The Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission (MPPDC) region covers six member localities, including a few incorporated towns, all situated within the coastal zone.  These coastal zone localities are home to around 93,000 people and include the towns of Tappahannock, Urbanna, and West Point as well as Essex, King William, King and Queen, Middlesex, Gloucester, and Mathews counties. 

The region is mostly rural with major development and industry concentrated primarily within the Town of West Point at the confluence of the Mattoponi and Pamunkey Rivers. 

Despite its smaller overall population, compared to other PDC’s (only Accomack-Northampton PDC has a smaller population among coastal PDCs), the region is known for its important contributions to the coastal economy, including fresh-caught seafood, boat building, and ecotourism. 

What Role Has Virginia CZM Played in the Region? 

Virginia CZM has primarily funded projects related to promoting public access and land conservation, resiliency planning, and preserving working waterfronts. 

Public Access & Land Conservation

The Middle Peninsula is surrounded by over 1,000 miles of shoreline.  Historically, public access to these waters was very limited.  Through technical assistance funding from Virginia CZM, MPPDC drafted language for legislation, adopted by the Virginia General Assembly in 2003, to establish the Middle Peninsula Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority (MPCBPAA).  At the core of its mission, the MPCBPAA promotes land acquisition and public access enhancements in the Middle Peninsula region.  It is run by MPPDC staff and manages many coastal properties, which can serve as public access points.  For example, in 2003, Virginia CZM awarded the MPCBPAA a $392,000 grant to acquire the 274-acre Browne Tract, a parcel which straddles Essex and King and Queen Counties in the Dragon Run watershed.  Additionally, the MPCBPAA receives properties donated by residents experiencing flooding problems related to sea level rise.  These lands plus other donated lands help provide access opportunities as well as community resilience to sea level rise and its impacts. 

Dragon Run Special Area Management Plan

Over ten years (FY2001 to FY2010), Virginia CZM funded the development of a Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) for the Dragon Run.  The "Dragon" is a slender, sinuous vein of water that forms the boundary between King and Queen and Middlesex counties in the Middle Peninsula, and through the Piankatank River eventually makes its way to the Chesapeake Bay.

Home to a myriad of rare natural heritage resources, the Dragon Run was ranked second in terms of ecological significance in a study of 232 rivers and streams in the Chesapeake Bay by The Nature Conservancy and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

The Virginia CZM Program has supported and promoted community-based efforts to preserve the cultural, historic and natural character of the communities surrounding the Dragon Run, while preserving property rights and traditional uses within the watershed. 

Resiliency Planning

In addition to the resiliency benefits of the Middle Peninsula Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority, MPPDC staff have also leveraged Virginia CZM funding to build capacity in planning for sea level rise.  Past projects have included: studying roadway flooding, the vulnerability of residential septic systems, and engaging elected officials and members of the public to expand awareness.  MPPDC has also received funding to explore nature-based solutions, such as next generation shoreline protection designs and standards, and financing options for living shorelines.  See the project table below for highlights. 

Working Waterfronts

Coastal development continues to pose a threat to the continued existence of aging waterfront infrastructure.  Working waterfronts have been used for generations by watermen as free access points for launching commercial and recreational fishing vessels, processing their catch, and building or repairing gear and boats.  Preserving these areas is critical to sustaining these vital “blue” industries as well as the cultural legacy of the region.

From FY2011 to FY2016, Virginia CZM provided funding to not only MPPDC, but to the Northern Neck and Accomack-Northampton PDCs to map existing working waterfronts, develop plans and policies for preserving them, and to create a video and media outreach campaign to educate the public about their importance.  All working waterfront projects are listed in the table below.

MPPDC Projects Funded by Virginia CZM

The table below lists MPPDC projects funded by Virginia CZM since fiscal year 2001. This list does not include annual Coastal Technical Assistance grants from Virginia CZM to MPPDC. Virginia CZM funds are typically matched 50/50, but the table below only includes federal funds provided by Virginia CZM. Any Project Names that are linked in the table below will take you to the Project List for that fiscal year where you can open the Task Number at the bottom of the page to find more information on the corresponding project.