Press Release

Recognition Highlights Career Dedicated to Environment

Peggy Sanner, former Virginia Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, received a top statewide environmental award for the pivotal role she played in building partnerships and advancing legislative and regulatory policy for a healthier environment for Virginians. 

“Peggy has made an indelible mark on the conservation of Virginia’s waterways and in shaping environmental laws, regulations, and policies,” Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Executive Director Chris Moore said. “I was honored to work alongside her, and the team at Chesapeake Bay Foundation is thrilled to see her recognized with such a well-deserved award.”

On April 11, Virginia Military Institute representatives presented Sanner with the Capt. Ron Erchul Environmental Leadership Award, which recognizes a Virginian who has made significant individual efforts to improve the environment. 

Members of Virginia’s environmental community nominate candidates who are judged based on their vision, expertise, commitment, integrity, communication skills, accomplishments, and diplomacy. 

The award announcement came April 11 during the final day of the annual Environment Virginia Symposium, which drew hundreds of people from state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, higher education, the private sector, Indigenous people, and tribal representatives to discuss pressing environmental topics ranging from climate resilience to emerging contaminants. The award is named for the late VMI professor Ronald A. Erchul, Ph.D., founder of the Environment Virginia Symposium.

Sanner retired in August 2023 after a career focused on environmental law and policy. She spearheaded policy that led to the implementation of agricultural conservation practices such as fencing cattle out of streams to reduce waterway pollution, banning phosphorus from lawn fertilizer, establishing a comprehensive nutrient trading program, expanding tree cover, and transferring menhaden fishery management from the General Assembly to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. 

Additionally, Sanner led collaborative efforts to ensure historic levels of funding for state clean-water programs to reduce pollution from wastewater, stormwater, and agriculture.

Sanner has also been a leading advocate in the development and maturation of Virginia’s clean water regulatory programs, including improving and protecting wetland preservation and mitigation policies, advocating for effective implementation and enforcement of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, and ensuring stormwater and erosion and sediment control programs are backed by the best available science. She regularly appeared before the State Water Control Board and worked with CBF’s Litigation department to prevent harmful projects like the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Fones Cliff Development, as well as to hold Clean Water Act permittees accountable.

As a mentor for many legal and policy experts and peers during her time with CBF, Sanner lived out her vision and commitment to tomorrow’s environmental leaders and to clean water.

A member of the Virginia State Bar, Sanner has practiced before state and federal courts, agencies, and boards on key legal and policy issues. Before joining CBF in 2010, she litigated environmental and other matters in courts across the country.  

Sanner received her law degree from Rutgers University and holds graduate and undergraduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Swarthmore College, respectively.  

Maryland lawmakers voted for cleaner water and healthier communities this General Assembly session with the passage of legislation that will address the state’s influx of industrial sludge. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), ShoreRivers, Chesapeake Legal Alliance, and local community members now urge Governor Wes Moore to sign House Bill 991 and Senate Bill 1074 into law.

Industrial sludge, sometimes referred to as food processing residuals (FPR) or dissolved air flotation (DAF) material, has been of growing concern to farmers and communities across the state. These are semi-solid leftovers derived from the rendering of protein, like poultry and seafood, that are then applied to farmland as an agricultural fertilizer. Overapplication and mishandling of this material allow it to runoff into waterways, putting local water quality and Bay health at risk. It also creates foul odors, harms neighboring communities, and causes health concerns. 

“Improper handling and application of industrial sludge causes it to spill and run off directly into our local waterways and ultimately into the Chesapeake Bay,” said Alan Girard, Maryland Advocacy Director at CBF. “It’s also a major concern for the Marylanders living near these sludge application and storage sites that drink well water and live off the land.” 

Since Maryland currently does not require a permit for industrial sludge use, its safe and proper handling has come into question. Unlike Maryland, neighboring states including Delaware and Virginia require a permit for handling and applying sludge, making it advantageous for rendering plants located there to ship their sludge to Maryland for disposal. According to a 2023 study by the University of Maryland, more than half of the industrial sludge land-applied in Maryland in recent years came from out of state.

“Pollution concerns from the use and storage of industrial sludge have increased rapidly on the Eastern Shore — underscoring the urgency for state action to protect local rivers and creeks and hold accountable anyone who chooses to misuse DAF material in the future,” said Matt Pluta, Choptank Riverkeeper at ShoreRivers. 

