 105-acre property is now managed as part of the adjoining Patuxent Research Reserve, which is a publicly accessible national wildlife refuge.
Help for local governments on Bay-related work is spread unevenly, report finds
By Jeremy Cox The Chesapeake Bay Journal Local governments are widely seen as crucial to restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers. Many, though, lack the workforce and expertise to carry out the work. A new report reveals that more than 120 “technical assistance” programs have sprouted across the Bay watershed trying to fill those gaps. But those efforts are themselves plagued by gaps — gaps in what type of services are provided and where help is available.
‘Hundred Acre Wood’ saved from bulldozers in Maryland
This photograph shows Area 400, a federal tract in Greenbelt, MD, in 1984. The surrounding forest has remained largely unchanged since NASA Goddard occupied the property in the 1960s. (Courtesy of NASA) A Maryland version of Winnie-the-Pooh’s fabled magical forest has been officially protected from development. Informally known as the “Hundred Acre Wood,” the forested tract was transferred by NASA to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service during a signing ceremony in July.
Help for local governments doing Bay-related work is spread unevenly, report finds
Local governments dealing with stormwater problems often need additional expertise and workforce support to conduct successful projects. Local governments are widely seen as crucial to restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers. Many, though, lack the workforce and expertise to carry out the work. A new report reveals that more than 120 “technical assistance” programs have sprouted across the Bay watershed trying to fill those gaps.
Bill could open future Chesapeake oyster sanctuaries to commercial harvest
By Jeremy Cox/Chesapeake Bay Journal Environmentalists are decrying language added to a U.S. House spending bill that would open future federally supported oyster restoration projects around the Chesapeake Bay to commercial harvesting. U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, Maryland’s lone Republican member of Congress, inserted the provision into a bill funding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The House Appropriations Committee passed the bill on a 32-28 vote in May.
Bill could open future Bay oyster sanctuaries to commercial harvest
Spat-on-shell oysters from the University of Maryland's Horn Point hatchery are hosed in 2019 into the Tred Avon River sanctuary. Environmentalists are decrying language added to a U.S. House spending bill that would open future federally supported oyster restoration projects around the Chesapeake Bay to commercial harvesting. U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, Maryland’s lone Republican member of Congress, inserted the provision into a bill funding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Champions of Potomac River mussels summon a ‘science barge’
The Potomac Riverkeeper Network has expanded its mussel-growing operation on the Potomac River with what the group is calling a “science barge.” The 80-foot-by-30-foot vessel serves as a floating platform for specially designed cages used to raise mussels. A pair of “floating upwellers” holds up to 4,000 mussels at any one time in the river throughout the year while keeping them off the bottom, where they would be susceptible to being smothered by sediment.
Champions of Potomac River mussels summon a ‘science barge’
Potomac Riverkeeper Network staff and volunteers with experts from Maryland Department of Natural Resources at work giving mussels a new home on the Potomac River in partnership with Virginia Tech and National Harbor. The Potomac Riverkeeper Network has expanded its mussel-growing operation on the Potomac River with what the group is calling a “science barge.” The 80-foot-by-30-foot vessel serves as a floating platform for specially designed cages used to raise mussels.
Environmental fallout, lawsuits stalk Potomac River after sewage spill
More than five months after millions of gallons of untreated sewage spilled into the Potomac River, aftershocks continue. Litigation, emergency repairs and a major leadership shakeup have followed in the wake of the Jan. 19 rupture of the Potomac Interceptor sewage pipe near in Montgomery County, MD. As much as 300 million gallons of sewage spewed from the 6-foot-wide pipe into the Potomac River for about a week before it was stopped.
Environmental fallout, lawsuits stalk Potomac River after sewage spill
A volunteer and a graduate student at the University of Maryland collect water and sediment samples from the Potomac River in mid-April 2026. More than five months after millions of gallons of untreated sewage spilled into the Potomac River, aftershocks continue. Litigation, emergency repairs and a major leadership shakeup have followed in the wake of the Jan. 19 rupture of the Potomac Interceptor sewage pipe near in Montgomery County, MD.
