Message from VIRGINIAforever Chairman Dennis Treacy

Friends and supporters,

The first few months of 2016 have been a busy and exciting time. Throughout the 2016 Virginia General Assembly session, VIRGINIAforever members and lobbyists put forth considerable effort to advocate for funding for land conservation and water quality improvement projects. I am pleased to say that we had a number of key successes, which you’ll read about in the legislative update below. I want to thank everyone for their steadfast support in talking with budget decision makers about the need for state funds for natural resources.

We are a coalition – meaning many voices – and we could not have accomplished this without the support of diverse parties coming together for an important cause. As we move into the “off-season,” VIRGINIAforever will not sit idle. Over the next few months, we will begin to shift to identifying budget short-falls and potential challenges and laying the groundwork for the 2017 session by meeting with members of the administration and budget decision makers. Furthermore, VIRGINIAforever is not simply a lobbying group. Throughout the year, we are involved in activities that aim to raise our profile among the environmental community and spread the word about the importance of state funds for natural resources. The newly-formed Virginia Outdoor Recreation Caucus is an example of our involvement within the natural resource community, and we hope to continue our involvement in activities that bring legislators and outdoor enthusiasts together.

With the weather turning warm, I encourage you to take advantage of getting outdoors and enjoying Virginia’s natural resources that we work year-round to protect.

Sincerely,
Dennis

 

Legislative Update – Water Quality, Land Conservation and Parks: Big Wins in 2016 General Assembly

VIRGINIAforever successfully pushed for more than $200 million in new funds

The 2016 General Assembly convened on January 13 and adjourned on March 11. The biggest issues facing legislators were crafting a new two-year state budget and preparing a record-setting $2.1 billion bond. And it was in these two actions where VIRGINIAforever focused its efforts to obtain new investments in water quality and land conservation.

In all, VIRGINIAforever worked in conjunction with others in the business and environmental community and successfully lobbied for more than $200 million in water quality, land conservation and state parks investments.

Water Quality

VIRGINIAforever worked diligently to secure new water quality funding for wastewater treatment plants, stormwater and agricultural BMPs. In each of these sectors, we were successful.

• For wastewater treatment plants, the Commonwealth has long partnered with local governments to invest in new pollution-reduction equipment for locally-owned treatment facilities. Many years ago, the General Assembly established the Water Quality Improvement Fund (WQIF) for this purpose. This year, Governor McAuliffe proposed $59 million in bonds for WQIF so that the Department of Environmental Quality could fund its part of certain locally-owned wastewater treatment plants.VIRGINIAforever supported the Governor’s $59 million WQIF proposal. The House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Finance Committee also agreed with it. The final budget included $59 million for the WQIF.
• For stormwater infrastrucutre, the Commonwealth has partnered with local governments since 2013 to share costs for critical stormwater infrastructure projects. The General Assembly established the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF), a competitive grant program, for this purpose. This year, the General Assembly – after much lobbying by VIRGINIAforever – included $20 million in bonds for SLAF. The Department of Environmental Quality manages SLAF, and it will now be able to conduct in 2016 (and maybe 2017) one or more competitive grant rounds.VIRGINIAforever supported at least $20 million being included for SLAF. The House and Senate budget-writers agreed, and the final budget included this amount for SLAF.
• For agricultural BMPs, the Commonwealth has long partnered with Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), local farmers and others in the agricultural community to share costs of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) designed to reduce agricultural runoff from animal operations and crop lands. For SWCDs, the State provides operational and technical support so that they may advise local governments, farmers and other landowners in conserving soil resources, controlling erosion and preventing flooding. For agricultural landowners and operators, the State provides cost-share funds for such BMPs including nutrient management plans, riparian buffers, fencing cows from streams and winter cover crops, among others.Governor McAuliffe recommended to the General Assembly that the budget include $61.7 million for agricultural BMP funding. VIRGINIAforever lobbied the House and Senate budget committees to support the Governor’s recommendation. The final budget included $61.7 million for various agricultural BMP funds. This represents the largest deposit ever into WQIF for agricultural BMPs.

Land Conservation

The Commonwealth has a publicly-funded land conservation program that many states envy, with its key components being the Land Preservation Tax Credit and the Virginia Land Conservation Fund (VLCF). The General Assembly established the VLCF in 1999.

This year, Governor McAuliffe recommended a record amount – $40 million – for VLCF, which, by law, is earmarked via percentages to preserve open-space lands and parks, natural areas, farmlands and historic lands and battlefields.

VIRGINIAforever lobbied the House and Senate to support the Governor’s recommendation. In the end, the final budget contained $20 million over the biennium for land preservation. Broken down, in each year of the biennium, VLCF will receive $8 million, and $1 million is appropriated for battlefield preservation and $1 million for farmland preservation.

State Parks

VIRGINIAforever joined with the Virginia Association for Parks and other park advocates to support significant new investment in our award-winning state park system.

Governor McAuliffe proposed some $140 million in bonds to support new infrastructure for state parks, including early development phases of Biscuit Run State Park (Albemarle County) and Widewater State Park (Stafford County).

The House and Senate budget-writers debated extensively the amount of park investments. In the end, the final state budget includes approximately $41 million in bonds for new infrastructure, including early development of Widewater State Park.

 

VIRGINIAforever News

Statewide polling data demonstrates public support for land and water investments

In 2015, VIRGINIAforever contributed funds to conduct a statewide survey in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, The Trust for Public Land and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The polling data was released at the end of January and was covered by the Richmond Times-Dispatch in an article titled “Clarkson: Conservation and clean water highly supported by Virginians.” Key findings of the poll included:

• Virginia voters recognize clean water and conservation projects as top funding priorities for the Virginia General Assembly. By nearly a 4 to 1 ratio (78% to 20%), over three-quarters agree that “even when the state budget is tight, investing in clean water and the conservation of Virginia’s natural areas and parks should be a top priority.”

• A plurality of Virginia voters (43% to 41%) would support $500 million in bond funding for natural areas and parks (16% are undecided) and a majority (52% to 34%) would support $250 million (14% are undecided).

• The survey results clearly illustrate that Virginia voters strongly support including projects that protect water quality. By greater than a 3 to 1 margin (72% to 20%), close to three-quarters would support funding projects to improve the water quality of Virginia’s lakes, rivers, streams, and the Chesapeake Bay.

• Voters understand the economic benefits of investing in water and conservation projects. By an 8 to 1 ratio (88% to 11%), an overwhelming majority agrees that “investing in clean water and the conservation of natural areas and parks is important to Virginia’s economy.” This strong sentiment sweeps across all voter demographics, including Republicans (89%), Democrats (93%) and Independents (82%).

• Among a list of conservation and recreation projects, an overwhelming majority believes it is important for Virginia to invest in projects related to clean drinking water (96%), water quality of rivers and streams (94%), the Chesapeake Bay (91%), fish and wildlife habitat (89%), forests (88%), beaches and shoreline (88%), state parks (88%) and natural areas (87%).

 

VIRGINIAforever hosts legislative reception

VIRGINIAforever hosted its annual legislative reception at Rappahannock Restaurant in Richmond on February 2.  A number of General Assembly members and other elected and appointed officials attended. VIRGINIAforever chairman Dennis Treacy introduced Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam, who made remarks highlighting the abundance of natural resources in Virginia and the importance that the state plays in protecting the Commonwealth’s land and waterways.

 

VIRGINIAforever chairman pens letter to the editor

As part of VIRGINIAforever’s comprehensive advocacy efforts, VIRGINIAforever chairman Dennis Treacy authored a letter to the editor that was printed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The letter encouraged General Assembly members to give strong consideration to state investments in water quality improvements and land conservation. Read the letter here.

