Chesapeake Bay Foundation Congratulates Virginia’s Next Governor

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) congratulates Virginia Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger and will work with the new administration to ensure clean water progress continues across the Commonwealth. 

Governor-elect Spanberger will enter office at a pivotal moment for the environment in Virginia. Storms and flooding fueled by climate change are increasing, development is growing, and states in the region are entering a new phase in efforts to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay.  

We are encouraged by Governor-elect Spanberger’s prior work on Bay issues in Congress and we are hopeful she will continue to prioritize Chesapeake Bay restoration as governor. 

As a member of Congress in 2021, Spanberger introduced bipartisan legislation that helps farmers participate in voluntary carbon markets by connecting them with resources. In 2024, she supported significant federal investment in protecting the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. As the ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology, Spanberger focused on ensuring that conservation programs are protected and adequately funded, which benefits the Chesapeake Bay. 

During her campaign, she expressed support for returning Virginia to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state program that reduced greenhouse gas emissions and supported flooding protection projects across the state.  

CBF urges the new administration to prioritize five critical actions to ensure Virginia meets its clean water commitments: 

1. Restore and protect our waterways for fish, wildlife, and people: This includes continuing robust investments in wastewater, stormwater, and agricultural pollution reduction programs and expanding the restoration of wetlands and living shorelines. 
2. Create a safe and climate-resilient Virginia to secure our economy, environment, and communities: The administration must prioritize planning and funding for projects to enhance resilience against sea-level rise and extreme weather events. 
3. Safeguard Virginia’s diverse landscapes for future generations: We urge the Governor to expand the authority of local governments to allow communities to better conserve forests and stream buffers and modernize the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act. 
4. Invest in Virginia farmers to both produce our food and keep waterways healthy: The state must maintain strong support for the agricultural cost-share program and focus funding on permanent practices like stream fencing and forested buffers. 
5. Stop toxics at their source, hold polluters accountable, and support our transition to clean energy: The administration must address emerging pollution challenges like PFAS, eliminate loopholes for bad actors, and speed up a strategic transition to clean energy. 

CBF Virginia Executive Director Chris Moore issued the following statement: 

“Healthy waterways are the lifeblood of a healthy economy. Investing in the environment is key to lowering energy bills, cooling cities, and protecting our communities from flooding and extreme weather. 

“Governor-elect Spanberger supported Chesapeake Bay issues during her time in Congress, promoted farm conservation practices that benefit clean water and address climate change, and has picked up litter alongside our volunteers at Clean the Bay Day.  

“We are hopeful that Governor-elect Spanberger and her Administration will take Virginia in the right direction when it comes to climate adaptation and Bay restoration.  

“The Chesapeake Bay Foundation stands ready to work with the new Administration and the General Assembly to achieve our shared goal of a fully restored Bay for future generations.”