Fighting Polluted Runoff in the Old Dominion

Rapid and increasing urban and suburban sprawl has made polluted runoff the fastest growing source of pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It is critical, especially as we face the impacts of climate change, that state and local governments continue to install green infrastructure projects that help to reduce the amount of polluted water that enters our rivers and streams after rain events.

In Virginia, the Coalition is working to increase and maintain steady funding for the Commonwealth's Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF), which provides resources for local governments to implement restoration projects that provide recreational, environmental, and economic benefits. Last year, the funding for this program was almost eliminated until Coalition members pushed back and secured $10 million.

Educating elected officials about the importance of funding SLAF is critical, which is why the Coalition visited two Virginia cities, Hopewell and Waynesboro, to interview local government representatives and residents about large-scale pollution reduction projects they had installed using SLAF. Both of these projects have created more habitat for wildlife, provided recreational opportunities for residents, and reduced the amount of pollution entering local waterways.

See the results of these interviews in these two videos we produced:

In his proposed budget released in December, Governor Northam funded SLAF at $182 million over two years. This substantial increase in helping localities install green infrastructure projects would pay major dividends in improving the health of local waterways that ultimately feed the Chesapeake Bay. But the funding level of SLAF ultimately lies in the hands of the state legislature. With the General Assembly convening tomorrow, we urge legislators to invest in the future of clean water in Virginia and meet or exceed the Governor's proposed SLAF funding.

Kristin Reilly is the Director of the Choose Clean Water Coalition