Our Bay: The politics of cleaning the bay

For years, environmentalists have lamented that the federal government didn't seem to be doing much when it comes to cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay.

In the last year, however, the feds have stepped up their game and made promises to do better. But the steps the federal government is taking can be confusing.

First came President Barack Obama's executive order in May, directing federal agencies to look into a host of ways that they could contribute more to bay cleanup.

Then, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency started the process of developing an enforceable "pollution budget" for the bay, to replace...