Judge rebukes Maryland oyster farmer in evidence tampering case
Jeremy Cox Bay Journal News Service July 10, 2026, 5:02 a.m. ET An oyster-farming manager was found guilty of tampering with evidence in an investigation into illegal dumping in the Chesapeake Bay. Daniel R. Webster Sr. faces up to three years in prison for removing buoys and dredging an oyster lease area under investigation. The investigation began after Maryland Natural Resources Police received a tip about concrete and plastic being dumped on oyster grounds.
Delaware lawmakers pass freshwater wetlands bill
A small wetland is hemmed in by new houses in a subdivision in Delmar, DE. For Delaware’s wetland advocates, the seventh time was the charm. Six previous legislative attempts to enact state-level freshwater wetland protections had come up short. But on July 1, the General Assembly passed the Wetlands Stewardship Act, creating the state’s first nontidal wetlands regulatory program.
New Commanders stadium poses environmental concerns for Anacostia River
This rendering depicts the new RFK Stadium planned for a site along the Anacostia River in the District of Columbia. Trey Sherard pushed his Carolina skiff around the tip of Kingman Island, leaving the Anacostia River behind and entering Kingman Lake. It’s a lake in name only because it’s connected to the river’s mainstem on both sides of the island. And Kingman Island itself isn’t a naturally created island.
Judge rebukes Maryland oyster farmer in tampering case
By Jeremy Cox The Chesapeake Bay Journal The manager of an oyster-farming operation on Maryland’s Eastern Shore was found guilty Monday of tampering with evidence amid a state investigation into allegations of widespread dumping of illegal oyster bed material into the Chesapeake Bay. Daniel R. Webster Sr., 75, of Deal Island faces up to three years behind bars and up to a $5,000 fine stemming from a misdemeanor charge of altering evidence.
Judge rebukes Maryland oyster farmer in tampering case
Daniel R. Webster Sr. exits the Somerset County District Court on Maryland’s Eastern Shore after his trial slated for June 4, 2026, was postponed. The manager of an oyster-farming operation on Maryland’s Eastern Shore was found guilty July 6 of tampering with evidence amid a state investigation into allegations of widespread dumping of illegal oyster bed material into the Chesapeake Bay. Daniel R.
‘Wildlands’ in Western Maryland imperiled by transmission line
Steve Storck of Garrett County, MD, describes the proposed route for a transmission line through state-designated wildlands. The line would largely serve data centers in Northern Virginia. Through acts of the Maryland General Assembly, thousands of acres of forests in Western Maryland have been preserved as “wildlands.” State law requires those lands to be managed in a way that “will leave them unimpaired” for future generations.
In Southern Maryland, data center bid prompts larger debate
For nearly four hours, residents living near the site of a proposed data center in Charles County, MD, approached a microphone inside a mostly full auditorium. One by one, they lectured, thundered, exhorted and pleaded against an ordinance that would pave the way for data centers to be built in the Southern Maryland county.
In Southern Maryland, data center bid prompts larger debate
Jace Thompson-Luckett, 9, holds a sign at a protest in Charles County, MD, on June 1, 2026, decrying a data center proposal in the Southern Maryland county. For nearly four hours, residents living near the site of a proposed data center in Charles County, MD, approached a microphone inside a mostly full auditorium. One by one, they lectured, thundered, exhorted and pleaded against an ordinance that would pave the way for data centers to be built in the Southern Maryland county.
Could a ‘whole watershed’ approach save this Maryland river?
Ben Fertig of the Severn River Association stands along the Severn River at the Wardour community beach in Annapolis. Editor’s note: This article is part of a series, Our Waterways, examining the health of smaller streams and sections of rivers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. To suggest a waterway, contact Jeremy Cox at jcox@bayjournal.com.
Preview Maryland’s newest state park at Wetipquin Creek
Wetipquin Creek in Wicomico County, MD, folds into a series of hairpin turns on its course to the Nanticoke River. Maryland has 23 counties. All are home to at least one state park, except one. Wicomico County lies on the bucolic east side of the Chesapeake Bay, tucked below the Nanticoke River and the Delaware state line. It has more than 60 locally run recreation facilities dotting its landscape.
Data center boom raises environmental justice concerns in Maryland
Staci Hartwell of the South County Environmental Justice Coalition in Prince George’s County, MD, said a data center at the former Landover Mall is out of step with the community. As Staci Hartwell sees it, her community has much more to lose than to gain from the development of a massive data center.
