If the health of the Chesapeake Bay is keeping you up at night, a couple of upcoming events should have your attention.

The first, of course, is Election Day. In a recent Capital Gazette article, Pamela Wood examines how the presidential and congressional races could impact efforts to clean up the Bay. For all the D.C. rhetoric about bipartisanship, Wood says this is one issue that seems to fall along party lines.

If you’d rather not worry about that political crapshoot, there’s a way that you can take personal ownership of the Bay cleanup effort.

With a simple check-box donation on their state income tax return, Marylanders can help support the work of the Chesapeake Bay Trust, a non-profit organization that wants to bring positive change to the Bay and its tributaries through three core areas: education, community engagement, and Bay restoration.

It’s all pretty easy. If you or your clients would like to help, simply enter the amount of your donation on Line 35 of your Maryland income tax return. The tax return check-off donations go to the Chesapeake Bay and Endangered Species Fund and are split evenly between the Chesapeake Bay Trust and the Wildlife and Heritage Division of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

According to the DNR, the donations will be used to promote:

• Chesapeake Bay education and restoration projects for students.
• Stream cleanups and tree plantings by community volunteers.
• Habitat research, protection and enhancement for threatened plants and animals.
• Protection of Maryland’s endangered species.

And for you CPAs out there, this is a terrific opportunity to do your part by spreading the word to your clients, associates and friends. Sign up to join “CPAs for a Healthy Bay,” then keep an eye out for further details from the Chesapeake Bay Trust later this fall.