VIRGINIAforever  Names Dennis Treacy as Chairman

VIRGINIAforever is pleased to announce that Dennis Treacy has been named chairman of the organization. He has been elected to serve a two-year term, effective January 1, 2016. Dennis most recently served as Smithfield Foods’ Executive Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, overseeing the pork producer’s government affairs, corporate communications, sustainability initiatives and the legal department. Through the end of 2016, he will serve as president of the Smithfield Foundation, the nonprofit organization that acts as the philanthropic wing of Smithfield. Prior to joining Smithfield Foods in 2002, Dennis was director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Dennis also served as assistant attorney general in the natural resources section of the Virginia Attorney General’s office. He completed his undergraduate degree in fisheries and wildlife at Virginia Tech in 1978, and currently serves on its Board of Visitors. Dennis succeeds Bob Dunn as chairman of VIRGINIAforever.

 

A Message from Outgoing Chairman Bob Dunn

Friends & Supporters,

After serving as chair of VIRGINIAforever for many years, the time has come to pass the proverbial torch. During my chairmanship, I’ve seen a number of exciting, significant changes for VIRGINIAforever. Most visibly, we have doubled the size of our membership with the creation of a new general board, adding to the diversity and strength of our advocacy efforts. We have also made great organizational strides with the development of our Five-Year Funding Plan that declares land and water funding goals for the state; a legislative plan that serves as a tactical road map to ensure we’re meeting incremental benchmarks toward our overall advocacy objectives; a communications plan that devises strategic approaches to reaching our key audiences; and most recently, a strategic plan for the organization that will guide the growth and overall direction of VIRGINIAforever for the next five years. I am pleased to report that I will be leading the implementation of the strategic plan and will continue to be an active participant on the organization’s leadership committee. I want to thank the board members of VIRGINIAforever for their invaluable contributions to our accomplishments during my tenure as chair.

I am incredibly pleased that Dennis Treacy agreed to accept the position of chair of VIRGINIAforever. Despite all that we have accomplished, we still have a great deal of work to do to fight for state fund for land conservation and water quality improvements, especially in a time when the Commonwealth faces so many other budget demands. I am confident the organization will make continued progress with new leadership. Best wishes in 2016.

Sincerely,
Bob Dunn

 

VIRGINIAforever  Annual Budget Briefing Held on December 17

VIRGINIAforever held its annual budget briefing meeting on Thursday, December 17 in Richmond. Presentations were given by the Honorable Molly Ward, Secretary of Natural Resource; Sam Towell, deputy secretary of Agriculture and Forestry; David Paylor, director of the Department of Environmental Quality; Clyde Cristman, director of the Department of Conservation and Recreation; Bob Duncan, director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries; and Rob Farrell, deputy state forester. These representatives shared details on the state budget as proposed by Governor Terry McAuliffe. There was also much discussion about the proposed $2.43 billion bond package that, if approved by the General Assembly, would include a natural resource component (read more below). The briefing also featured remarks from special guest Barry DuVal, president and CEO of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. He shared information on environmental components of Blueprint Virginia, the Chamber’s comprehensive effort to provide business leadership, direction and long-range economic development planning for Virginia.

 

A Look at the Proposed State Budget & Bond Package

On December 9, Governor McAuliffe announced that the Fiscal Year 2017-2018 budget he planned to introduce on December 17 would include a $2.43 billion bond package to support key capital projects. The following is a top-line assessment of how the proposed state budget and bond package may impact key land conservation and water quality improvement programs.

The Governor’s proposal designated $140 million in bonds for state parks infrastructure improvements, including early development of two undeveloped state parks – Widewater State Park in Stafford County and Biscuit Run State Park in Albemarle County. The proposal also indicated $59 million in bonds for locally-owned wastewater water treatment plant improvements, as well as $40 million for open-space preservation, including farmlands, historic sites and battlefields. Unfortunately, there was no money provided for the state support for locally-owned stormwater improvements. This is a departure from recent years, when the state has been consistently investing tens of millions of dollars.

Governor McAuliffe allocated $61.7 million from surplus funds to assist with Nonpoint Source needs, plus funding from the recordation fee. Of the amount generated from surplus, roughly $51.8 million will be deposited into the Virginia Natural Resources Commitment Fund, where $26 million will be used for agricultural best management practices cost-share programming ($15.6 million in the Bay and $10.4 million in Southern Rivers/outside the Bay); $19.6 million will be allocated towards the SL6 pending backlog (funding split 50/50 between Bay and Southern Rivers/outside the Bay); and $6.2 million will be provided in technical assistance. This level of technical assistance indicates an increase to 12 percent from 8 percent. It’s important to note the technical assistance percent increase was calculated utilizing the information derived from budget template submissions. FY17 agriculture best management practices cost-share levels will include funding from recordation fees, derived from income collected from the fee which is dependent on real estate sales. Current collections run roughly $8 million a year though this amount could be higher if real estate sales increase, a trend which is projected to improve. Also, the budget restores $1.0 million each year that had been previously cut from the budget. Additionally, technical assistance from recordation funds for cost share will hold at $1.2 million. How much of this will be earmarked for SL-6 will be determined by the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board.

While the budget and bond package include a number of important investments that VIRGINIAforever is pleased to see, there is significant work to be done to protect these proposed amounts and to advocate for adequate funding for stormwater, as outlined in our Five-Year Funding Plan.

Read the Governor’s remarks on the budget to the joint money committees here.

Read the Governor’s bond package announcement here.

 

VIRGINIAforever  Letter to the Editor Published

To recognize retiring environmental reporter Rex Springston, VIRGINIAforever chair Bob Dunn penned a letter to the editor of the Richmond Times-Dispatch that was published on December 7. The letter, titled “Springston’s reporting protected environment,” noted that Springston reported on environmental issues of importance to all Virginians, with special attention paid to matters involving the Chesapeake Bay. Read the letter here.

 

Natural Resources News from Governor McAuliffe

Over the past several months, Governor McAuliffe made a number of announcements regarding important natural resources and agriculture-related programs.

Governor McAuliffe Launches New Virginia Oyster Trail – In partnership with the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the Governor launched the Virginia Oyster Trail, a major tourism development project connecting travelers to Virginia oyster purveyors, raw bars and restaurants, and the watermen culture throughout Coastal Virginia, the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula and Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Read more here.

Governor McAuliffe Announces $2.25 Million in Virginia Land Conservation Grants – Fourteen Virginia Land Conservation Foundation (VLCF) grants totaled $2.25 million and will help add 2,000 acres to Virginia’s conserved lands. Read more here.

Virginia Oyster Harvests Continue to Soar – Last year’s oyster harvest increased to the highest level since 1986. The dockside value of the oyster harvest increased to $33.8 million last year, up from $22.2 million in 2013. Read more here.

Governor McAuliffe Announces Three Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Planning Grants – Grant disbursements will enable three projects to receive state funds, and local matches will support agricultural development in six localities. Read more here.

VIRGINIAforever Bridge Builder Celebration to Honor U.S. Senator Tim Kaine on October 15

Each year, VIRGINIAforever honors an individual with the Bridge Builder Award recognizing leadership in the protection of natural resources in the Commonwealth. On October 15, VIRGINIAforever will present the Bridge Builder Award to U.S. Senator Tim Kaine. The event will feature keynote remarks by Virginia Senator Emmett Hanger, chair of the Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee, as well as a special musical performance. Political followers won’t want to miss the popular Virginia state song performed by the original band accompanied by a skilled harmonica player who may also happen to be our honoree. For ticket and sponsorship information, please click here.