“We thank our state legislators, the Maryland Department of Agriculture, and all the communities who came to the table to prioritize this issue and pass this legislation,” Pluta said. “The next step will be making sure there’s strong regulations in place to carry out the intent of the legislation, and we’ll continue to advocate that it’s done responsibly and with the health of our waterways in mind.”

Many community members across Maryland voiced their concerns with industrial sludge and supported legislation to regulate it.

“The smell of the industrial sludge being spread in our community has been unbearable, not to mention the negative environmental impacts,” said Jason Green, resident of Mayberry, Maryland. “We are glad that our calls for much-needed regulation have been heard and supported by our delegation and CBF and resulted in the passing of this legislation.”

The legislation will close a loophole in state oversight and keep Maryland on-par with neighboring states by:

• Requiring a utilization permit for the use, storage, and hauling of industrial sludge in the state;
• Ensuring local governments issue all necessary approvals before someone can utilize sludge;
• Authorizing the Maryland Department of Agriculture to enter and inspect any site where industrial sludge is used;
• Increase penalties for users who willfully violate Maryland’s nutrient management regulations.

These tools will help ensure industrial sludge is only used safely and effectively in Maryland, limiting odors and health concerns, as well as preventing nutrients from entering local waterways and the Bay.

Maryland residents who are passionate about their local rivers and streams and the Chesapeake Bay can now make a difference in their communities through the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF)’s Volunteers as Chesapeake Stewards (VoiCeS) program. Registration is open for upcoming April and May classes in the communities of Cambridge and Prince George’s County.

VoiCeS engages local volunteers who want to play a more active role in their communities and Bay restoration, and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities the Bay faces. Sessions are professionally led by CBF staff and include topics such as pollution, fisheries, oyster restoration, regenerative agriculture, and more. Graduating participants are recognized as CBF Certified Bay Stewards and invited to join CBF’s team of Clean Water Captains.

“CBF’s VoiCeS seminar provided me so much more than I ever expected,” said G. Rick Wilson, VoiCeS graduate from Laurel, Maryland. “My experience included more compelling stories about why we must protect our Bay; more guidance to show me how to become an effective advocate; more connections into the myriad of organizations dedicated to protecting the Bay; and finally, more friendships with like-minded colleagues who care. VoiCeS was an easy investment of my time that has returned so much more.”

VoiCeS programs include a series of online, collaborative sessions, as well as optional in-person field trips. Participants get hands-on educational experience that enhances their personal volunteer and advocacy journeys. Since the program was created in 2004, over 900 people across the Chesapeake Bay watershed have participated.

“The goal of VoiCeS is to give passionate Bay advocates new tools and experiences that can be applied in their own communities,” said Julieta Rodrigo, CBF’s Urban and Community Resilience Manager. “This year marks the program’s 20th anniversary. We’re thrilled to celebrate that milestone with the residents of Cambridge and Prince George’s County.”

Classes start in mid-April and run through mid-May. The six-week program, including four online Thursday evening sessions and optional field trips, is $25. Registration for the Prince George’s County program closes on April 10. Registration for the Cambridge program closes on April 11. All Maryland residents are welcome to register, though session topics have been tailored to these two geographies. Learn more and register here.

Environmental advocates celebrate progress for statewide watershed restoration program

Today, state legislators achieved a great victory for Maryland’s waterways by passing the Whole Watershed Act. The legislation (SB 969/HB 1165), introduced by Senator Sarah Elfreth (Anne Arundel) and Delegate Sara Love (Montgomery) in collaboration with a broad coalition of stakeholders, will pilot a highly collaborative, science-based approach to watershed restoration across the state.

Now, groups including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Chesapeake Bay Commission, Chesapeake Conservancy, Maryland League of Conservation Voters, and other environmental champions, state agencies, and restoration practitioners, are calling on Governor Wes Moore, whose support was critical to the bill’s passage, to sign the Whole Watershed Act into law.

