During the Virginia legislative session this month, lawmakers will consider measures that address rising challenges from climate change and strengthen Virginia’s protections against extreme weather. Those include returning Virginia to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, bolstering Virginia’s community flood preparedness, and expanding natural defenses against erosion and storm surge.
Last year brought record-breaking summer temperatures, deadly storms like Hurricane Helene, and flood watches dominating the calendars of coastal communities. Coastal Virginia has seen the highest rate of relative sea-level rise on the Atlantic Coast, while residents battled flood alerts 80 days last year—about a quarter of 2024.
Lawmakers will also consider proposals to return Virginia to the carbon emissions reduction program known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), as well as expanding flood preparedness resources.
“We can’t afford to normalize what is extreme. The rising threats to Virginians and their homes and businesses shows the need for urgent action from state leaders. These bills and budget amendments build on our progress and make Virginia communities stronger in the face of an unprecedented challenge,” said Delegate Phil Hernandez, who introduced bills advancing living shoreline funding and coastal storm risk studies.
Coastal storm risk studies ensure communities have the resources they need to protect their homes and businesses.
“No Virginia community is immune to the rising challenges brought on by the climate crisis. We must prepare now to avoid more damage and calamity in the future. These measures unify resources to tackle this statewide issue, which is paramount to safeguarding Virginia's economy, protecting public health, and preserving our natural resources,” Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Virginia Policy Manager Jay Ford said.
To build resilience statewide, CBF urges lawmakers to support:
Virginia’s Return to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)
- A budget amendment requiring Virginia to rejoin RGGI immediately and appropriate existing revenues and any future revenues to the low-income energy efficiency fund and the Community Flood Preparedness Fund as outlined by law through the Community Flood Preparedness Act.
Strengthen Community Flood Preparedness
- HB 2077 introduced by Delegate Paul Krizek and SB 1335 introduced by Senator David Marsden: These bills allow federally-recognized tribal governments access to Community Flood Preparedness funding;
- $50 million in the budget for the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF): Runoff from roofs, sidewalks, and roadways is a major source of harmful pollutants reaching our waterways. SLAF provides matching grants to localities for projects that reduce polluted runoff, such as stream restoration, rain gardens, and other retrofits.
Expand Natural Defenses against Erosion and Storm Surge
- HB 1950 introduced by Delegate Phil Hernandez: This bill creates a fund to help pay for large-scale living shorelines with an accompanying $5 million budget amendment to supply the fund;
- HB 1949 introduced by Delegate Phil Hernandez, HJ 434 introduced by Delegate Michael Feggans, and SB 1337 introduced by Senator David Marsden: These bills direct studies on how state and localities would fund Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) plans;
- HJ 437 introduced by Delegate Convirs-Fowler: This bill reestablishes the Joint Subcommittee of Recurrent Flooding;
- HB 2034 introduced by Delegate Shelly Simonds: This establishes a task force to develop strategies to protect the state’s existing tidal and nontidal wetlands plus develop plans for wetland restoration, creation, and migration.
Virginia Communications & Media Relations Manager, CBF
[email protected]
804-258-1567