 

Governor Signs Memorandum of Understanding Expanding Recreational Water Access in Virginia

Governor McAuliffe recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that solidifies Virginia’s commitment to enhancing recreational water access throughout the Commonwealth. The MOU enhances the partnership among three state agencies to work together to identify new potential public-access projects, particularly at bridge crossings and roads. The three agencies included in the MOU are the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). Gov. McAuliffe stated:

“Expanding public access to state waters is a concrete step we can take to help Virginians and visitors enjoy outdoor recreation here in our great Commonwealth. Water-based recreation encourages physical activity and appreciation for Virginia’s natural resources and it is an important driver of our tourism sector and with it, the new Virginia economy.” Read the announcement here.

 

VIRGINIAforever Executive Board Member Dennis Treacy Featured on GreenBiz.com

Dennis Treacy, chief sustainability officer of Smithfield Foods and VIRGINIAforever executive board member, was recently featured on GreenBiz.com for his leadership in sustainability. The article, written by the former sustainability officer for McDonald’s, highlights Dennis’ career and his success in “orchestrating one of the biggest sustainability turnarounds.” Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest pork processor and hog producer, has implemented a number of significant sustainability practices thanks to Dennis. These include becoming the first in the industry to announce moving away for gestation stalls for sows; making a groundbreaking move in 2007 to report antibiotics usage; and making tangible progress in reductions of water, energy, greenhouse gas emissions and waste. To read the GreenBiz.com article, click here. Congratulations, Dennis, for this article recognizing your leadership in sustainability.

 

VIRGINIAforever General Board Member Nissa Dean Appointed to State Water Control Board

Governor Terry McAuliffe recently announced additional appointments to his administration, including Nissa Dean to serve as a member of the State Water Control Board. This regulatory board, composed of Virginia citizens all appointed by the Governor, is responsible for adopting many of Virginia’s environmental regulations as they relate to water, including a variety of permits, permit fees, ground water management areas, ground water withdrawals and petroleum storage tanks. Nissa is the Virginia Director for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and serves on the VIRGINIAforever general board. The State Water Control Board is currently chaired by Bob Dunn, chairman of VIRGINIAforever. Congratulations to Nissa on her appointment. Read Governor McAuliffe’s announcement here.

 

VIRGINIAforever Executive Board Member Ann Jennings Takes on New Role

Ann Jennings, a VIRGINIAforever executive board member who spent 18 years on staff at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, has begun a new role as Virginia Director at the Chesapeake Bay Commission. The Chesapeake Bay Commission is a tri-state legislative commission created in 1980 to advise the members of the General Assemblies of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania on matters of Bay-wide concern. The commission serves as the legislative arm of the multi-jurisdictional Chesapeake Bay Program and acts in an advisory capacity to their respective General Assemblies. Twenty-one members from three states define the Commission’s identity and its work. Fifteen of the members are legislators, five each from Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Completing the ranks are cabinet secretaries from each state who are directly responsible for managing their states’ natural resources, as well as three citizen representatives who bring with them a unique perspective and expertise. Learn more about the Chesapeake Bay Commission here. We are pleased that Ann will continue to serve on the executive board of VIRGINIAforever. Congratulations to Ann on this new role. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation will continue its participation with VIRGINIAforever by maintaining a position on our general board. Peggy Sanner, senior attorney for CBF, has been named to fill the general board position. We welcome Peggy to VIRGINIAforever.

 

VIRGINIAforever Hosts UVA Bay Game

On April 16, VIRGINIAforever hosted a group of University of Virginia and Randolph-Macon College students to participate in the UVA Bay Game alongside VIRGINIAforever board members and staff. The Bay Game, a large-scale participatory simulation based on the Chesapeake Bay watershed, allows players to take the roles of stakeholders, such as farmers, developers, watermen, and local policy-makers.  Each player makes decisions about their livelihoods or regulatory authority and, through computer simulation, sees the impact on their own personal finances, the regional economy and watershed health. Learn more about the game here.  See additional photographs from the game here, and read a Richmond Times-Dispatch article about VIRGINIAforever’s participation in the game here.

 

VIRGINIAforever Members Honored with Prestigious Awards

Wildlife Foundation of Virginia Receives 2015 Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year. In April, the Virginia Tree Farm Committee of the American Tree Farm System awarded the Wildlife Foundation of Virginia (WFV) Virginia’s Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year for 2015.  WFV joins a long list of Virginia landowners who carefully look after their forestland and manage acreage to meet or exceed the high standards required by the American Forest Foundation and the American Tree Farm System.  This award recognizes WFV’s outstanding contributions to good forest management, including wildlife, recreation and clean water.  The award was presented to Jenny West, WFV executive director and VIRGINIAforever executive board member, at the 2015 Virginia Forestry Summit in Charlottesville, Va.  Learn more about WFV at http://vawildlife.org/.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Receives Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award. Governor Terry McAuliffe announced the winners of the 2015 Governor’s Environmental Excellent Awards at the 26th Environment Virginia Symposium in Lexington, Va.  Among the winners was VIRGINIAforever member the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, which received a Gold Medal for its work on the Brock Environmental Center in Virginia Beach, Va., which is one of the most energy efficient, environmentally smart buildings in the world. Award winners were chosen based on criteria including environmental benefit, stakeholder involvement, public outreach, transferability and innovativeness. The awards are sponsored by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Additional information on the Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards is available on the DEQ website at www.deq.virginia.gov.

 

VIRGINIAforever New Member Update: Welcome to Katie Frazier, Virginia Agribusiness Council

VIRGINIAforever is pleased to welcome Katie Frazier of the Virginia Agribusiness Council as our newest member.  The Virginia Agribusiness Council is a non-profit member organization committed to representing the agriculture and forest industries in the Commonwealth with a unified voice through effective government relations efforts. Katie, who serves as a VIRGINIAforever general board member, is currently president of the Virginia Agribusiness Council and previously served as the executive director for the Virginia Grain Producers Association and Virginia Wine Council. Please join us in welcoming Katie to VIRGINIAforever.

 

Congratulations to DEQ Director David Paylor!

On June 11, David Paylor, director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, was presented with the Gerald P. McCarthy Award for leadership in environmental conflict resolution, an award given annually to an individual who fosters collaboration and has taken a leadership role in preserving and protecting Virginia’s environment. The award was presented at the Class of 2015 graduation ceremony of the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute (VNRLI), a program for emerging leaders confronted with Virginia’s most pressing natural resource issues who seek new skills in conflict resolution and collaborative problem solving.

Mr. Paylor was nominated for the award by Carol Wampler on behalf of VIRGINIAforever, and the submission was supported with letters of endorsement from Bob Dunn, VIRGINIAforever chair, and Dennis Treacy, VIRGINIAforever executive board member and executive vice president and chief sustainability officer of Smithfield Foods. The nomination highlighted Mr. Paylor as a role model to others for bringing stakeholders together to resolve environmental issues in Virginia’s communities, organizations, within DEQ and Virginia’s other state agencies.

Paylor was appointed director of DEQ by Governor Terry McAuliffe in January 2014 and previously was appointed by Governor Bob McDonnell in 2010.  He originally was appointed director by Governor Timothy Kaine in 2006. Paylor’s career began in 1973 with the State Water Control Board and continued with DEQ.

