Abandoned and Derelict Vessels (ADVs): Watercraft that are no longer taken care of regularly. These vessels can make navigational channels unsafe, damage ecosystems, and diminish recreational/environmental value of an area. (Source: NOAA)

Advanced Clean Cars Standards: A set of regulations to reduce smog-causing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. This program requires automakers to provide an increasing amount of EVs each year to states with Clean Car Standards. States can only adopt federal regulation of clean car standards, but cannot make their own standards. (Source: Natural Resource Defense Council)  

Affordable and Special Needs Housing Fund: Part of the Housing Innovation Energy Efficiency (HIEE) funds, which are entirely funded through Virginia’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). These funds leverage other financing options to ensure more energy-efficient affordable housing comes to market.

Agricultural Best Management Practices (Ag BMPs): Conservation and technological practices, such as stream fencing, that reduce the amounts of nonpoint source pollutants, such as nutrients and sediments, to protect Virginia’s waterways. (Source: CBP) 

Agrivoltaics: The use of land for both agriculture and solar photovoltaic energy generation. It’s also sometimes referred to as agrisolar, dual-use solar, or low-impact solar. (Source: USDA)

Anadromous Fish: These fish migrate from their freshwater hatching environments, to the ocean where they spend most of their lives before returning to freshwater to reproduce. (Source: NPAFC)

Automated Photo Speed Enforcement (ASE): These systems function by capturing violations, recording relevant data about the violations, and recording images of the violator’s vehicle. These are used at red lights and speed zones. (Source: US Department of Transportation)

Battlefield Preservation Fund (VBPF): Provides matching funds to leverage significant local, federal, and private funding sources to preserve historically significant places.

Bicyclist Safety Stop: Allow bicyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs and/or red-light signals as stop signs. These laws allow bicyclists to mitigate risk to their advantage. (Source: NHTSA)

BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color): This term is used to broadly reference multiple races other than white. It is also meant to unite all People of Color for liberation, while also acknowledging that not all People of Color face the same levels of injustice.(Source: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay) 

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Historic Preservation Fund: A grant program to protect and support Virginia’s historically underserved and underrepresented communities and associated cultural and historical sites. This fund provides grants for the acquisition, protection, and rehabilitation of historic and archaeological sites of significance associated with BIPOC communities. (Source: DHR)

Board of Housing and Community Development (BHCD): Partners with state, federal, local, and nonprofit housing and community and economic development initiatives. Programs include preserving the affordability and efficiency of Virginia’s homes and buildings.

Chemical Conversion: Also known as “advanced” or “chemical” recycling, a broad term encompassing a variety of failed and experimental processes where plastic is incinerated in an oxygen-free environment to render a raw material to create fossil fuel. 

Chesapeake Bay Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP): Describes actions that the jurisdictions within the Chesapeake Bay watershed must take by 2025 to meet pollution reduction targets. For Virginia, goals include nutrient and sediment reductions to restore tributaries. (Source: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality)  

Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC): Provides scientific and technical guidance on the Chesapeake Bay Program on measures to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay. Works to enhance scientific communication and outreach through reports, discussion groups, reviews, and workshops. (Source: Chesapeake Bay Program)

Clean Water Act: Foundational federal legislation of 1972 that establishes regulations on pollutant discharges into bodies of water within the US, and regulates water quality standards. (Source: EPA)

Clean Water Act Section 401: This section assigns responsibility to states and authorized Tribes where pollutant discharges originate. No federal agency may issue a permit or license to conduct activity that would result in discharge into waters of the US. (Source: EPA)

Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW): A commercial offshore wind project off the coast of Virginia Beach that will deliver almost 39,000 megawatt (MW) of power to the grid once constructed. CVOW is unique in being the only utility-owned project, where Dominion is both developer and “buyer” of all 2600 MW of Virginia’s OSW.

Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO): A system where rainwater runoff, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater are combined and routinely overflow into nearby bodies of water. These systems can cause beach closures, algae growth, and reduced oxygen levels in waterways. (Source: EPA)

Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs): Legally binding contracts between coalitions of community-based organizations and developers that shape how local development projects will contribute to improving the quality of life of nearby residents. (Source: Urban)

Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF): Provides financial assistance to localities to reduce the impacts of flooding within Virginia. High emphasis on projects that align with local, state, and federal floodplain management standards and plans. The only statewide source of funding for flood resilience capacity building and studies, as well as project implementation. Revenue comes from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. See related Resilient Virginia Revolving Loan Fund.

