CLEAN RIVERS, CREEKS, AND BAYS
Our Commitment
To support Virginia’s commitment to measurably reduce the amount of pollution delivered to our nation’s largest estuary, Chesapeake Bay.
THE ISSUE
The 2025 deadline of the multi-state cleanup plan for the states draining to Chesapeake Bay will occur during the term of Virginia’s 74th Governor. To significantly reduce the amount of pollution delivered to our nation’s largest estuary, each contributing state’s Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) is designed to accomplish its own set of pollutant reduction goals identified through the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). Virginia has invested tremendous resources toward meeting its goals. However, in order to continue this progress, we must ensure strong and sustained funding for key local and statewide initiatives.
OPINION: State budget delivers for clean water and protected land
Money talks, and our bipartisan state budget reflects the values of the commonwealth. In an Op-Ed, VCN celebrates a bipartisan budget deal that allocates historic levels of funding for clean water.
Water Policy: 2023 General Assembly Review
Policies to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, reduce plastic pollution, and reduce toxins in our drinking water.
Mussels: Nature’s Original Water Filters
For the first time in Virginia’s history, the General Assembly approved $400,000 to fund a statewide freshwater mussel restoration plan this year.
Farmers Can Help Protect Our Waters
We need full funding for the Virginia Agricultural Cost Share Program (VACS) to help farmers implement practices to reduce pollution while enhancing farm productivity and boosting the farmer’s bottom line. VACS reduces pollution from farming, improves the Commonwealth’s natural resources, and amplifies the agricultural economy.
Chesapeake Bay Restoration Produces Results!
For Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week, we’re taking a moment to reflect on restoration projects successfully protecting the Bay watershed ecosystem.
Water Policy: 2022 General Assembly Review
The conservation community successfully passed water policy to increase flood resilience, conserve tree canopies, and reduce polluted runoff.
RESOURCES
Bay Act Resiliency Guidance
DEQ has updated the Bay Act resiliency guidance along with updated examples. A model ordinance, locality implementation checklist, resiliency assessment template, adaptation measure checklist, and nature-based adaptation measure list are also available.
Federal Funding & Opportunities for the Chesapeake Region
The Campbell Foundation released a resource guide providing an overview of different pathways through which current federal funding is being distributed to the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Chesapeake Bay Commission: Federal Agency Budget Request
The Chesapeake Bay Commission released the Federal Agency Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2024. In this document, the Commission details the federal funding required to continue our progress toward a restored Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Chesapeake Bay Commission 2022 Annual Report
The Chesapeake Bay Commission’s 2022 Annual Report provides a snapshot of the significant achievements made by the Commission’s members this past year.
2022 State of the Blueprint
Chesapeake Bay Foundation released its 2022 State of the Blueprint, assessing the clean-up efforts of Bay states to meet the 2025 implementation deadline for the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint.
