Updated on December 11, 2024
Bay restoration is at a pivotal moment. With better science and continued successes in efforts to restore important habits such as oysters and to reduce pollution from sources such as wastewater treatment plants, now is not the time to slow down—it's time to double down. We have too much at stake: clean water, healthy communities, and a strong economy. While progress has been made to restore and protect our Bay and its waters, the work is far from over.
For the sake of our health, economy, and current and future generations, we must accelerate clean water restoration across the Commonwealth. During the 2025 legislative session, CBF will be urging the General Assembly to take bold action, reduce pollution, and enhance resiliency to restore Virginia’s rivers, streams, and the Bay for future generations.
Fully Funding Programs to Achieve Clean Water
The following investments are essential in this year’s budget to protect our waterways:
- $50 million for the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF) to help cities and counties reduce polluted runoff from urban and suburban lands. SLAF provides matching grants to localities for projects such as wetland construction, living shoreline installation, and stream restoration work.
- $100 million in year two of the budget to provide climate resilience funding. With the need for flood resilience funding at an all-time high, it is essential that community-scale efforts to address increasing flood issues continue without interruption. Legislators should prioritize allocating funds to the Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF), which provides vital grants to localities across the state—from Winchester to Hampton, Danville to Fairfax—to build much-needed resilience against both coastal and inland flooding.
- Maintain full funding for the Virginia Agricultural Cost-Share program. Robust and reliable funding is essential for meeting water quality goals. This program provides technical expertise and operational support to farmers who adopt sound, cost-effective conservation practices.
In addition to these key investments, it is important for legislators to support the Commonwealth’s fisheries by funding mussel and oyster restoration efforts, expanding and improving the Harrison Lake mussel hatchery, and funding critical science and research on Atlantic menhaden and oyster populations. CBF will also advocate for significant investments in environmental education and literacy.
Protecting Virginia’s Vital Wetlands
The Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Sackett v. EPA removed federal protections from many wetlands nationwide, especially those that are isolated or lack direct surface connections to other waters. This ruling has left many of Virginia’s wetlands, which play a crucial role in supporting communities, local economies, and ecosystems, vulnerable to loss and degradation. Now more than ever, Virginia’s existing state laws and regulations for both tidal and nontidal wetlands are essential. Wetlands are among the most productive and vital ecosystems in Virginia, offering benefits like flood mitigation, water quality improvement, erosion control, wildlife habitat, and climate resilience.
CBF is urging state and local decision-makers not only to uphold current wetlands protections but also to establish strategies that safeguard these critical areas against impacts from human activity and climate change. Additionally, CBF is calling on legislators to direct the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources to establish a standing work group to develop strategies for protecting the existing tidal and nontidal wetlands of the Commonwealth, and develop plans for wetland restoration and creation to address adverse impacts from human activities and climate change.
Providing Localities with Needed Planning and Resources for Utility-Scale Solar Siting
To meet the Virginia Clean Economy Act goals to transition the Commonwealth to renewable energy generation, we need to accelerate the deployment of utility-scale solar. While this deployment will require significant swaths of land, regulations will soon be finalized, as laid out with the passage of HB 206 in 2022, to help minimize impacts on the Commonwealth’s valuable natural resources, especially our most outstanding forest cores.
Many localities considering local zoning approval for these projects lack the necessary planning and expertise to evaluate whether or not to approve these projects. The General Assembly should create a regional energy planning framework that will help all regions of the Commonwealth plan for the renewable energy transition. Additionally, the General Assembly should create an interagency task force to act as an advisory body to localities considering zoning approvals for utility-scale solar projects to ensure localities are evaluating objective information when considering these projects.
Advancing Resilience Across the Commonwealth
The Commonwealth has made significant progress in bolstering climate resilience and water quality initiatives, including the establishment of the CFPF to help localities mitigate flood risks. However, climate change impacts—from sea level rise and more intense storms in coastal areas to severe flooding in regions previously unaffected—pose ongoing challenges and must be addressed. In Hampton Roads, sea level rise combined with land subsidence increases flooding risks for communities, infrastructure, and military installations, while Hurricane Helene recently devastated homes and infrastructure in Southwest Virginia.