Community Solar: A centralized solar facility capped at 5MW that many users can pay into and take advantage of the clean power. (Source: CCA)

CSX: A public and private rail service in Virginia, with connections in Dante, Clifton Forge, Fredericksburg, Richmond, Petersburg, Portsmouth, Newport News, and Norfolk. (Source: CSX) 

Culverts: A tunnel carrying a stream underneath a structure, such as a road or railway. (Source: CivilToday)

DASH Alexandria: Public bus system for the city of Alexandria, Virginia.

Data Center: Industrial centers filled with computers that store, process, and distribute large amounts of digital information and require massive amounts of energy, land, and water to operate

Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR): The state’s lead natural resource conservation agency. DCR protects what Virginians care about – natural habitat, parks, clean water, dams, open space, and access to the outdoors. Citizens’ livelihood, quality of life, and future depend on how wisely they manage our natural resources (Source: DCR) 

Directional Fencing: Fencing added alongside roads to direct wildlife to underpasses with the intention of reducing wildlife-vehicle conflict. 

Distributed Energy: 5 MW or less of energy that is produced and used at the same location. Many distributed solar energy systems are sited on rooftops and are oftentimes referred to as “rooftop solar”.

Electrified Mobility: The use of electric cars, as well as e-bikes or pedelecs, electric motorbikes, and e-buses. (Source: infeon)

Energy Burden: The percentage of gross household income spent on energy costs. Allocating greater than 6% of income towards energy costs is considered a high energy burden, and allocating over 10% is considered a severe energy burden. (Source: Sierra Club)

Energy Efficiency: Performing the same function using less energy through infrastructure upgrades —lowers energy bills, reduces energy-related pollution, and can mitigate the need for new power generation.

Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (EERS): Establishes specific, long-term targets for energy savings that utilities or non-utility program administrators must meet through customer energy efficiency programs. Stronger EERS targets, penalties, and incentives would drive utilities to deploy broader efficiency measures and programs, avoiding costly new generation. (Source: American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy)

Energy Efficient Retrofit: An energy efficiency retrofit is the removal of a building’s existing equipment, whether that is HVAC, lighting, etc., and installation of updated and more efficient equipment. (Source: redaptive)

Enhanced Nutrient Removal Certainty Program: This program incorporates technologies that allow sewage treatment plants to provide a highly advanced level of nutrient removal by building on previously set biological nutrient removal systems. With these technological advancements, Virginia can ensure meeting the goals of Phase III WIP. (Source: Maryland Department of the Environment) 

Entrainment: Organisms that go through a facility’s water system because the mesh size is too large. (Source: EPA) 

Environmental Equity: Achieving fairness and balance in access to environmental resources, in bearing environmental burdens, and in participating in environmental decision-making. (Source: Environmental Defense Fund) 

Environmental Injustice: A set of actions that harm the environment and disproportionately impact historically marginalized communities including people of color and individuals living below the poverty line. (Source: BC)

Environmental Justice: Remedying environmental harms that have been purposefully or incidentally imposed on communities based on racial, political, or socioeconomic status and preventing similar injustices from happening in the future. (Source: Environmental Defense Fund) 

Environmental Justice Communities: Specific locations of under-resourced communities where individuals have a higher risk/chance to experience environmental hazards or health risks. (Source: NOAA)  

Equitable: The promotion of justice, impartiality, and fairness within the procedures, processes, and distribution of resources by institutions or systems. Avoid confusing equity and equality, as equity refers to fairness and justice while equality refers to ‘sameness.’ (Source: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay) 

Estuary: An estuary is a body of water where fresh and saltwater mix. These are usually found where rivers meet the sea. The Chesapeake Bay is the nation’s largest estuary. (Source: NOAA)

Expanded Polystyrene: AKA “styrofoam,” is a major source of plastic pollution that cannot be recycled. This contains toxic chemicals that can leak into food and water and can lead to various types of cancer, neurological issues, and depression. 

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Incentivization/requirement that manufacturers decrease packaging, increase recycled content, and create recyclable, reusable, or biodegradable products.

Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA): A program focused on restoring direct east-to-west passenger rail service between Hampton Roads and Roanoke.

Feedstock: Raw material that is required for some industrial process. (Source: GreenFacts)

Fiber Network: Made up of cables containing bundles of glass or plastic strands called optical fibers, which carry data that has been transformed into light. (Source: enel)

Fisheries: A designated area where fish are caught for commercial or recreational purposes (Source: MSC)

Fleet Electrification: The process of replacing fleets of traditional gasoline/diesel-powered vehicles with electric vehicles within a business or organization. (Source: exro)

Flood Resilience: A cross-sector issue impacting health and public safety as well as economic, cultural, social, and natural resources.

Forest Fragmentation: The severance of contiguous forested areas into smaller, splintered forest patches, separated by roads, agriculture, utility corridors, or other anthropological developments. (Source: WCS) 

Fracking: A process of extracting fossil fuels that creates vast amounts of wastewater; emits greenhouse gasses; releases toxic air pollutants; and leads to loss of animal and plant habitats, species decline, migratory disruptions, and land degradation.

Full Time Equivalent: (FTE): This unit indicates the workload of an employee or student in a way that makes effort comparable across various contexts (Source: UVA)

Get Outdoors Program: Provides grants for projects that increase access to safe open space in Virginia’s communities, especially those that are underserved. (Source: VOF)

Gold-pyrite belt: A 9 to 16-mile wide, nearly 140-mile-long northeast trending mineral deposit that extends from Fairfax County to Halifax County. (Source: VAEnergy)

Great American Outdoors Act: A historic federal investment in the protection and sustainment of public lands and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-funded schools. GAOA established the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to address overdue maintenance needs. GAOA also permanently authorized funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund — a separate fund aimed at safeguarding natural areas and cultural heritage. (Source: DOI)

Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (“GGRF”): Fund created under the IRA to mobilize financing and private capital to address the climate crisis, ensure our country’s economic competitiveness, and promote energy independence while delivering lower energy costs and economic revitalization to communities that have historically been left behind. (Source: EPA)

Green Hydrogen: Hydrogen produced by using renewable energy to peel away oxygen molecules from water which can then be used to generate more energy. Has the potential to contribute to climate warming if handled improperly.

GRTC Richmond: The Greater Richmond Transit Company is a local government-owned public service company that operates an urban-suburban bus line based in Richmond, Virginia.

Habitat Fragmentation: When parts of a wildlife habitat are altered or destroyed, leaving behind smaller, unconnected areas. (Source: Woodland)

Harmful Algal Bloom: Overgrowth of particular algae can cause toxicity of water, which can lead to illness in animals and humans. Algae blooms frequently result from excessive nutrient pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus. (Source: EPA)

Headwater Streams: The part of rivers furthest from the river’s endpoint or confluence with another stream. Three out of four Virginians depend upon healthy headwater streams for their drinking water. (Source: EPA)

High Injury Network: State-owned roads in residential and business districts are where most pedestrian (and all other) traffic fatalities occur, therefore called high injury network.

Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit (HRTC): Community redevelopment and economic development tool to adapt and reuse older structures for urban and rural communities

Impingement: Organisms being pinned against mesh screens because of strong withdrawal velocity. (Source: EPA)

Inequitable: Environmental harms such as air pollution and toxic waste disproportionately affect neighborhoods with greater percentages of low-income, Indigenous, Black and/or other racialized communities. (Source: NCCH)

Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): Aims to curb inflation by reducing the federal government budget deficit, lowering prescription drug prices, and investing in domestic energy production while promoting clean energy. (Source: WhiteHouse)

Integrated Resource Plan (IRP): Plans developed by utilities that attempt to project future energy demand and outline what resources the company intends to rely on and invest in to meet that future demand. 