 

Governor Takes Action on Natural Resources

Throughout the spring, Governor Terry McAuliffe took several notable actions related to land conservation and sustainability of natural resources in Virginia. In March, he announced the protection of 65 acres of Civil War battlefield in Williamsburg. The land was donated by Anheuser-Busch to the Civil War Trust, the largest nonprofit organization devoted to preserving America’s battlegrounds.  The property played a pivotal role in the 1862 Battle of Williamsburg. The Civil War Trust hopes the property will be the anchor for a future battlefield park. In the meantime, the Williamsburg Land Conservancy, a local land trust, will oversee the site. The Civil War Trust has preserved more than 40,000 acres of battlefield land in 20 states. More than half of the acres preserved are in Virginia.

In April, Governor McAuliffe signed an executive order establishing the Virginia Environmental Literacy Challenge. The voluntary challenge will provide a pathway for classroom teachers and school division administrators to engage students in outdoor experiences and school sustainability projects that improve their understanding of the environment. The voluntary challenge recognizes and highlights the efforts of classroom teachers and school divisions that go above and beyond in the teaching of environmental literacy. It has two components: the Conservation Classroom Challenge and the Environmental Literacy Challenge for Systemic Sustainability.

Also in April, the governor announced the launch of Virginia Treasures, the Commonwealth’s new strategy for conserving land and expanding access to public outdoor recreation.  The administration’s goal is to identify, conserve and protect at least 1,000 treasures by the end of the governor’s term. Criteria for what constitutes a treasure have been developed by the Commonwealth’s natural resources staff. Treasures could fall into one of two defined categories: land conservation or natural, cultural and recreational.

 

Looking Back at 2015 General Assembly Session

VIRGINIAforever actively engaged in the 2015 legislative session advocating for water quality and land preservation funding.  Despite the initially bleak outlook of the 2015 budget, the legislators heard VIRGINIAforever’s message and passed a budget that included funding for all of VIRGINIAforever’s water quality and land preservation priorities:

• $5.0 million for land preservation, which includes, $3 million to the Virginia Land Conservation Fund, $1 million to the Civil War Site Preservation Fund, and $1 million to the Virginia Farmland Preservation Fund
• $5.0 million for the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund, a grant program that provides important assistance to local governments seeking to comply with the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan to restore local streams, rivers, and the Bay
• $10.7 million to assist farmers with cost-share and technical assistance support to improve water quality in local streams, rivers, and the Bay.

These successes were a result of significant lobbying and direct outreach to the Virginia General Assembly members.  Whether it was a one-on-one meeting with a select legislator, or a letter that was individually written and hand-delivered to a key legislator, VIRGINIAforever had a consistent and constant presence and message in the General Assembly that helped underscore the importance of funding for natural resources.

 

 VIRGINIAforever Holds Successful Legislative Reception

VIRGINIAforever’s priorities at the 2015 General Assembly were further reinforced through our first-ever legislative reception. Held at Rappahannock Restaurant in Richmond on January 27, the legislative reception provided an opportunity for VIRGINIAforever members to interact, engage, and thank legislators and policy officials, including the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and select administration officials, for their commitment to Virginia’s natural resources.

VIRGINIAforever board members, staff and elected and appointed officials listen to Governor Terry McAuliffe make remarks about the importance of natural resources funding during the VIRGINIAforever legislative reception at Rappahannock Restaurant in Richmond.

 

VIRGINIAforever to Participate in UVA Bay Game

VIRGINIAforever is pleased to be participating in the UVA Bay Game, a large-scale participatory simulation based on the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The game allows players to take the roles of stakeholders, such as farmers, developer, watermen, and local policy-makers; make decisions about their livelihoods or regulatory authority; and see the impacts of their decisions on their own personal finances, the regional economy, and watershed health.

In April, students from area universities will join VIRGINIAforever to play this educational game. The Bay Game is hailed as a learning tool for raising awareness about watershed stewardship anywhere in the world; a tool for exploring and testing policy choices; and a tool for evaluating new products and services. To learn more about the UVA Bay game, click here.

 

Land Conservation Grants Awarded in Virginia

In January, Governor Terry McAuliffe announced recipients of 14 grants totaling $1.7 million awarded by the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation, a state land conservation board. The grants will help add 5,729 acres to Virginia’s conserved lands. VLCF grants are used by private land trusts, local governments and state agencies to protect and acquire special lands including farmlands and forestry, historic areas, natural areas, and open spaces and parks.

Two grants for natural areas protection were awarded to The Nature Conservancy, a member organization of VIRGINIAforever:

• A grant for $160,000 will help purchase three properties, a total of 254 acres, in the Powell River/Cedars area that support the federally listed Lee County cave isopod, as well as habitat for other rare animals and plants. Once The Nature Conservancy acquires the land, it will be dedicated as part of The Cedars Natural Area Preserve and permanently protected as open space. Learn more about The Cedars Natural Area Preserve here.

• A grant for $70,000 will help build on nearly a decade of land-protection efforts in the South Quay area in Suffolk. It will protect pine sandhills habitat and cypress-tupelo swamp forest along Somerton Creek, a major tributary of the Blackwater River. The land is adjacent to the 2,882-acre South Quay Sandhills Natural Area Preserve, reported on in a past VIRGINIAforever newsletter here.

VIRGINIAforever applauds the efforts of TNC and will continue to advocate for state funding to be allocated to the VLCF during the 2016 General Assembly.

 

Federal Grant to Advance Chesapeake Bay Cleanup, Agricultural Best Practices

Governor Terry McAuliffe has announced that Virginia was selected to receive a federal grant to accelerate the implementation of practices related to Chesapeake Bay cleanup goals. Virginia will receive $1.75 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service through its Regional Conservation Partnership Program. The funds will be used to install soil and water conservation best management practices on farmland.

Specifically, the funds will be used over the next four years to expand the use of fencing and other techniques designed to prevent livestock from wading into streams and fouling water quality. The funds will be concentrated in the areas of Virginia where tributary streams drain to the Chesapeake Bay.

The majority of Virginia’s grant will be paid out to farmers directly. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation will receive the remaining $300,000, which will be distributed to the Virginia Department of Forestry and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to provide technical assistance in establishing forested buffers on agricultural land.

According to Ann Jennings, VIRGINIAforever executive board member and Virginia executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, “Virginia must advance farm conservation practices to achieve its clean water goals, and fortunately, reducing pollution from agricultural runoff is the most cost-effective way to improve water quality. CBF is honored to partner with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation to continue efforts to help farmers install practices that reduce polluted runoff, including riparian buffers, stream protection and rotational grazing through the RCPP program. These funds, combined with increased state support, can ensure a cleaner Chesapeake Bay for future generations.”

Advocating for increased funding for agricultural best management practices is an important legislative priority for VIRGINIAforever. We are pleased that this grant program will continue to help farmers meet requirements under the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan.

 

VIRGINIAforever New Member Update

VIRGINIAforever is pleased to welcome two new members.

Ginny Snead, who serves as a VIRGINIAforever general board member, is a water resources engineer with Louis Berger, one of the largest engineering and environmental consulting specialty firms in the world. Previously, she ran the Commonwealth of Virginia’s non-point regulatory programs at the Department of Conservation and Recreation and managed the Office of Stormwater at the Department of Environmental Quality.

Mike Town, also serving on the VIRGINIAforever general board, is the executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters. His nineteen years of experience working in the conservation community includes running both state and national conservation organizations.  His last position was as president and executive director of the Partnership Project, a national environmental organization that builds and manages collaborative campaigns for the broader conservation community.

Welcome, Ginny and Mike!