The Whole Watershed Act promotes innovative, science-based approaches to waterway restoration efforts and is a direct response to conclusions in the 2023 Comprehensive Evaluation of System Response (CESR) report—an evaluation of water quality progress for the Chesapeake Bay. The legislation will utilize existing state funds to create a five-year pilot program targeting five Maryland watersheds that best represent the state’s diverse land uses, geographies, and impairments. The pilot projects will deliver not only water quality improvements, but also specific co-benefits like increased public access to waterways, wildlife habitat, fisheries improvement, and climate change resiliency. Target watersheds will be selected by and in close collaboration with local stakeholders and elected officials who will be critical in the design and implementation of restoration projects. Selected projects will be overseen by a State Management Team, made up of agency experts, to help find efficiencies in project permitting and funding, and to measure project results.

“The Whole Watershed Act is a beacon of what is possible, bringing all levels of government to the table to fund innovative, holistic projects on an expedited timeline,” said Sen. Elfreth. “This legislation ensures that we can be bolder, go bigger, and build smarter projects where they will have the greatest impact. The final product is the result of a deeply collaborative process, and I am proud to have worked alongside Delegate Love, the environmental community, state agencies, and colleagues in the General Assembly to craft and pass this critical legislation.”

“The Whole Watershed Act is an important piece of legislation that will foster innovative and collaborative new approaches to watershed restoration,” said Del. Love. “The bill will give groups doing on-the-ground work in Maryland watersheds the guidance, support, and funding to tackle comprehensive projects that maximize results on between legislative leaders, environmental champions, as well as the state and local governments. I am proud to have sponsored this legislation.”

The Whole Watershed Act was chosen as a 2024 legislative priority by the Citizens’ Campaign for the Environment, the largest environmentally-focused legislative coalition in Maryland. 

“The Whole Watershed Act will accelerate meaningful results towards our Chesapeake Bay restoration goals,” said Allison Colden, Maryland Executive Director at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “Rooted in science and proven successes, the program is a direct response to the CESR report and will rapidly improve waterways included on EPA’s impaired waters list for the benefit of the Bay and local communities.”

“This bill is a transformative approach to watershed restoration in Maryland,” said Kim Coble, Executive Director at the Maryland League of Conservation Voters. “By allocating resources to diverse geographies and prioritizing Environmental Justice communities, this legislation sets a new standard for effective and equitable environmental stewardship. We believe the Whole Watershed Act puts us on a path toward achieving our restoration goals, ensuring the health of our waterways for generations to come.”

Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s volunteer-based program celebrates success of top-performing year

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s oyster shell recycling across the state of Virginia marked a record increase in the number of shells recycled in 2023, a significant gain with benefits for oyster restoration efforts, wild oyster fisheries, and aquaculture operations. 

In 2023, CBF’s shell recycling increased by over 1,000 bushels compared to 2022, bringing the total recycled shells to 2,500 bushels, equivalent to 50 tons. 

“Oysters can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day, playing a crucial role in improving water quality along with providing benefits to over 300 Bay species. But they also grow Virginia’s economy. The state’s seafood industry heavily relies on oysters, with Virginia oyster sales totaling an estimated $60 million per year. So they are an ecological tool as well as an economic tool,” CBF’s Virginia Oyster Outreach Coordinator Ryan Westpfahl said. 

Oyster shells are a limited resource but remain key to increasing the Chesapeake’s oyster population, supporting the wild oyster fishery, and assisting aquaculture operations. The tight supply and cost of oyster shell challenges large-scale oyster restoration work. While a growing number of restaurants recycle oyster shells, far too many shells still end up in landfills.    

To help increase the supply of oyster shells, CBF runs one of several volunteer-based shell recycling programs in Virginia. Volunteers pick up empty oyster shells from restaurants, oyster roasts, and other businesses. These shells are then cleaned, cured, and prepared for planting on oyster reefs.  

On April 3, CBF volunteers backed up a truck to Fuller’s Raw Bar in Hampton, ready to load blue and white bins with oyster shells from the restaurant. The pickup came a day after Fuller’s Raw Bar $1 Oyster night, which usually produces, according to John Ledbetter with Fuller’s Raw Bar, between 2,200 to 2,400 shells alone.  

In total, Fuller’s Raw Bar donates up to 6,000 shells weekly and is among the largest oyster shell contributors in CBF’s program, which includes 60 volunteers and 40 restaurants. Of the 400 bushels of shell recycled from Hampton last year, more than 300 bushels came from Fuller’s Raw Bar.  

Ledbetter said providing the recycled shells benefits everyone as well as the environment.  

Maggie Vaughan, a CBF volunteer for seven years, and Bonnie Kersta, a CBF volunteer since 2007, heaved bins inside the trunk until it was full, just as they do every week.  