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): An international panel of scientists who construct Assessment Reports about the state of scientific, technical, and socio-economic knowledge on climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for reducing the rate at which climate change is taking place. (Source: IPCC)

Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles: An automobile powered by conventional, oil-derived resources, such as gasoline or diesel fuel. (Source: ATOB)

International Code Council (ICC): Dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design, build, and compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable, and resilient structures in the built environment. (Source: ICC)

International Energy Conservation Code (IECC): Model code that regulates minimum energy conservation requirements for new buildings. (Source: IECC)

Investor-Owned Utility (IOU): For-profit corporations owned by either public or private shareholders. Dominion Energy is the largest IOU in Virginia. (Source: EKB)

Junior Mining Company: An exploration company in search of new deposits of gold, silver, uranium, or other precious metals. They are small, early-stage mining companies that are typically still in the exploration and development phase and have yet to mine any resources. (Source: Investopedia)

Land-intensive: In reference to industrial land-intensive practices vs agricultural.

Land Preservation Tax Credit (LPTC): Virginia’s LPTC is one of the most successful private land conservation programs in the country. It encourages voluntary land conservation by providing tax credits equal to 40% of the value of donated land or conservation easements.

Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program: Provides funds to assist low-income households with water and wastewater bills. (Source: ACF)

Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs): Learner-centered framework that focuses on investigations into local environmental issues and leads to informed action. MWEEs are made up of multiple components that include learning both outdoors and in the classroom and are designed to increase environmental literacy by actively engaging students in building knowledge and meaning through hands-on experiences. (Source: NOAA)

Megawatt (MW): A measure of the total amount of energy consumed over a period of time. A Megawatt (MW) is one million watts. (Source: Nuclear Regulatory Commision)

Metals Mining: Metal mining is the nation’s #1 toxic polluter. The metals mining process is land-intensive, results in perpetual acid mine drainage, pollutes land and water, destroys cultural heritage, and devastates local economies as a result of the boom and bust cycle of the metal mining industry.

Microtransit: Tech-enabled shared transportation that lives in the space between traditional fixed-route transit and ride-hailing technology. (Source: VIA)

Missing Middle Housing: Housing types that increase density levels in between single-family homes and large apartment complexes, such as townhomes, four-plexes, six- and eight-plexes. Known as “gentle density”.

Mixed-Use (Housing): Mixed-use projects provide more than one use or purpose within a shared building or development area. May include any combination of housing, office, retail, medical, recreational, commercial, or industrial components. (Source: MFed) 

Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP): A multi-billion dollar natural gas pipeline project that cuts through 303 miles of mountains, rivers, and farmlands from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia to transport fossil fuel across state borders. (Source: MVP)

Multi-Use Trails: Designed for use by pedestrians, bicycles, and other non-motorized users. (Source: Ash)

National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine: A congressionally chartered organization that serves as the collective scientific national academy of the US. Provides independent, objective advice to inform policy with evidence. (Source: National Academies)

Net-Metered Rooftop Solar: On-site solar energy system connected to the grid that allows surplus energy to be credited to the customer.

Nitrogen Oxides: A respiratory pollutant that significantly exacerbates the risk of asthma, particularly for children. These are emitted in exhaust from vehicles, planes, and boats. They are harmful to human health, damage tree foliage, and decrease crop growth. (Source: EPA)

Nonpoint Source Pollution (NPS): NPS pollution generally results from land runoff, precipitation, drainage, seepage, or hydrologic modification. NPS pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources. (Source: EPA)

Nutrient and Sediment Pollution: Pollution caused by excess nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus, which can cause abnormal effects, such as overgrowth of algae. (Source: EPA)

Office of Trails: An interdepartmental office housed at the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) established in June 2022. (Source: VDOT) 

Offshore Wind Energy (OSW): Wind turbines installed in shallow waters off the coast that generate energy for use on land (Source: Karaztas)

Parking Mandates: Requirements to include a minimum number of off-street parking spaces with development or redevelopment or a fee-in-lieu of providing parking for residential development. (Source: LawI)

Particulate Matter (PM 2.5/10): Microscopic solid or liquid droplets. Particles range between 2.5 – 10 micrometers and are sourced from pollutants from factories or cars. These harmful particles are inhaled by humans, and can get into the lungs and/or bloodstream, and cause high levels of infections, cancer, and disease. 

Peak Load:  A period in which electrical power is expected to be provided for a sustained period at a significantly higher than average supply level (Source: Wiki)

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Also known as “forever chemicals”, PFAS are a group of thousands of chemicals used to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. PFAS do not break down in nature because of their strong chemical bonds. PFAS have been found in the blood of humans and animals. Studies show PFAS may cause a variety of health effects, including cancer, thyroid disease, liver damage, reduced immune response, and impacts on pregnancy. (Sources: EPA; CDC; NIH)

Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP): A  long-term payment plan that sets caps on customer bills, and can include debt forgiveness and energy conservation incentives.