You are Invited to the Annual Bridge Builder Celebration

VIRGINIAforever is pleased to present our annual signature event – The Bridge Builder Celebration – on the evening of Wednesday, October 15. The event will honor Dr. Charles Steger, President Emeritus of Virginia Tech, for his leadership in the protection of Virginia’s natural resources.

The Bridge Builder Award honors elected officials and others who have championed efforts to protect Virginia’s land and water. Past recipients of the Bridge Builder Award include Eva Teig Hardy of Dominion; the Honorable John Warner, United States Senate; the Honorable William J. Howell, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates; the Honorable A. Donald McEachin and the Honorable John C. Watkins, Senate of Virginia.

This year’s event features Congressman Rob Wittman (R, VA-1) and includes special remarks from Nikki Giovanni, renowned poet and University Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech. A cocktail reception will be followed by a presentation and dinner. Click here to see the electronic invitation.

Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are still available. Please contact Ginny Boland at 804-775-1907 or gboland@mwcllc.com for more information.

 

VIRGINIAforever Represented on Governor’s Climate Commission

In July, Governor Terry McAuliffe signed an Executive Order convening the Climate Change and Resiliency Update Commission. The bipartisan Commission is composed of leaders from around the state including local elected officials, members of the General Assembly, business leaders, environmental advocates and industry representatives. Among this distinguished group are several current and former VIRGINIAforever board members including Michael L. Toalson, HBA of Virginia; Ann Jennings, Chesapeake Bay Foundation; Nikki Rovner, The Nature Conservancy; and Robert Blue, Dominion (former board member).

The Commission, co-chaired by Secretary of Natural Resources Molly Ward and Secretary of Public Safety Brian Moran, will evaluate the recommendations made by former Governor Tim Kaine’s Climate Commission, determine what actions were taken on those recommendations and issue an updated final report. The Executive Order gives the Commission one year to complete its work.

To read the Executive Order and see all of the members of the Commission, click here.

 

Understanding Recent Budget Cuts in Virginia

Recent media headlines underscore some discouraging news coming out of Richmond regarding the budget shortfall. In order to see our path forward, it is important to understand how we got here. The 2014 Regular Session was characterized by the protracted stalemate over Medicaid expansion, with House Republicans in firm opposition to the Democratic administration and Senate’s efforts to expand Medicaid coverage. A surprise resignation of a long-term Senate Democrat tipped the majority to Senate Republicans. This majority effectively ended the standoff during Special Session in May with a budget not including expansion. Then, in early summer, it was revealed that Virginia faces a significant budget deficit, to the tune of $2.4 billion. This left the administration and legislature scrambling for a solution to responsibly address the shortfall expected for fiscal years 2015 and 2016.

Governor McAuliffe, the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Finance Committee presented a bipartisan agreement merely days before the General Assembly was scheduled to return for Special Session in September. The plan transfers an estimated $470 million (FY15) and $235 million (FY16) from the “Rainy Day” Fund and makes various cuts across state agencies, higher education and local aid. The cuts for state agencies amount to roughly a 4 percent reduction. More cuts are expected for FY16 in December when the Governor presents his budget amendments to the General Assembly. Agriculture BMPs could possibly take a $1 million dollar hit, while WQIF and LPTC will not be threatened. The Governor, Secretary of Finance and various legislators have expressed their hope that despite the economic hardships at hand, this display of fiscal responsibility will show Wall Street bond agencies that Virginia remains strong and well-managed. The plan easily passed the Senate and the House. The Governor is expected to sign the budget bill after recently submitting an amendment to protect transportation bond programs.

 

Membership Spotlight: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, a VIRGINIAforever member organization, brings together individuals, organizations, businesses and governments to find collaborative solutions, to build a strong commitment to stewardship and to deliver innovative, broadly-supported programs that benefit the land, waters, and residents of the Chesapeake Bay.

Founded in 1971, the organization advocates for a healthier Chesapeake Bay through three main vehicles: 1) engaging local communities including sponsoring conferences and partnering with businesses to share the effects of land use on the quality of the Bay and its rivers; 2) connecting residents of the Bay watershed to their local environment through canoe trips, trash cleanups, peer-to-peer networking and other community activities; and 3) coordinating a broad range of on-the-ground restoration programs, as well as working with landowners and municipalities to sustain healthy forests and install stormwater reduction methods.

Nissa Dean, a member of the VIRGINIAforever board, serves as director of the Virginia office of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. She notes, “The Alliance focuses on restoring and promoting conservation of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers. While the Bay is improving, the task to protect, restore and sustain it is more challenging than ever. We joined VIRGINIAforever to be part of a united voice that advocates for critical state funding for water quality improvement projects in the Commonwealth. ”

For more information on the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, please visit https://allianceforthebay.org/.

 

News & Announcements

New Members

VIRGINIAforever welcomes the following new members in 2014:

• AquaLaw – A specialty law firm nationally recognized for its expertise on municipal water, wastewater, stormwater and related business matters
• EnviroSolutions – An integrated solid waste services company that provides solid waste collection, transfer, disposal and recycling services
• New River Land Trust – A local non-profit formed to protect the farmland, forests, open spaces and historic places in Virginia’s New River region
• Norfolk Southern Corporation – A leading transportation provider operating 20,000 route miles in 22 states and D.C.

Upcoming Events

VIRGINIAforever is in the process of planning our first legislative reception to take place during the 2015 General Assembly session. Stay tuned for more information.

Very truly yours,
Robert L. Dunn
Chairman

Legislative update: How did Virginia’s natural resources fare in the state budget?

The 2014 General Assembly session was one like no other. All in all, much happened that was unpredictable and, in many cases, could not have been effectively influenced. In fact, many members were relegated to watching from the sidelines. Obstacles stemmed from a new governor and a General Assembly getting used to each other, as well as the governor carrying specific legislative goals that were high-profile and somewhat controversial. These factors all contributed to the historic budget standoff; never before has the debate over the budget in the General Assembly gone on for so long. To add to the delay, legislators recognized a last minute budget shortfall of $1.0-$1.5 billion. This shortfall caused significant budget cuts, insofar as programs were “level-funded” and did not get anticipated spending increases.

VIRGINIAforever made our mission clear: to boost water quality and land conservation funds. Despite a hectic session, we successfully advocated for two specific goals as directed by the VIRGINIAforever Five-Year Plan: we strived to 1) boost stormwater funding to $50 million; and 2) seek an additional $13.9 million for land conservation, a goal in keeping with the law.

To this end, the VIRGINIAforever government affairs committee organized more than 20 personal meetings with key legislators who could directly influence our goals. The committee met with the staff analysts from House Appropriations and Senate Finance. Budget staffers often have significant influence on appropriations decisions, which made these meetings critical to our success. The committee also recruited key business leaders who are members of VIRGINIAforever to personally call specific legislators and submitted signed letters at strategic times in the budget decision-making process. Finally, the committee thoughtfully collaborated with other stakeholders including Virginia Municipal League (VML), Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) and Virginia Municipal Stormwater Association (VASMA) and certain localities to weigh in on pending appropriations decisions. Ultimately, these stakeholders supplemented, reinforced and enhanced VIRGINIAforever’s efforts.

Outcomes

WATER QUALITY. In terms of the finalized budget, Governor McDonnell proposed that the Commonwealth maintain the $12 million Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF) balance and put $20 million in YR2 (FY16) of the budget, totaling $32 million. VIRGINIAforever requested that the Commonwealth maintain $12 million in SLAF, move $20 million from YR2 to YR1 (from FY16 to FY15) and add $18 million in bonds. In sum, VIRGINIAforever asked for $50 million. The House honored our $50 million request, but the Senate gave only $32 million. The final budget, yielded to by the House/Senate Budget conferees, maintained the $12 million SLAF balance and moved the $20 million from YR2 to YR1.

