(RICHMOND, VA)—Today Virginia’s Secretary of Natural Resources released a report on commitments to strengthen Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) under Gov. Northam’s Executive Order 6, issued in April 2018.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Assistant Director Peggy Sanner released the following statement.
“The Northam Administration’s dedication to strengthening DEQ is commendable. The commitments and recommendations in this report will help protect Virginia’s environment against federal rollbacks, begin addressing longstanding environmental justice concerns, and lead to healthier local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay.
“There have been many signs of progress since the release of Executive Order 6 last year, but follow-through remains key—especially in ensuring strong enforcement of environmental violations, improving stormwater management, expanding water quality monitoring and other programs that protect Virginia’s waterways, and assuring meaningful attention to environmental justice. Virginia’s legislators must now support these commitments with the resources and programs needed to ensure cleaner water for future generations.”