Researchers: Look for a smaller dead zone in the Chesapeake Bay this summer
The Chesapeake Bay dead zone is expected to be smaller this year due to less nutrient-laced water flowing in from the watershed.(Photo by Dave Harp/Chesapeake Bay Journal) PUBLISHED: May 27, 2026 at 5:32 AM EDT | UPDATED: May 27, 2026 at 5:34 AM EDT Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Huge oyster project in Virginia signals marked shifts in strategy
Moody “M.K.” Miles says that since his childhood, the shoreline in Saxis, VA, has eroded 50 yards in this spot. He’s 77 years old now. State and federal officials are proposing an oyster reef restoration project in Virginia that would by itself more than double the amount of rehabilitated reefs around the Chesapeake Bay. They don’t intend to restore the entire 4,192 acres at once.
Researchers: Look for a smaller dead zone in the Chesapeake Bay this summer
By Jeremy Cox The drought that has plagued much of the Chesapeake Bay’s watershed during the first half of this year is causing strains to drinking water supplies, hurting crop output and leaving many rafters and boaters high and dry. But there’s an upside. Low river flows during the late winter and early spring led to reduced amounts of nutrient pollution flowing into the Chesapeake Bay. As a result, scientists say, the Bay’s annual “dead zone” could rank among the smallest on record.
This Maryland stream stayed mostly clean. It didn’t happen by chance.
David Boniface of the Deer Creek Watershed Association paddles a section of the creek near the Benjamin’s Bridge launch site in May 2026. Editor’s note: This article is part of a series, Our Waterways, examining the health of smaller streams and sections of rivers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. If you would like to suggest a waterway to feature, contact Jeremy Cox at jcox@bayjournal.com.
Researchers: Look for a smaller dead zone in the Chesapeake Bay this summer
The Chesapeake Bay dead zone is expected to be smaller this year due to less nutrient-laced water flowing in from the watershed. The drought that has plagued much of the Chesapeake Bay’s watershed during the first half of this year is causing strains to drinking water supplies, hurting crop output and leaving many rafters and boaters high and dry. But there’s an upside.
How long will the Potomac River suffer sewage spill impacts? Original
By Timothy B. Wheeler and Jeremy Cox The Chesapeake Bay Journal The massive sewage spill on the Potomac River has left a lasting impact on public perception of “The Nation’s River,” with some people continuing to question the safety of getting in or on the water or eating any fish from it. In late March, weeks after authorities had declared the river safe, a Maryland politics column published on Substack declared the Potomac “poisonous” and warned readers: “Keep children away. Keep dogs away.
Chesapeake blue crab population drops 50%. The question is: Why?
By Timothy B. Wheeler and Jeremy Cox The Chesapeake Bay Journal The Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population has declined by about 50% since 2010, a new study estimates, and while invasive blue catfish are responsible for some of that worrisome decline, the main cause or causes remain a mystery.
Lead paint flakes lead to $2.2 million settlement in Maryland
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown speaks at an April 9 press conference announcing a $2.2 million settlement after the state says a painting project on a Baltimore TV tower showered lead onto the community below.
Chesapeake blue crab population drops 50%. The question is: Why?
The Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population has declined by about 50% since 2010, a new study estimates, and while invasive blue catfish are responsible for some of that worrisome decline, the main cause or causes remain a mystery. That’s the bottom line of a comprehensive stock assessment of the Bay’s crab population, which was launched in 2023 to figure out why numbers of the crustaceans have swooned in recent years, threatening the Chesapeake’s most valuable fishery.
Chesapeake blue crab population drops 50%. The question is: Why?
Freshly caught blue crabs sit in a steel basket at J.M. Clayton Co. in Cambridge, MD. The Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population has declined by about 50% since 2010, a new study estimates, and while invasive blue catfish are responsible for some of that worrisome decline, the main cause or causes remain a mystery.
Shuttered nature museum to reopen for ‘last push’ – or more Original
By Jeremy Cox The Chesapeake Bay Journal Rumors of its demise had swirled for years. But this time, there was no denying it: The Delmarva Discovery Museum really was closing. With barely enough money left in its bank account to settle a few bills, the Maryland nonprofit announced in a March 17 social media post that it intended to permanently close three days later. At the end of that last day, the four remaining staff members locked the door behind them, wiped away a few tears and went home.
Show More
loading
Actions
Get in touch with Jeremy
Contact Jeremy, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack