Important, Nearby, Water Pollution Public Meeting This Wednesday

From Virginia Conservation Network announcement: You may be aware that over 10,000 miles of Virginia’s rivers and streams are considered unhealthy. Virginia is required to ensure its streams and rivers are clean, and develop a clean-up plan for waters that don’t meet those standards. Recently Virginia has developed one of these plans and will host […]

May 20, 2012; 8:13 AM • by Oregon Hill

From Virginia Conservation Network announcement:

You may be aware that over 10,000 miles of Virginia’s rivers and streams are considered unhealthy. Virginia is required to ensure its streams and rivers are clean, and develop a clean-up plan for waters that don’t meet those standards. Recently Virginia has developed one of these plans and will host a meeting to get your input on Wednesday, May 23rd from 2 to 4 pm in Richmond

(ed. at VCU!)

This plan is meant to be the local level guide to Virginia’s larger Chesapeake Bay clean effort. and it is a critical tool for revitalizing its streams and rivers, because it refocuses the Bay cleanup on local waterways. A sufficiently detailed plan can (i) help localities know their responsibilities and integrate them with existing local water quality goals, (ii) help citizens understand and advocate for the authorities and funding necessary to meet goals, and (iii) help decision-makers and stakeholders track progress and adapt strategies along the way. This local “resolution” offers the public better assurance that Virginia is on a surer path to clean water.
Earlier this year, local governments provided a tremendous amount of information to the State, but Virginia has not included any locally-specific information in the plan. It also has not made the necessary commitments to local governments so they can be successful in delivering clean water.

We could use your help on Wednesday to ask the commonwealth to take the time over the next year or so to build a stronger and more locally useful WIP2.

When: May 23rd 2-4 PM
Where: VCU Trani Life Sciences Building Room 151
(1000 W. Cary Street,Richmond VA 23284)

Specifically:
Address the articulated local concerns regarding authority, funding, and training with clear guidance on how to adopt, approve, and/or otherwise commit to plans, and how to respond to progress and adapt plans through 2025.
Give localities a full year to plan and evaluate this guidance so they can formally commit to clear quantitative 2025 best management practices (BMPs) and/or programmatic goals, and corresponding strategies and timelines for achieving them.
Commit to releasing this new local information as an appendix to WIP2.

Email jacob(at)vcnva(.org) if you think you can attend and would like some additional information.