For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018
Contact:
Lee Francis | Deputy Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
(804) 225-1902 | lfrancis@valcv.org
VIRGINIA BEACH – Today, Governor Northam announced historic funding commitments aimed at safeguarding Virginia’s land and water resources and ensuring the Commonwealth meets its Chesapeake Bay recovery targets.
This funding goes, in part, to increasing “Best Management Practices” cost-sharing used to help farmers protect local streams from agricultural runoff; increasing monies available to the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund; boosting funding for the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation; and returning much-needed staff back to the under-funded Department of Environmental Quality.
In response to today’s news, Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, issued the following statement:
“Today, Governor Northam made a historic commitment to protect Virginia’s land and water resources, which we believe will pay even huger dividends for our environment, for citizens’ quality of life, and to our economy going forward. Voters across Virginia support clean water, clean air, and protecting important land resources; however, funding for key environmental programs has for years not kept pace with public demand.
These investments are a clear signal from Governor Northam that conservation will remain a priority of his administration going forward, and a necessary down payment to meet his goals of increasing natural resources funding to 2 percent of the general fund. It is now up to the General Assembly to do the right thing for conservation, our economy, and for Virginians in every corner of the commonwealth by fully funding Northam’s blueprint for clearer water, protected lands and a healthier environment.”
About us:
The Virginia League of Conservation Voters serves as the political voice of the state’s conservation community, working to make sure Virginia’s elected officials recognize that our natural heritage is an environmental and economic treasure for all. Virginia LCV works with conservation leaders across Virginia and strives for a conservation majority in state government. We secure good public policies on the state level and hold public officials accountable for their positions on environmental issues. For more information, visit www.valcv.org.
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