“My father was a striped bass fisherman, and he would tell me how the pollution in the Bay was affecting striped bass. I knew I had to do something, and the oyster shell recycling is part of me giving back and paying homage to my dad,” Kersta said.  

Baby oysters, called spat, must attach to a hard surface such as empty oyster shells. One shell can become home to 10 or more oysters. In oyster restoration work, these spat-on-shell oysters are planted on sanctuary oyster reefs to increase oyster populations.  

Oyster reefs filter water, pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus, and provide habitat for fish, crabs, and other species vital to the fishing and seafood industries.     

Recycled oyster shell is also extremely important to Virginia’s oyster replenishment program, which supports the wild oyster fishery. Additionally, recycled shells are used by the Commonwealth’s growing oyster aquaculture industry.     

Shell recycling bins placed throughout the state also provide public drop-off locations for those with leftover shells. 

(ARLINGTON, VA.)—Farmers in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia will get new support for conservation practices through two grants awarded to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) as part of a historic investment in Bay restoration and community engagement EPA announced today. Information CBF gathers through these grants will also help inform future work on policy improvements to agricultural conservation programs.    

CBF’s projects are among 82 new Bay conservation grants worth $35 million awarded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), a nonprofit that administers several Chesapeake Bay grant programs. The 82 grants will leverage $32 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of $67 million, according to a NFWF release.

Maryland and West Virginia farmers to get help with high-priority conservation projects

A grant to CBF of $476,000, which CBF must raise $259,000 to match, will help Maryland and West Virginia farms in the Upper Potomac River watershed implement conservation practices with the greatest potential to improve water quality and sequester carbon.

Practices will include restoring forested streamside buffers and wetlands, converting cropland to rotationally grazed pasture, and fencing livestock out of streams. The grant will also cover educating other farmers and the larger community about regenerative agriculture practices.

The Upper Potomac watershed is an agricultural area of strategic importance to reducing nitrogen and phosphorus runoff into the Bay and its second-largest tributary, the Potomac River. It also accounts for two-thirds of the 1,600 acres of streamside forested buffers Maryland is trying to plant by 2025 and is prime habitat for native brook trout.  

“This grant will allow CBF and our partners to accelerate progress we are already making through extensive investments, including from NFWF, to work directly with farmers and other landowners in the region to improve water quality,” said CBF Maryland Restoration Specialist Rob Schnabel.

“CBF will work with farmers to understand their conservation priorities, including where state and federal cost-share programs can add value and where program deficiencies deter landowners from seeking support,” Schnabel said.  

“By providing tailored assistance to interested landowners, our goal is to help them overcome these obstacles. The grant will also allow us to provide farm tours to educate farmers and decision-makers about the benefits of regenerative agriculture, enabling positive long-term change in the region,” he said.

Streamlining installation of conservation practices for Virginia farmers

In Virginia, a grant to CBF will provide $498,000, which CBF must raise $55,000 to match, to make it easier for farmers in Virginia’s Shenandoah River watershed to use public cost-share programs to adopt conservation practices like planting forested buffers near waterways and improving grazing management.

CBF will meet with individual landowners, coordinate site visits with local partners, and leverage partners’ water quality expertise. CBF will also engage with the local community and landowners to communicate the benefits of regenerative agriculture.

“Unlike cost-share programs that require the farmer to lay out the money and wait to be reimbursed, this grant will make it possible for CBF to provide a ‘turn-key’ service where we hire the contractor, ensure everything is installed correctly, and make all the payments. All the landowner needs to do is agree to participate,” said CBF Watershed Restoration Scientist Matt Kowalski.  

“We hope this approach, which builds on successful conservation models like the James River Buffer Program, will make it possible for more people to participate in conservation cost-share programs. Through coordination and partnerships, we can have a Shenandoah Valley that continues to produce food and fiber, as well as clean air and water,” Kowalski said.

Cuffs Run proposal would destroy ‘phenomenal natural area’

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) has taken legal action to stop a 1,000-acre pumped-storage hydroelectric facility proposed for Cuffs Run, near the Susquehanna River in York County.

CBF filed a motion to intervene in the administrative proceedings with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as the commission considers granting a preliminary permit to York Energy Storage LLC, for plans to build a 1.8-mile-long dam and flood 580 acres in Chanceford Township, to create a hydroelectric facility. CBF will also file a protest and comments on the project.

