(Richmond, VA)—The Attorney General's office has announced it has filed an enforcement action in Circuit Court that charges Virginia True with violations following illegal actions at Fones Cliffs, in Richmond County. Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Virginia Executive Director Rebecca Tomazin, and Kathleen C. Harrigan, Executive Director of Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR), issued this statement.
CBF's Tomazin said:
"CBF thanks Attorney General Herring, the Department of Environmental Quality, and the Secretary of Natural Resources for recognizing the seriousness of these violations. Fones Cliffs is a site of immense environmental and cultural importance to Virginians. The unlawful activities described in the Attorney General's complaint occurred over many months, causing damage that has not yet been fully rectified. Virginia True must be held to account for its flagrant disregard of environmental protections and the resulting damage."
FOR's Kathleen C. Harrigan said:
"Fones Cliffs is a cultural, historical and environmental treasure. Today's news from the Attorney General's office makes me hopeful that we won't have to say, “If only we had tried a little harder to stop the damage". On behalf of the Rappahannock River (its fisheries and other habitats) and our members, Friends of the Rappahannock offers it heartfelt thanks to Attorney General, the Secretary of Natural Resources and DEQ for appreciating the gravity of the violations by Virginia True Corporation at Fones Cliffs and taking this action to stop the noncompliance and protect the environment."
