Bill to study effects of acidification in bay passes

The General Assembly passed a bill this week that would create a task force to evaluate effects of acidification in the Chesapeake Bay and other state waters and make recommendations on how to address the issue.

Acidic Chesapeake Bay Water Could Threaten Oysters

A more acidic bay could make it more difficult for mollusks, such as oysters, to build their shells through a process called calcification. But it could help crustaceans, such as blue crabs, build their shells more quickly. This could disrupt the evolutionary balance of the two because blue crabs prey on oysters.