“This is a phenomenal natural area, and this facility is the wrong project, in the wrong place, at the wrong time,” said Paul Smail, Vice President for Litigation and General Counsel at CBF. “We are going to make every effort to make sure this project does not get a preliminary permit.”

CBF previously joined other groups in signing a letter to FERC, urging it to deny the February 2023 preliminary permit application.

The $2.5 billion project at Cuffs Run is doing irrevocable harm to Cuffs Run and the Susquehanna River and includes projected displacement of 40 families. Water would be pumped from the Susquehanna to fill a reservoir and flood roughly 580 acres and homes. Flooding and clear cutting of habitats will result in increased risk of erosion and destroy vital wildlife habitat along Cuffs Run and the river. The proposal is in direct contradiction to Pennsylvania’s commitments under the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Agreement.

Gone would be carbon sequestering forests, prime farmland, and conservation lands. Cuffs Run, home to naturally reproducing brook trout, would be devastated. Vital habitats for plants and animals classified as of special concern would be obliterated. Obliterated too would be the Mason Dixon Trail, recognized by the National Park Service as a heritage trail. 

Opposing the Cuffs Run project is a unique opportunity for CBF to defend water quality, wildlife habitat, natural resources and public access to those resources, and private property rights in a predominantly agricultural community in York County.

If the motion to intervene is granted by FERC, CBF will become a party to the commission’s proceedings. “What that allows us to do is receive service, receive notice of all the filings made in this case,” Smail added. “It also allows us to seek judicial review should the preliminary permit be granted. It also allows us to seek reconsideration before the commission and ultimately seek an appeal before the circuit court for the District of Columbia Circuit.”  

CBF will continue to engage with the Lancaster Conservancy, Susquehanna River Heritage Area, Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper and other partners in opposing the York Energy Storage project to empower local citizens and its membership.

“It’s hard to describe how extraordinary Cuffs Run area is. One has to be amongst it to truly appreciate the uniqueness of the area in our region,” added Harry Campbell, CBF Science Policy & Advocacy Director in Pennsylvania. “If this proposal moves forward, the opportunity for future generations to experience this special place will be gone forever. So will the refuge that a wide array of plants and animals have made among its forests and fields.”   

A 60-day public comment period continues through March 31, before FERC rules on the permit application. View a step-by-step guide in how to file public comment, and use the P-15332 docket number to reference Cuffs Run. CBF is also circulating an online petition to stop the Cuffs Run project. 

Support from Chesapeake Bay Foundation and ICAR Partnership Led to Grant Award

Flood prevention and protection projects across the state will receive a total of $53.9 million in awards, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation announced March 20.  

This fourth round of grants and loans from the Community Flood Preparedness Fund includes $65,000 to the Town of Chincoteague on the Eastern Shore for development of a resilience plan, as well as regional training and education to build climate resiliency capacity.  

The partnership between the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Old Dominion University’s Institute for Coastal Adaptation and Resilience (ICAR) supported the successful grant application. The partnership hopes to expand on this success and offer its free assistance to other Eastern Shore communities that remain particularly at risk to flooding and sea level rise.  

According to DCR, the newly funded projects will expand flood prevention and protection projects, capacity building, and planning and studies throughout the Commonwealth.

Jay Ford, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Virginia Policy Manager, said in a statement: 

“We are excited to see the Town of Chincoteague’s award to develop its resilience plan and increase training and education. The Eastern Shore remains one of the most vulnerable communities on the East Coast to flooding and sea level rise. But it lacks the resources to tackle this challenge on its own. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s partnership with ICAR was honored to help develop this application. The community will now benefit from state funds to help protect the community and the Eastern Shore’s future.  

“There are tremendous federal and state funding opportunities available right now for addressing increased flooding. CBF and ODU are happy to help Eastern Shore communities access these funds. We look forward to working with communities around the Eastern Shore in pursuing funding and designing solutions to protect our culture, economy, and natural resources for generations to come.”

Jessica Whitehead, Executive Director of ICAR, issued the following statement:

“The ICAR and CBF partnership came from an investment by state lawmakers, an investment intended to help enable Virginia communities to become more resilient and access essential funding for projects that protect communities from sea level rise and flooding risks. We are excited to build on this success so more communities around the Eastern Shore and Commonwealth benefit from sustainable climate resiliency solutions.”