LAND CONSERVATION. For land conservation, VIRGINIAforever requested per HB1398 (2013) to add $13.9 million in FY15. The $13.9 million was to be apportioned between the Virginia Land Conservation Fund ($11.1 million FY15/$0 FY16), Civil War Battlefields ($1.4 million FY15/ $0 FY16), and Farmland Preservation ($1.4 million FY15/ $0 FY16). Governor McDonnell proposed in the introduced budget the following distribution: Virginia Land Conservation Fund ($2 million FY15/ $2 million FY16), Civil War Battlefields ($1 million FY15/ $1 million FY16), and Farmlands Preservation ($1 million FY15/ $1 million FY16). Ultimately, the Virginia Land Conservation Fund was awarded $1 million FY15/ $1 million FY16, Civil War Battlefields were awarded $1 million FY15/ $1.4 million FY16, and Farmland Preservation was awarded $1 million for FY15 and $1 million for FY16. The finalized figures total $6.4 million awarded for land conservation for FY15 and FY16.

We recognize the difficult financial situation that the Commonwealth faces. However, as all of VIRGINIAforever’s requests were not met, we will continue to fight for critical funding to protect our land and water. We plan to meet with key members of the administration in the coming months to determine the best way to move forward in making up for the gap that exists in natural resources funding.

 

Two VIRGINIAforever members receive Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards

The 2014 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards were announced at a ceremony on April 8 at the 25th Annual Environment Virginia Symposium at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington.

Several companies received the “Gold Medal” award including VIRGINIAforever member Luck Companies. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., Luck Companies comprises four business divisions that each have a focus on sustainability: Luck Stone, one of the largest producers of crushed stone in the nation; Charles Luck, a leading architectural stone supplier with a global sales and distribution presence and locations across the mid-Atlantic region; Har-Tru Sports, the leading provider of clay courts, lighting and court accessories; and an affiliate of Luck Companies, Luck Development Partners resolves to integrate and highlight natural, historical and environmental elements into the design of its real estate projects.

There were also several recipients of the “Bronze Medal,” including VIRGINIAforever Marstel- Day LLC, an environmental company offering green consulting to the public and private sectors. They provide clients with concepts, strategies and plans of action for landscape-scale conservation of natural resources, climate adaptation, energy planning and “net zero” strategies, water security, smart growth and transportation, and the management of issues relating to encroachment pressures on government and private lands, open space and habitat.

Governor McAuliffe stated: “These award winners demonstrate a clear commitment to improving the environment for the benefit of all Virginians. This recognition is well-deserved, and I look forward to ongoing improvements from these winners and other environmental and conservation leaders.”

For more information on the award recipients, click here.

 

VIRGINIAforever Five-Year Plan garners accolades at 67th Annual Virginia Public Relations Awards

VIRGINIAforever received two awards from the Richmond chapter of the Public Relations Society of America for work on the organization’s marquee document – the VIRGINIAforever Five-Year Plan: Investing in the Commonwealth’s Land and Water. The 67th Annual Virginia Public Relations Awards were held Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

McGuireWoods Consulting, which administers VIRGINIAforever, received two awards on behalf of VIRGINIAforever: a Capital Award of Merit in the publications category for the Five-Year Plan; and a Commonwealth Award of Merit in the public affairs category for the work executed to promote the Five-Year Plan among key audiences. The awards are presented each year to honor the top communications projects in Virginia.

For a complete list of award winners, visit http://www.prsarichmond.org/awards/.

 

Membership Spotlight: Capital Region Land Conservancy

The Capital Region Land Conservancy, a member of VIRGINIAforever, is Central Virginia’s only land trust dedicated to serving the City of Richmond and Chesterfield, Henrico, Hanover, Goochland, Powhatan, New Kent and Charles City counties. The mission of CRLC is to conserve and protect the natural and historic land and water resources of Virginia’s Capital Region for the benefit of current and future generations.

In its first eight years, CRLC facilitated the conservation of over 6,000 acres of land, including over 34 miles of stream and river frontage. Following a merger with Friends of Chesterfield’s Riverfront in April 2014, CRLC is now the steward of 1,000 acres of land and co-holds more than 1,200 acres in conservation easements.

Bill Greenleaf, VIRGINIAforever general board member and board president of CRLC, said, “Conserving land and water resources of the Central Virginia region is the core driver of the Capital Region Land Conservancy. CRLC joined VIRGINIAforever to have an active role in encouraging our lawmakers to increase critical funding for protection of the Commonwealth’s natural resources.”

To learn more about Capital Region Land Conservancy, please visit http://www.capitalregionland.org/.

To nominate a member to be featured in our next e-newsletter, please email info@virginiaforever.org.

Very truly yours,
Robert L. Dunn
Chairman

VIRGINIAforever welcomes new members

In early 2013, VIRGINIAforever commenced an initiative to recruit members to join the organization’s newly-formed general board. We are pleased to have welcomed a total of 13 new members in 2013 and 2014 including:

• Phil Abraham, Virginia Association for Commercial Real Estate
• Nissa Dean, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
• Karen Forget, Lynnhaven River NOW
• Lynda Frost, The Trust for Public Land
• Bill Greenleaf, Capital Region Land Conservancy
• Barrett Hardiman, Luck Companies
• Larry Kast, Honeywell
• Chris Pomeroy, AquaLaw
• Rebecca Rubin, Marstel-Day
• Len Smock, VCU Rice Environmental Center
• Lee Stephens, Lee Stephens Law
• Jim Thornton
• Kendall Tyree, Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts

VIRGINIAforever has several levels of memberships, which include individual, nonprofit and business. Our recruitment efforts will continue throughout 2014. To learn more about membership, visit our website. If you or your organization is interested in joining VIRGINIAforever, or if you know of a group that may be a good fit for VIRGINIAforever, please contact us at info@VIRGINIAforever.org.

Advocacy: Our assessment of the legislative session

With the 2014 Virginia General Assembly regular session over, we are now in the midst of the 2014 special session. We will be watching the House of Delegates, Virginia Senate and Governor McAuliffe to see how they can find common ground on Virginia’s $96 billion budget. In a process that could stretch on for weeks, Virginia’s lawmakers will center their discussion on Medicaid expansion.

Looking back to the regular session, we worked daily – having 20 or more individual meetings with legislators – to advance other budget initiatives concentrating on land conservation and water quality funding as set forth in VIRGINIAforever’s five-year plan. This year, we are advocating for an additional $13.9 million for land conservation and $50 million in Virginia public building authority bonds for water quality improvements. The proposed budgets by the House and Senate are still being worked out.

VIRGINIAforever will continue working during the 2014 special session to advance our budget priorities. We will also be making appointments to deliver copies of Natural Virginia, a landscape photography book by Ben Greenberg, to lawmakers.

Getting to know the new state administration: Meet Molly Ward, Secretary of Natural Resources

In December 2013, newly-elected Governor Terry McAuliffe appointed Molly Joseph Ward to serve as Secretary of Natural Resources. Secretary Ward served as mayor of Hampton from 2008 to 2013. During this time, she led the diverse, historic city with 140,000 residents and represented the interests of the city and the Hampton Roads region at the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission on issues related to water quality, the Chesapeake Bay and historic sea level rise.

She stepped down as mayor to join President Obama’s administration as special assistant to the president and deputy director for the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. Additionally, Secretary Ward was appointed to serve on the Virginia Outdoors Foundation by Governor Tim Kaine and was on the board that contributed to the Governor’s goal of preserving 400,000 Virginia acres.

Secretary Ward is a native of Hampton and a graduate of the University of Virginia and William and Mary Law School. She is admitted to both federal district and state courts and during her career has handled a wide range of matters including cases involving environmental issues, land use and planning. She lives on Sunset Creek near the mouth of Hampton Roads and has spent her life on the water fishing, crabbing and enjoying the natural resources of Virginia.

To get to know Secretary Ward, VIRGINIAforever posed three questions regarding plans for the current administration to protect the Commonwealth’s natural resources.

Question: Gov. McAuliffe pledged to preserve at least 400,000 acres of open space over four years. How will you and the Governor work to achieve this?

Sec. Ward: Gov. McAuliffe has indeed set a four-year, 400,000-acre land conservation goal, and it falls principally to the Natural Resources secretariat to lead the charge. Our Commonwealth is a great place. We have extraordinary history and very historical lands and waters, and we all have a responsibility to preserve and protect our lands and waters. Additionally, Virginia is a very fast-growing state. Our population has doubled what it was just a half-century ago, and in the last quarter-century the pace of development has especially quickened. With greater population, and population density, comes the need for additional preserved open space for hiking, public hunting and fishing, horseback riding, and other recreational activities as well as Civil War battlefield preservation, historical view shed protection and water quality protection.

But Governor McAuliffe and this administration cannot achieve this goal on our own. It is going to require the coordinated efforts of a lot of people, including the General Assembly, local land conservation groups, the agricultural community, state parks enthusiasts and local governments, just to name a few.

We are in the process of putting together a game plan for the Governor’s land conservation goal. And in developing that game plan, we are reaching out to the many partners we will need. This has to be a partnership.

Question: Controlling stormwater run-off is one of the most difficult and expensive elements of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL and the Virginia Watershed Implementation Plan. How are you coordinating with localities to identify the most efficient and cost-effecting methods of controlling stormwater?

Sec. Ward: There are three key elements to meeting the Chesapeake Bay TMDL pollution-reduction goals: reducing pollution from wastewater treatment plans, reducing pollution from agricultural runoff, and reducing pollution from urban and suburban stormwater. We have done almost as much as we can do with wastewater treatment plants – many have upgraded to the latest pollution-control equipment. We also have worked extraordinarily closely over the years with the agricultural community. There is still more to do on the agriculture front, but the farming community has really stepped up to the plate in recent years, and we value that partnership. However, stormwater management remains a challenge.

Virginia has worked closely with the EPA, local governments, developers and environmental organizations to develop as efficient a path forward as possible on stormwater management. We started with several years of work with organized stakeholder groups, working collaboratively to develop a plan to meet stormwater pollution-reduction goals. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation led much of these discussions, and the EPA was always a part of those discussions. It all resulted in greatly revised stormwater management regulations that were approved and implemented in Gov. McDonnell’s administration.

Part of the state’s efforts in recent years to develop a more efficient stormwater management approach has included giving more authority to local governments. They are the ones who do land-use planning and community development, and they work most closely with developers and others. We also have moved the stormwater management regulatory responsibilities – for urban and industrial runoff management – to the Department of Environmental Quality, which, from a state regulatory angle, will provide for a more streamlined approach.

However, not all local governments are quite ready to take increased responsibility for regulating stormwater management. For those that are ready, we are ready to have them take the lead. For those that need more time, we have worked closely with the General Assembly to amend the law to grant them more time.

Question: Last year, VIRGINIAforever issued its Five-Year Plan for state funding for land conservation and water quality improvements. We proposed ambitious goals for the Commonwealth. How will you and your staff use our Plan to achieve land conservation and water quality improvement goals?

First, let me thank VIRGINIAforever for its work. Shortly after I was nominated by Gov. McAuliffe for this post – but before I’d even taken office – I met with VIRGINIAforever board members to discuss your five-year plan. I know that about a year’s worth of work went into creating it. It clearly spells out a rational cost basis for meeting land conservation and water quality goals. I also know that many General Assembly members – especially those on the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Finance Committee – have your five-year plan.

Your Plan is sound. It sets a solid blueprint. It will be extremely helpful to us in our planning efforts. I would say again, however, that achieving these land conservation and water quality goals requires the coordinated work of a lot of people, especially the General Assembly. I look forward to continuing to work with VIRGINIAforever, legislators and others in preserving our lands and protecting our waters.

Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s BLUEPRINT VIRGINIA: A Focus on Natural Resources

BLUEPRINT VIRGINIA, facilitated by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, is a comprehensive effort to provide business leadership, direction and long-range economic development planning for Virginia. The year-long initiative brings together all sectors of economic development to craft a strategy that will present Virginia’s elected officials with a roadmap for economic competitiveness for the Commonwealth. One of the key areas within BLUEPRINT VIRGINIA is a focus on the environment.

Dennis Treacy, a VIRGINIAforever executive board member and executive vice president and chief sustainability officer for Smithfield Foods, served as industry council chair for this section of BLUEPRINT VIRGINIA. The chapter sets an overarching goal: “to protect, conserve and develop our natural, history and recreational resources through business initiatives and sustainable solutions.”

To achieve this, several strategies are outlined including continuing progress in restoring the Chesapeake Bay; maintaining efforts to identify sources of water impairments; investing in agriculture stewardship practices and local government stormwater infrastructure needs; and continuing to preserve lands through tax credits, grants and bond issuances. VIRGINIAforever is pleased that these strategies align with the goals set forth in our Five-Year Plan.

Learn more about BLUEPRINT VIRGINIA here and click here to view the VIRGINIAforever Five-Year Plan.

VIRGINIAforever News

VIRGINIAforever board members to present at upcoming Environment Virginia Symposium

For the past 24 years, Virginia’s natural resources community has gathered at Virginia Military Institute for the annual Environment Virginia Symposium. This year, marking the 25th annual meeting, the event will be held April 8-10. Gov. McAuliffe will give remarks at the opening session; William J. Howell, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, will speak at the Anniversary Gala Celebration; and the Honorable Molly Ward, Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources, will participate in plenary and breakout sessions throughout the three-day event.

Additionally, several VIRGINIAforever board members will be presenting as part of the “Funding and Collective Impact” track. The presentations, which will focus on state funding for land conservation and water quality improvements, are scheduled for Thursday, April 10. Speakers representing VIRGINIAforever include: Ann Jennings, Chesapeake Bay Foundation; Dennis Treacy, Smithfield Foods; Nikki Rovner, The Nature Conservancy; and Mike Toalson, HBA of Virginia.

For information on Environment Virginia Symposium, click here.

VIRGINIAforever sponsors landscape photography book, Natural Virginia

VIRGINIAforever is proud to sponsor Natural Virginia, a first edition landscape photography collection by Ben Greenberg. The book of panoramic images showcases the beauty of Virginia’s remarkable and diverse natural resources. Having served as a partner in its production, VIRGINIAforever is recognized in the book as a key supporter.

Natural Virginia contains 122 panoramas from the three regions of the state: Tidewater, Piedmont and Western Virginia. These images highlight national and state parks, wildlife management areas, national wildlife refuges as well as rivers, lakes, wetlands, mountains, valleys and much more. Tayloe Murphy, former Delegate, Secretary of Natural Resources and a leader in the natural resource community, authored the foreword for the book, and Deane Dozier, a photographer and writer, authored the introduction to the book as well as introductions to each of the three regions of the state.

To view a selection of images and portions of the writing found in the book, click here.