To build resilience statewide, CBF is urging legislators to strengthen support for programs like CFPF, make funds accessible to tribal communities, and create a Living Shoreline Fund to expand natural defenses against erosion and storm surge. These measures are vital to protect Virginia’s economy, safeguard public health, and preserve the natural environment in the face of escalating climate threats.
Investing in Students’ Environmental Literacy
Learning how humans impact the environment and understanding the value of Virginia’s extraordinary natural resources are essential parts of our state education standards, yet many students lack access to outdoor learning opportunities that bring this knowledge to life. Leading educators and the Virginia Department of Education recognize that hands-on, inquiry-based learning has wide-ranging benefits for both environmental literacy and academic success.
We are urging legislators to allocate $1 million annually for a competitive grant program to expand Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences (MWEEs) across Virginia, ensuring that all students benefit from hands-on, educational opportunities to learn about their environment. The funding also supports environmental literacy planning and professional development for teachers. MWEEs empower students through immersive learning that strengthens environmental literacy, critical thinking, and academic success in subjects like science, math, and social studies. Currently, Virginia's investment in environmental education falls far behind neighboring states, putting our students at a disadvantage. Expanding MWEE funding statewide will promote stewardship, healthier lifestyles, and equip students with essential skills for the 21st-century workforce.
Implementing an Oyster Stock Assessment
Oysters are not only a cultural and economic cornerstone of the Chesapeake Bay region but are also critical to water quality and shoreline resilience. These natural filters help remove sediments and excess nutrients from the Bay, and their reefs create essential habitats for a variety of marine species.
CBF is urging legislators to fund an additional staff scientist at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to develop a comprehensive oyster stock assessment, which is crucial for the recovery of Virginia’s iconic oyster population and the sustainable growth of this vital industry. By funding an oyster stock assessment, Virginia can gather data to optimize restoration and conservation efforts, helping both the environment and local watermen who rely on healthy oyster stocks. This assessment will allow us to target investments wisely, ensuring that resources are directed toward the most promising areas for growth and restoration. Legislators have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on water quality, marine biodiversity, and Virginia’s economy by supporting this essential initiative.
Studying Menhaden Ecology, Fishery Impacts, and Economic Importance
Atlantic menhaden, a small yet vital fish found in the Chesapeake Bay, play a critical role in sustaining both the ecosystem and the economy. Acting as a key food source, menhaden nourish popular fish species like striped bass and flounder, which are essential for commercial and recreational fisheries, as well as birds such as osprey. However, the menhaden population faces challenges from low recruitment rates, changing water quality, and climate impacts, which threaten the balance of the Bay’s ecosystem and the many industries it supports.
We are urging Virginia legislators to allocate the necessary funds for the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science to conduct a comprehensive, three-year study on menhaden ecology, fishery impacts, and economic importance. This research will inform sustainable management, protect local jobs, and ensure a resilient Bay ecosystem.
Preserving and Expanding Virginia’s Tree Canopy
Virginia continues to lose tree canopy at an alarming rate due to development, road expansions, energy infrastructure, and other causes. To address this urgent issue, CBF recommends that legislators enable developers to pay into a tree fund if they cannot meet canopy replacement requirements on site. This would provide local governments with additional funds to plant and maintain more trees on public and private property within their communities.
Be an Advocate for Clean Water Policies
We need advocates like you, now more than ever, to help advance policies that benefit clean water and Chesapeake Bay restoration goals. Sign up for our Action Network (if you haven’t already!) to be the first to know about important clean water policies and how you can help push them forward.
The 2025 Virginia legislative session is a short one but will be packed with critical opportunities to protect Virginia's waters. We're here to support you with the knowledge and tools you need to take action. Join CBF and our partners for a series of session-related events this winter.
General Assembly In-Person Preview
Thursday, January 9, 2025
6:30–8:00 p.m.
Registration closes January 7, 2025.
REGISTER
Clean Water Lobby Day
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
7:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Registration closes January 8, 2025.
REGISTER