Flood prevention and protection projects across the state will receive a total of $53.9 million in awards using proceeds from Virginia’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) announced March 20.  

This fourth round of grants and loans from the Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF) includes localities from Petersburg to the Town of Chincoteague on the Eastern Shore to Buchanan County in Southwest Virginia and underscores the importance of Virginia’s reentry to RGGI.  

RGGI, a multi-state carbon emissions reduction program, served as CFPF’s only consistent funding source. The governor’s budget included $100 million for CFPF, but the state’s withdrawal from RGGI late last year effectively shut off the only steady statewide funding source for community-based climate resiliency projects. State lawmakers have included language in their budget to return Virginia to RGGI. That budget now awaits the governor’s approval.  

According to DCR, the newly funded projects will expand flood prevention and protection work, capacity building, and planning and studies throughout the Commonwealth. 

Jay Ford, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Virginia Policy Manager, said in a statement:  

“This fourth round of awards from the flood preparedness fund underscores the importance of Virginia’s RGGI participation. Communities across the state are urgently ramping up work to protect homes and businesses from flood risk and sea level rise with sustainable nature-based solutions. They deserve support for these projects. RGGI not only funded this work, but lowered the state’s carbon emissions. 

“We applaud this statewide support for flood prevention and protection projects. Virginia is taking steps to become a climate-ready Commonwealth, but floods and sea level rise are already on Virginians’ doorsteps. Schools are closing, streets are flooding, and businesses and lives are unnecessarily at risk. The state has a chance to change this reality and maintain essential support for climate change resilience by rejoining RGGI.”  

Statewide Coordination and Equity Key Elements of Legislation

The largest and most effective steps Virginia has taken to ready the state for climate change now await the governor’s approval to be signed into law. The Virginia General Assembly has sent two passed bills to Governor Youngkin that would significantly bolster the state’s resiliency to climate change threats.   

The legislation enjoyed historic support from state lawmakers when they passed these bills in the final days of the General Assembly session.  Sea level rise, flooding, and other climate change threats increasingly harm Virginians’ lives.  

The same week of the bills’ passage, parents in the Hampton Roads region dealt with their children’s schools being closed due to flooding, drivers navigated swamped roads, and communities across the Commonwealth prepared to mark Flood Awareness Week by sharing memories of severe storms that damaged their homes and businesses.  

“The rural coastal areas of Virginia are among the most at risk and vulnerable to flooding, natural disasters, and hazards that impact resiliency. It is crucial to coordinate statewide resources to proactively protect the businesses, homes, and livelihoods of these residents and the community,” Delegate Hillary Pugh Kent, R- Warsaw, said. 

Lawmakers responded in a bipartisan manner this session with legislation that aligns climate resiliency resources statewide through the creation of a new central office, prioritizes equity in flood protection funding, and returns Virginia to the multi-state, carbon emission reduction program known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) through the budget. Key legislation includes:

Creation of the Office of Commonwealth Resilience: HB 1458 introduced by Delegate Phil Hernandez 

• This bill creates a new state office dedicated to coordinating climate adaptation efforts across Virginia’s government, providing leadership and maximizing co-benefits in the state’s climate response. It ensures equity in the implementation of resilience and adaptation strategies, prioritizes the protection of Virginia’s natural resources, executes nature-based designs, and supports the state’s statutory obligations to clean water. The proposed budget also includes $1 million over the biennium to create this Office of Commonwealth Resilience. “This essential legislation shifts the Commonwealth beyond just reacting to these damaging weather events to readying Virginia for climate change. This is a comprehensive approach that better supports critical local projects across the state and maximizes the value of investments,” Hernandez said.  

Prioritizing low-income communities in the Virginia Resilient Revolving Loan Fund: HB 673 introduced by Delegate Michael Feggans

• This bill ensures climate change solutions are equitable by prioritizing low-income communities in funding from the Virginia Resilient Revolving Loan Fund. This fund supports resources to help with increased flooding events. 

“Virginia has a chance to be a leader on resiliency in the face of climate change,  but there’s still more work to do to become a climate-ready Commonwealth. These initiatives reduce carbon emissions, strengthen flood protection, reduce storm damage to homes and businesses, and ensure cleaner air and water for communities,” Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Policy Manager Jay Ford said.