(RICHMOND, VA)—Today Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced an executive order that would create a Coastal Resilience Master Plan. Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Executive Director Rebecca Tomazin issued the following statement.
"Creating a coastal resilience master plan is an urgently needed step towards addressing the devastating threats that many Virginians are facing from sea level rise. Planning efforts to adapt to sea level rise are already underway in many of our coastal communities. The creation of a master plan will coordinate this essential work.
"Under the executive plan, Virginia should prioritize natural solutions with multiple benefits. These nature-based practices, such as living shorelines and rain gardens, both reduce flooding and prevent runoff from polluting local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. Incentivizing natural solutions helps us adapt to sea level rise and meet Virginia’s commitment to restoring our waters.
"Thank you to Governor Northam for his leadership on this pressing problem."