Performance-Based Regulation (PBR): An approach to utility regulation designed to strengthen utility incentives to improve performance and align utility priorities with those of customers and public policy. (Source: NCSL)

PJM (Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland) Interconnection: A regional transmission organization (RTO) that coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity in 13 states including Virginia. (Source: PJM)

Plastic to Fuel Technologies: A process also referred to as “chemical conversion” or “advanced recycling” in which plastics are superheated to chemically convert them to fuels. Chemical conversion is a high-cost, energy-intensive, and risky process that releases over half of plastic materials’ carbon content as greenhouse gasses along with toxic materials. Rather than reducing plastic waste, this process allows the plastic industry to continually create more plastic and release more greenhouse gasses.

Power Load: Demand for power required to keep everything running, including data centers. 

Power Purchase Agreements (“PPAs”): An arrangement in which a third-party developer installs, owns, and operates an energy system on a customer’s property. The customer then purchases the system’s electric output for a predetermined period. A PPA allows the customer to receive stable and often low-cost electricity with no upfront cost, while also enabling the owner of the system to take advantage of tax credits and receive income from the sale of electricity. (Source: US DOE)

Producer Responsibility Program: A regime whereby manufacturers are required to reduce waste and pay for recycling infrastructure, rather than taxpayers. 

Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) Programs: Compensate landowners who voluntarily place an agricultural conservation easement on their property. A conservation easement is a deed restriction designed to protect a specific conservation purpose. (Source: VDACS)

Rate Adjustment Clauses (RACs): Trackers that allow utilities to recover costs and profits with zero risk to the IOUs, which removes incentives for efficient spending. (Source: guide) 

Rebate Structure: Incentive program in which a supplier offers their customers a monetary reward for reaching designated purchasing goals. (Source: enable)

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI): A cooperative plan among twelve Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States to reduce power sector carbon emissions by requiring power plants to purchase allowances for their greenhouse gas emissions. The proceeds from allowances are being used to create more energy-efficient, affordable housing units, help low-income families reduce energy bills, and enhance community flood prevention and protection. (Source: Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative)

Remediation: Removal of pollution or contaminants from water (both groundwater and surface water) and soil to protect human health and the environment. (Source: BLS)

Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS): Outlines the required amount of electricity generation from clean, renewable resources – such as wind and solar.

Resilient Ecosystems: The ability of a natural system to absorb the effects of change, reorganize itself, and adapt to a new environment is vital, especially for safeguarding biodiversity and mitigating climate change (Source: enel)

Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund (RVRF): Provides financial assistance to localities for projects that mitigate flood impacts to private properties through low-to-no interest loans. Projects can include hazard mitigation of buildings, locality-operated loan programs, and relocation. Primarily a loan program with limited grant funds; revenue comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and General Fund. See related Community Flood Preparedness Fund (Source: Virginia Resource Authority) 

Riparian Buffers: Forested and vegetated areas that are planted next to streams or other bodies of water to create space between the body of water and land. The vegetation prevents pollution, stream runoff, and provides higher-quality water and wildlife habitat. (Source: USDA)

Sackett v. EPA: US Supreme Court decision removing federal protections from vast swaths of the nation’s wetlands, with severe repercussions for water quality and flood resilience in Virginia.

Saltwater Intrusion: Seawater moves into freshwater supply, agriculture, and freshwater ecosystems, which can cause damage and shock to crops, ecosystems, and freshwater supply.Can be caused by excessive groundwater pumping, sea level rise, or natural disasters.  (Source: US Geological Survey)

Setback (Zoning Provision): An area in which building is prohibited. Typically defined as the distance a building must be from the street as required by zoning laws, but may exclude driveways or other surface improvements. (Source: Cornell)

Single Use Plastics: Plastics that are intended to be discarded after a singular use, creating a high level of pollution and extraction rate of natural resources. Examples include expanded polystyrene foam, non-reusable shopping bags, and product packaging. 

Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMNRs): An expensive, underdeveloped, and untested type of nuclear technology. Previous attempts to deploy small-scale nuclear reactors in South Carolina proved to be so expensive that it had to be canceled, but ratepayers are still paying billions of dollars to cover the cost of initial construction.

SMART SCALE: A process that evaluates potential transportation projects based on key factors such as how to improve safety, reduce congestion, increase accessibility, contribute to economic development, promote efficient land use, and affect the environment. Projects are evaluated based on anticipated benefits. The Commonwealth Transportation Board uses SMART SCALE to help guide and inform their project selection decisions. (Source: SMART SCALE)

Soil and Water Conservation Board: This body provides soil and water conservation services to residents. The board oversees Virginia’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), oversees dam safety and floodplain management programs, and approves loan criteria for loans from the Dam Safety Flood Prevention and Protection Assistance Fund. (Source: VA Department of Conservation and Recreation)

Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs): Develops comprehensive programs and plans to conserve soil resources, control and prevent soil erosion, prevent floods, and protect and conserve water resources. Agency staff provide education and stewardship programs across the state to support conservation. (Source: DCR)

Solar Ordinances: Clearly outlines the provisions of an acceptable application by a solar developer and the construction of a solar power generating project. (Source: CRS)

State Air Pollution Control Board: Authorized to make regulations for the control and abatement of air pollution throughout the Commonwealth. (Source: VLaw) 

State Corporation Commission (SCC): A state agency with regulatory authority over many business and economic interests in Virginia including public utilities. It is an independent department of state government with delegated administrative, legislative, and judicial powers. (Source: SCC)

State Water Control Board (SWCB): Appointed Virginia citizen body that promulgates regulations to implement Virginia’s State Water Control Law and sets water quality standards which include regulation of sediment, nutrient, and toxic pollutants.

State Water Control Law: State legislation to protect existing high-quality state waters and restore all other waters, safeguard clean waters from pollution, prevent increases in pollution, reduce existing pollution, promote water conservation, and promote reuse of wastewater in a manner protective of the environment and public health. (Source: Virginia Law)

Stormwater: Rainwater or melted snow that runs off surfaces, collecting debris and pollutants. With more intense and frequent storm events due to climate change, there is a higher risk of pollution and debris from these surfaces ending up in local waterways. (Source: EPA) 

Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF): A 50-50 state and local matching grant program that protects and improves the health of our waterways by funding local stormwater resiliency projects.

Stream Crossings: Where roads and streams intersect and the frequent site of bridges and culverts.

Streamside Cattle Fencing: An agricultural BMP that prevents pollutants from entering streams that may emanate from livestock manure, hooves, and fur. Fencing is installed to prevent cattle from grazing, bathing, and drinking within waterways. (Source: Chesapeake Bay Foundation)

Sulfur Oxides: Pollutants that are emitted primarily by fossil fuel combustion and mineral smelting. They cause irritation to the respiratory system, eyes, and skin and have ecological impacts like inhibiting plant growth and damaging waterways. (Source: EPA)

Surface Water Withdrawal: A surface water withdrawal means a removal or diversion of water from a stream, spring, and/or lake/pond in Virginia. (Source: Virginia Cooperative Extension)

Sustainable Fisheries: Maintaining health and productive populations of fish and the ecosystem. Fishing activity is well managed and ensures reduction in environmental impact by minimizing bycatch and collecting data to determine total allowable catch. (Brent Hunsinger) 

Tidal Wetlands Act: Law adopted in 1972 that recognizes the environmental value of tidal wetlands, establishes a permitting system for their protection, and authorizes localities to establish a local wetlands board and adopt a wetlands ordinance (Source: VIMS)

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL): Established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is a comprehensive “pollution diet” to restore clean water in the Chesapeake Bay and region’s waterways. Helps in the reduction of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loads to meet the clean water goals of the Bay’s TMDL.  (Source: EPA Chesapeake Bay) 

Transforming Rail in Virginia Program (TRVA): An agreement between CSX and Norfolk Southern that will allow six new roundtrip Amtrak Regional trains, with an extension of service from Roanoke to Christiansburg, and five more Virginia Railway Express (VRE) trains on the Fredericksburg line.

