Governor Ralph Northam today released the following statement on the EPA’s 2018 evaluation of Virginia’s milestone achievements in restoring the Chesapeake Bay. Virginia achieved its mid-point, or 2017, goals for reducing both nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, with additional effort identified for the sediment pollution goals.
“The Chesapeake Bay is a critically important resource to the Commonwealth, which is why Virginia has gladly stepped up to the challenge of working on its restoration,” said Governor Northam. “A ‘Green Light’ designation from the Environmental Protection Agency signals that Virginia’s programs for reducing nutrient inputs to the Chesapeake Bay from farmland, municipalities and developed lands, and waste treatment plants are working effectively. Virginians are bearing witness to a healthier bay with clearer waters, record underwater grasses, and a rebounding shellfish industry. That’s great news for Virginia’s economy and quality of life, and clear evidence that investing in clean water is good for the Commonwealth.
Now, we must turn our attention to finishing the job. My administration is grateful to be working with local Soil and Water Conservation Districts and local Planning District Commissions to design our next phase restoration plan from the ground up. I am committed to hearing from stakeholders on the new approaches and investments needed to achieve a restored Bay.”
Full evaluations for each jurisdiction can be found at www.epa.gov/chesapeake-bay-tmdl.
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