Membership Spotlight: Lynnhaven River NOW

Lynnhaven River NOW, a new member organization of VIRGINIAforever, was formed in 2002 when a committed group of local citizens came together to foster partnerships that would apply public and private resources to the challenge of reducing pollution in the Lynnhaven River. A tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, the Lynnhaven River includes the Eastern Branch, Western Branch, Long Creek, Broad Bay, Crystal Lake and Linkhorn Bay, which are all located within the city of Virginia Beach.

Lynnhaven River NOW focuses on the following priorities: identifying and reducing sources of contamination in the river; reducing nutrients, sediments and chemicals running off of our lawns, parking lots, roadways and out of our septic systems; educating and engaging the community and partner organizations in restoring and protecting the Lynnhaven River; and restoring lost habitats such as oyster reefs, salt marshes, and other buffers that help to filter polluted runoff and protect the river and its marine life.

Karen Forget, VIRGINIAforever general board member and executive director of Lynnhaven River NOW, said, “Our goal at Lynnhaven River NOW is simple: restore and maintain a clean and healthy Lynnhaven River. We joined VIRGINIAforever because we feel passionate about the Commonwealth’s constitutional obligation to protect our waterways. Being a part of VIRGINIAforever allows us to join with businesses and other organizations to speak with one voice about the importance of increasing state funding to protect our natural resources.”

To learn more about Lynnhaven River NOW, please visit http://www.lynnhavenrivernow.org/

To nominate a member to be featured in our next e-newsletter, please email info@VIRGINIAforever.org.

Very truly yours,
Robert L. Dunn
Chairman

Upcoming event: VIRGINIAforever Annual Budget Briefing to be held December 18

VIRGINIAforever will hold its annual budget briefing meeting on Wednesday, December 18 at 3:30pm in Richmond. Presentations on the state budget submitted by Gov. McDonnell will be given by the Secretary of Natural Resources, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, and representatives from the Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Conservation and Recreation. Space is limited. For more information, please contact Ginny Boland, gboland@mwcllc.com or 804-775-1907.

Government affairs update: Changes at the Capitol

With the 2014 General Assembly session less than a month away, Speaker of the House Bill Howell recently announced the appointments of seven new committee chairs. The House of Delegates committee chair appointments include:

• Del. Edward T. Scott, R-Orange – Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
• Del. S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk – Appropriations
• Del. R. Steven Landes, R-Augusta – Education
• Del. R. Lee Ware, R-Powhatan – Finance
• Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah – General Laws
• Del. Barbara Comstock, R-Fairfax – Science and Technology
• Del. Thomas D. Rust, R-Fairfax – Transportation

Considering these new appointments, alongside 14 new members of the House of Delegates, three new members of the Virginia Senate, a new Attorney General, Lt. Governor and Governor, it is clear that there will be noteworthy activity during the 2014 legislative session.

In advance of the upcoming session, VIRGINIAforever lobbyists, along with the government affairs committee, have been diligently meeting with General Assembly members and establishing new relationships with key leadership and members of the new administration. Stay tuned for updates from VIRGINIAforever on what we know will be a productive and exciting session.

Water feature: Update on Virginia’s oyster replenishment project

Native Virginia oysters are ecologically important to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. They filter algae, sediment and other pollutants, and oyster reefs provide habitat for fish, crabs, and other organisms. In early 2013, it was estimated that the Bay’s native oyster population was at as low as one percent of historic levels. Restoration has become critical to help improve the Bay’s water quality and increase its economic viability.

Using funds appropriated by the General Assembly, this summer Virginia began an operation to mine fossilized oyster shells from beneath the James River as part of the largest oyster replenishment initiative in state history. This year’s oyster replenishment program began with the spreading of an estimated 200,000 bushels of oyster shells obtained from oyster shucking houses on public oyster grounds in the James, York and Rappahannock rivers and in the Chesapeake Bay, including Pocomoke and Tangier sounds.

The Virginia Marine Resources’ Conservation and Replenishment Department is tasked with the management and replenishment of the public oyster grounds in Virginia. Restoration activities include the spreading of cultch as oyster setting substrate, rejuvenation of old oyster beds using dredges, creation of oyster reefs for optimal oyster habitat, and the movement of oysters from seed areas to grow-out areas.
According to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, every $1 spent by the state to plant oyster shells yields $7 in economic benefits in the form of larger harvests and increased jobs for oyster harvesters, shuckers, packers and shippers when the oysters reach market size in three years. The replenishment project is seen as helping to clean Virginia’s waterways, produce financial benefits for the seafood industry and enable consumers to enjoy more world-renown Virginia oysters.

VIRGINIAforever is proud of its advocacy work over the past several years to secure funding for oyster replenishment in the Commonwealth and will continue to support funds for this critical program.

Member news: James River Association moves headquarters, grows its Virginia presence

James River Association, a member organization of VIRGINIAforever, has officially moved its Richmond headquarters to a new riverfront location at Rocketts Landing. JRA, which serves as a guardian of the James River, is now located at 4833 Old Main Street, Richmond, VA 23231. Accessibility to the James River is a key feature for the new location. JRA frequently hosts educational trips on the river including canoeing and fishing trips. JRA also has an ecology school on the James River in the Presquile National Wildlife Refuge. The new location enables JRA to be even closer to this treasured river. Additionally, JRA has also opened its first two regional offices – one in Lynchburg and one in Williamsburg. These offices allow JRA to truly serve the mission for the entire James river and its 10,000 square mile watershed. Learn more about JRA at http://www.jamesriverassociation.org/

Recent highlights

VF Event: In September, VIRGINIAforever hosted its annual signature event – The Bridge Builder Celebration. The event honored Jerry McCarthy, former executive director of the Virginia Environmental Endowment, for his environmental stewardship throughout his career. The event also featured remarks from gubernatorial candidates Terry McAuliffe and The Honorable Ken Cuccinelli. More than 100 individuals from the corporate, nonprofit and outdoor communities joined for the festive occasion. Stay in touch with VIRGINIAforever to receive information on next year’s Bridge Builder Celebration.

Member Update: VIRGINIAforever congratulates our former vice chairman Bob Blue on his recent advancement at Dominion. Earlier this month, Dominion announced that the company promoted Bob from senior vice president of Law, Public Policy & Environment to the president of the Dominion Virginia Power business unit. Bob served as vice chair of VIRGINIAforever from 2009 to 2012.

Membership spotlight: The Wildlife Foundation of Virginia

The Wildlife Foundation of Virginia (WFV) became a member of VIRGINIAforever in 2013. WVF was founded in 1997 by a concerned group of sportsmen who recognized that, in order to conserve our hunting and fishing heritage in Virginia, the growing problem of diminishing public lands must be addressed. WVF works with landowners, other non-profit organizations and state agencies to identify areas throughout Virginia with inadequate public access; identify lands in these areas suitable for supporting outdoor recreation; raise funds to acquire these lands; and finally, provide for the management of these properties for public use.

According to Jenny West, WVF executive director and VIRGINIAforever executive board member, “Conservation, protection and enhancement of the wildlife and habitat resources in the Commonwealth is critical. WFV joined VIRGINIAforever to provide sportsmen in the Commonwealth with a voice to help shape important policies. Sportsmen are integrally tied to land conservation and water quality concerns in Virginia, and WFV is pleased to represent hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts through VIRGINIAforever’s advocacy efforts.”
To learn more about WVF, visit http://vawildlife.org/index.html

To nominate a member to be featured in our next e-newsletter, please email info@virginiaforever.org.

Very truly yours,
Robert L. Dunn
Chairman