Transit Ridership: The number of people who ride a system of public transportation. (Source: MW)

Transit Ridership Incentive Program (TRIP): Provides funding to transit agencies for the purpose of supporting the deployment of zero-fare and/or reduced-fare pilot programs to support low-income communities. These programs will aim at increasing a system’s ridership and accessibility. (Source: DRPT)

Tree Canopy: A measurement that encompasses the layer of leaves, branches, and stems of trees that shelter the ground when viewed from above. This measurement is expressed as a percentage of ground area that is covered by tree crowns and relates to the branching spread of the trees in an urban forest. (Source: edmond)

Tributary: A freshwater stream that feeds into a larger stream or river. For example, the Chickahominy River is a tributary that flows southeast into the James River. (Source: National Geographic)

Under-Resourced Communities: Populations that lack sufficient financial or physical resources, and/or government support in order to successfully combat flooding and other environmental disasters. (Source: NOAA)

Urban Heat Islands: Highly urbanized communities containing a high level of brick, cement, and asphalt. These materials absorb the sun’s heat, and cause temperatures within city structures to be 1-7 degrees higher than compared to a rural area. (Source: EPA)

Utility-Scale Solar Facility:  A large-scale solar facility that generates renewable energy and feeds it into the grid.

Vehicle Miles Traveled: Measures the amount of travel for all vehicles in a geographic region over a given period of time, typically a one-year period. (Source: TTI)

Virginia Agricultural Cost Share Program (VACS) Funds the implementation of a wide suite of agricultural best management practices that reduce pollution while enhancing farm productivity.

Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund (VBPF): Provides matching funds to leverage significant local, federal, and private funding sources to preserve historically significant places.

Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA): Outlines a clear path to achieving a  zero-carbon future by mandating the retirement of fossil fuel electricity generators and requiring solar and wind energy generation and battery storage. Through the VCEA, utilities are outlined to meet energy efficiency standards. The VCEA also establishes a renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS), which mandates that the two major utilities in the state, Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company, produce 100 percent renewable electricity by 2045 and 2050, respectively. (Source: VAE)

Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan: A plan that seeks to acknowledge climate change and its consequences, identify and address socioeconomic inequities, work to enhance coastal adaptation and protection efforts, recognize the importance of protecting and enhancing natural infrastructure, utilize community and regional scale planning, and focus on the most cost-effective solutions. The overall goal is to protect Virginia’s highly vulnerable coastline communities from sea level rise and natural disasters. (Source: Virginia Department of Conservation) 

Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP): An urban cost-share program facilitated by Virginia’s participating Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs)

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ): State agency responsible for administering laws and regulations related to air and water quality, water supply, renewable energy, and land protection. DEQ issues permits, conducts monitoring, performs inspections, and enforces environmental law. (Source: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality) 

Virginia Department of Health (VDH): State agency oversees public  health throughout the state, including the regulation of public drinking water. (Source: VDH)

Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT): This  government agency works to provide transportation resources and services throughout the state.  (Source: DRPT)

Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT:) An agency of the state government that is responsible for all aspects of transportation within the state of Virginia. 

Virginia Environmental Justice Act (VEJA):  Established to promote the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, income, faith, or disability with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws and policies. (Source: LIS)

Virginia Farmland Preservation Fund: Encourages voluntary land conservation by providing tax credits equal to 40% of the value of donated land for conservation easements.

Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS): A branch of The College of William and Mary, this institution shares critical marine research within Virginia’s tidewater and coastal regions. VIMS is currently amongst the largest marine research centers in the US. (Source: VIMS) 

Virginia Land Conservation Foundation (VLCF): Provides state matching grants on a competitive basis for the protection of open spaces and parks, natural areas, historic areas, and farmland and forest preservation.

Virginia Litter Tax: Virginia manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers of frequently-littered products are subject to the litter tax. The fee is intended to fund litter reduction education and cleanups. (Source: Virginia Department of Taxation) 

Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC): State agency in charge of overseeing Virginia’s marine and aquatic resources, and its tidal waters and homelands. One of the primary functions of VMRC is to zone water areas for recreation, oyster and clamming grounds, and commercial/recreational fishing. (Source: WFPL)

Virginia Outdoors Plan: Virginia’s comprehensive blueprint for land conservation, outdoor recreation, and open-space planning. (Source: DCR)

Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES): Authorized through the Clean Water Act, this system limits pollutants from getting into streams, rivers, and bays. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality administers this program, which can authorize permits for pollutant discharges to public waters. (Source: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality)

Virginia Reliability Project: A pipeline expansion project that would replace two existing segments of the Columbia Gas Transmission (TCO) pipeline system to continue supplying fossil fuels in the commonwealth (Source: TC Energy)

Virginia Water Protection Program:(VWP)  Administered by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the VWP permit program regulates potentially damaging impacts to surface waters and surface water withdrawals. The program follows state regulations and federal guidelines under the Clean Water Act. Virginia law requires that a VWP permit must be obtained before disturbing a wetland or stream. (Source: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality)

Virgin Plastics: Virgin plastic is new, direct resin produced using natural gas or crude oil and without any recycled materials. (Source: koup)

Watershed: A watershed is an area of land that channels precipitation to creeks, streams, and rivers. These eventually outflow to points such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean. (Source: NOAA)

Wetlands: Swamps, marshes, and other areas saturated by surface or groundwater. Wetlands reduce storm surges and absorb rainfall, reducing flood risk, and also regulate water quality, trap carbon, and provide habitat for wildlife. 

Wildlife Corridor Action Plan (WCAP): Legislatively required plan to identify and protect wildlife corridors in Virginia, helping both people and wildlife travel more safely. (Source: Wild Virginia)

ADVs: Abandoned and Derelict Vessels 

Ag BMPs: Agricultural Best Management Practices 

ASE: Automated Photo Speed Enforcement 

VBPF: Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund

BMPs: Best Management Practices

BIPOC: Black Indigenous and People of Color 

BHCD: Board of Housing and Community Development

CBAs: Community Benefit Agreements 

CBWIP: Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Program 

CBP STAC: Chesapeake Bay Program Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee

CFPF: Community Flood Preparedness Fund 

CSO: Combined Sewer Overflow 

CWA: Clean Water Act 

CVOW: Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind 

DCR: Department of Conservation and Recreation 

EERs: Energy Efficiency Resource Standard 

EPR: Extended Producer Responsibility 

FRA: Federal Railroad Administration

FTE: Full Time Equivalent 

GGRF: Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund 

GRTC: Greater Richmond Transit Company 

HIEE: Housing Innovation Energy Efficiency 

HRTC: Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit 

IRA: Inflation Reduction Act

IRP: Integrated Resource Plan 

IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

ICE: Internal Combustion Engine 

ICC: International Code Council 

IECC: International Energy Conservation Code

IOU: Investor Owned Utility 

LPTC: Land Preservation Tax Credit

MWEEs: Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences 

MW: Megawatt

MVP: Mountain Valley Pipeline

NPS: Nonpoint Source Pollution  

OSW: Offshore Wind Energy 

PM (2.5/10): Particulate Matter 2.5/10

PFAs; Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances 

PIPP: Percentage of Income Payment Plan 

PBR: Performance-Based Regulation 

PJM (Interconnection): Pennsylvania- New Jersey- Maryland Interconnection 

PPAs: Power Purchase Agreements 

PDR: Purchase of Development Rights  

RACs: Rate Adjustment Clauses 

RGGI: Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative 

RPS: Renewable Portfolio Standard 

RVRF: Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund 

SMNRs: Small Modular Nuclear Reactors 

SWCD: Soil and Water Conservation Districts

SCC: State Corporation Commission 

SWCB: State Water Control Board 

SLAF: Stormwater Local Assistance Fund 

TMDL: Total Maximum Daily Load

TRVA: Transforming Rail in Virginia Program 

TRIP: Transit Ridership Incentive Program 

VACS: Virginia Agricultural Cost Share Program 

VBPF: Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund 

VCAP: Virginia Conservation Assistance Program 

VCEA: Virginia Clean Economy Act 

VDEQ: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality 

VDH: Virginia Department of Health 

VDRPT: Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation 

VDOT: Virginia Department of Transportation 

VEJA: Virginia Environmental Justice Act 

VIMS: Virginia Institute of Marine Science 

VLCF: Virginia Land Conservation Foundation 

VMRC: Virginia Marine Resources Commission 

VPDES: Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System  

VWP: Virginia Water Protection Permit Program 

WCAP: Wildlife Corridor Action Plan