Virginians are already seeing the impacts of climate change across the state, from sea level rise along our coastlines to increased rainfall statewide. We must protect Virginians and preserve our natural resources through authentic community engagement, comprehensive resilience planning, and careful investment in adaptation measures, ensuring an equitable future for all Virginians as well as the protection of our natural resources.

Pat Calvert

ENSURING THE RESILIENCE OF VIRGINIA'S FLOOD-PRONE COMMUNITIES

• Fund key water quality programs at levels consistent with achieving the goals of the Watershed Implementation Plan (see chapter Meeting Our Chesapeake Bay Clean-Up Goals, p. 1).
• Fund land conservation programs (see Healthy, Resilient Communities and Landscapes, p. 88).
• Increase funding for key state environmental agencies to levels adequate with programmatic needs, including programs to address resiliency and climate change needs.
• Fund and ensure rapid and thorough integration of environmental justice mandates. See additional recommendations in Working Towards Environmental Justice (p. 118).
• Ensure Virginia’s natural resources programs are adequately and reliably funded going forward by adopting dedicated funding mechanisms, such as application of the full statewide recordation fee revenue (see Exploring Dedicated Funding for Conservation, p. 94).

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Check back in January for talking points for the 2022 General Assembly Session.