As our fifth and final wrap up from the 2021 general session, here is how our conservation priorities fared in the 2021-2022 biennial budget conference report agreed to by the General Assembly. Investing in our natural resources is essential to ensure every Virginian has access to clean air, clean water, and our natural landscapes – particularly as our Commonwealth and the nation face an unprecedented public health crisis. In addition, investing in cleaner transportation is critical to addressing the climate crisis since transportation is the largest source of carbon pollution in Virginia.
The Governor will review the budget and return it to the General Assembly with proposed amendments and line item vetoes. The General Assembly will adopt the final budget in April during “veto session”.
We’d like to thank our Partners at the James River Association, The Nature Conservancy, and the Southern Environmental Law Center for their input on this year’s state budget wrap up – thank you!
Meeting Our Commitments to Restore the Chesapeake Bay & Our Rivers
In order to meet our Chesapeake Bay cleanup goals by 2025, VCN supports meeting the needs assessments for Governor Northam’s Bay cleanup plan (Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan):
- VCN asked for $100 million per year for the Virginia Agriculture Cost Share program, per the documented Needs Assessment. The conference committee appropriated an additional $30 million to agricultural BMP cost share funding, bringing the total appropriation for VACS in FY’22 to $65 million.
- Per the documented Needs Assessment, VCN requested at least $80 million per year for the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund to invest in pollution reduction projects and help localities meet their local pollution reductions. The conference report allocates an additional $25 million to the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund, for a total of $75 million over the biennium.
- VCN advocated for at least $55 million per year for the Enhanced Nutrient Removal Certainty Program to upgrade the pollution reduction capabilities of significant wastewater facilities discharging to the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries The conference report allocates $100 million.
The conference budget also allocates the following clean water funding supported by VCN:
- $60,000 in FY22 for the Virginia Department of Health’s PFAS Drinking Water Study
- $500,000 for the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP)
- $250,000 to study the health and environmental impacts of gold strip mining
- $250,000 for Environmental Literacy in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
- $1.1 million for the Erosion & Sediment Control Program through SB 1258
In addition, the budget included the following clean water language supported by VCN:
- Pauses new access fees at Department of Wildlife Resources boat ramps pending a workgroup study and directs the study to include strategies that can increase access by economically disadvantaged users.
- Advanced Recycling Study directs the Department of Environmental Quality to study “advanced recycling” (i.e. chemical conversion), and report its findings to the Chairs of the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and Senate Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources Committees by December 31, 2021.
Protecting Virginia’s Landscapes
Virginia’s protected landscapes safeguard our game and nongame wildlife, keep our waterways clean, and help spur our outdoor recreation economy. VCN called on Virginia to meet our land conservation goals by fully funding our land conservation grant programs.
VCN asked the General Assembly to fund Virginia’s Land Conservation Grant programs at $20 million per year, with $16 million going to the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation, $2 million to the Farmland Preservation Fund, and $2 million to the Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund.
- The conference report left total funding for the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation unchanged at $10 million. However, the report added language directing VLCF to provide up to $3.5 million from that money to the Chickahominy tribe for the acquisition and restoration of tribal lands. While a worthy project, VCN opposes this added language as it bypasses the VLCF’s competitive grant application process, and reduces the amount of funding available for land conservation projects across the entire Commonwealth.
- The conference report allocated an additional $750K to the Farmland Preservation Fund, bringing the total in FY 22 to $1 million.
VCN supported the Governor’s proposed $5 million for the Virginia Department of Transportation to support the development of multi-use trails.
- The conference report provides up to $10 million for VDOT to support the development of multi-use trails. It also creates a study for the prioritization of trail needs across Virginia and to conduct a needs assessment of funding for trails.
The conference budget also allocates the additional land conservation and historical resources funding supported by VCN:
- $250,000 for the Department of Historic Resources to provide paid internships for students enrolled at Historically Black Colleges and Universities to expand Virginia’s historical property catalogue to include underrepresented African American and indigenous communities
- $250,000 and 1.0 FTEs to establish an underwater archaeology program within DHR
- Additional $2 million in FY 21, bringing the total to $3.125 million for the Virginia Food Access Investment Program
Restoring & Enhancing Our Natural Resources
Virginia’s natural resource agencies have suffered decades of cuts, especially the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Governor Northam conducted a full review of DEQ’s needs to restore the agency and give it the resources needed to increase monitoring, enforcement, and equitable public outreach through Executive Order 6.
VCN commends the conference committee for re-allocating $12 million for the Department of Environmental Quality. Additionally, VCN supports the funding levels of all other natural resource agencies included in Governor Northam’s proposed budget.
Transforming Transportation & Building Sustainable Communities
Transportation represents the largest source of carbon pollution in Virginia. In order to build a more sustainable future, we need to shift to a cleaner, stronger, and more equitable transportation system. However, the continued pouring of billions of dollars into highway construction and expansion and the lack of funding for better alternatives like walking, biking, and transit means that the Commonwealth still has a lot of work to do. VCN supports the budget amendments expanding public transportation, growing rail capacity, and boosting safe walking and biking infrastructure.
The conference budget allocates the following transportation funding supported by VCN:
- $167 million to extend intercity passenger rail service from Roanoke to the New River Valley, which will increase the frequency of passenger rail service along the I-81/Route 29 Corridor, and to improve commuter rail service on the Virginia Railway Express Manassas Line.
- Up to $10 million to the Transit Ridership Incentive Program to establish pilot programs for zero-fare transit with rural and urban public transportation providers.
- Up to $900,000 for the Department of Rail and Public Transit to conduct a Transit Equity & Modernization study on the Commonwealth’s current public transportation system. This funds a study called for in legislation (HJ542) from Delegate McQuinn that laid out a set of priorities for the study including benches and shelters, electrifying buses, GPS tracking, etc. – with a particular focus on transit services and engagement opportunities for underserved and underrepresented communities.
- $50,000 for a stakeholder study on the role of expanding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) as sustainable, affordable housing. This study was established by HB2053 from Delegate Samirah.
The conference report also includes language requiring VDOT to report annually on the status of what transportation infrastructure in the Coastal Shore region is at risk to inundation from sea-level rise and what is being done to address the concerns.
The following budget item that VCN advocated on behalf of was not included in the final conference report:
- $5 million provided from the general fund for the Electric Vehicle Rebate Fund, consistent with the provisions of the House Bill 1979.
Additional Bills and Positions
To see the status of all of VCN’s tracked legislation, see our updated Bill Tracker.