Project Task Number:                                                                 

1.01

Grantee:

Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Project Title:

Coastal Program Management

Project Description:

This task covers management of the Virginia CZM Program, administering of all open tasks in this award  and participation in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) and Mid-Atlantic Committee on the Ocean (MACO). Three positions are funded through Task 1.01.

The CZM Program Manager chairs the interagency Coastal Policy Team and will hold at least two meetings during FY 2020.  She oversees CZM Program policy development, grants, communication/ outreach (including identifying topics and writing articles for the magazine) and GIS efforts. She will guide activities under Tasks 1.01 – 1.04, 2,3, 7, 9 - Land Acquisition,  41 A-N PDC TA Program,  49-Marine Mammal/Sea Turtle Stranding and 72 Resilience through Ecotourism. She will  oversee completion of year 5 of the Ocean and Marine Debris Strategy grants for the FY 2016-2020 Section 309 strategy. Assuming her re-appointment to the Virginia Offshore Wind Development Authority is approved by the Governor, she will continue to serve on that board.

The Manager will continue to serve on MARCO’s Management Board. She will continue to chair MARCO’s Ocean Mapping & Data Team which oversees improvements to MARCO’s Ocean Data Portal as well as engaging stakeholders to create and vet ocean data.  She will continue to serve on the Steering Committee for MACO and will serve as the State lead for the Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Work Group and oversee activities in Task 81 to host a Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Summit. She may serve as lead or member of additional work groups that may be established by MACO. The Virginia CZM Program Manager supervises staff within Tasks 1.01, 1.02, 1.03 and 1.04.

The Coastal Planner will assist with Coastal Policy Team meetings and present information on specific topics as needed as well as assist the Grants Coordinator/Outreach Specialist with meeting summaries. The CP will work on the Land Conservation in the Lower Chickahominy Watershed project under the current Section 309 CSI strategy.   He will also write articles for the CZM magazine. The Coastal Planner will work with specific Section 306 projects and will oversee relevant tasks awarded through the CZM competitive “Focal Area” grants on coastal resilience. The Coastal Planner works with 4 of the 8 coastal planning district commissions (GWRC, HRPDC, MPPDC, and NVRC) on technical assistance and will work with other CZM staff to fulfill performance measure reporting for the FY 20 grant year. The CP will represent the Virginia CZM Program at various meetings and conferences.

The Grants Coordinator/Outreach Specialist provides maintenance and operation of the grants database and troubleshoots administrative issues with grantees. Duties include data entry and report production, reminders, applications, contracts, etc. This position drafts meeting summaries of the Coastal Policy Team.  She organizes submission of performance measures to NOAA and ensures all reporting guidelines are followed for Section A and B reports.  This position works with the Outreach Coordinator (Task 1.02) to develop and disseminate outreach materials and represents the Virginia CZM Program at outreach functions.

Grant activities undertaken by all staff include: development, monitoring and reporting on all grants (CZM Sections 306/306A, 309, 309 Projects of Special Merit, and 310); development and submittal of reprogramming and extension requests; and any Section 309 PSM or other applications.

Federal Funding:

$332,716

Project Contact:

Ryan Green; 804.698.4258; ryan.green@deq.virginia.gov

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 3/31/2022; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Final Project Summary constitutes Final Product.

Project Summary:

Policy Team Products (5%):  Coastal Policy Team meetings were held on January 28, 2021 and September 16, 2021. Minutes for the meeting are at: https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/coastal-zone-management/about-czm/virginia-coastal-policy-team.  Virginia Tribes were invited to the January 21 meeting and expressed interest in policies and funding regarding septic systems, wetland delineation and visitor amenities on Tribal lands and GIS assistance. Status of the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan was a topic at both meetings. In summer 2021 Coastal staff began planning the November 2021 Coastal Partners Workshop with assistance from CBNERRVA staff. 

Grants Management (45%):  The FY 2021 Draft application was submitted to NOAA in April 2021 and the Final application was submitted to NOAA on May 11, 2021 via the CAMMP and Grants.gov systems. 32 projects totalling $3,033,500 in federal funds and $2,504,000 in match (total package of $5,537,000) were included.

The CZM Manager and Coastal Planner monitored grant activities including review of semi-annual reports and development of scopes of work for SAC’ed projects. They also prepared for year 1 of the new FY21-25 Section 309 Strategies on Coastal Hazards, Ocean Resources and Marine Debris. The Grants Coordinator and CZM Manager processed extension and budget amendment requests, 306A documentation approvals, SAC removals, and reprogrammed funds using Grants Online. The Coastal Planner continued to build an inventory of CZM public access and interpretive signage sites and assisted DHR staff and PDC staff with signage content for Chippokes State Park and other sites across several planning districts.  

The Program Manager worked closely with Clean VA Waterways on development of the update of the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan.  She developed and negotiated a strategy for addressing removal of derelict clam nets on the Eastern Shore securing approval from clam growers, the Secretary of Natural Resources and conserved land owners/managers. Also in conjunction with the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan, the Coastal Planner co-facilitated an Abandoned and Derelict Vessels Work Group (ADVWG), convening state and Federal agency staff, industry experts, boaters, and environmental groups at monthly meetings to understand the scope of the ADV problem and propose policy and funding solutions.  Background research on other states’ ADV programs was conducted and a policy white paper was written by the VA Coastal Policy Center. The Coastal Planner and CVW drafted an ADVWG report including policy recommendations developed with the Virginia Coastal Policy Center. 

Ocean Planning: MARCO/MACO Planning Documents (30%):  The CZM Manager continued to serve on the MACO Steering Committee until the end of her term on July 1 2021, meeting monthly to plan for the May 3-6 Ocean Forum (https://www.midatlanticocean.org/mid-atlantic-ocean-forum/ ). She also continued to serve on the MARCO Management Board monthly meetings and negotiated an MOU to collaborate with MARACOOS. MARCO contracted with the Middlebury Institute to develop a report on the Mid-Atlantic “blue economy” which will be available later this fall. MACO posted a statement on the website regarding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice. MARCO concluded a strategic planning effort with Aspen Institute to recast its shared regional priorities under the umbrella of a “blue economy” and better position itself to attract and sustain long term funding. MARCO applied for and was chosen to be the Regional Wildlife Science Entity to manage research for wildlife impacts from offshore wind. The CZM Manager helped with hosting two webinars on canyons, whales and corals. The Manager continued to lead the Marine Debris Work Group (working primarily on development of the balloon release reduction campaign) and the Ocean Mapping & Data Team.  2021 Work plans and progress reports for these are at https://www.midatlanticocean.org/ocean-planning/work-groups-collaborative-efforts/marine-debris-work-group/ and https://www.midatlanticocean.org/ocean-planning/work-groups-collaborative-efforts/ocean-mapping-data-team/.     

Program Performance Monitoring (5%):  In Oct 2020, the Grants Coordinator compiled and submitted the Training events held by grantees and the Coastal Planner compiled and submitted the number of acres of land acquired during the reporting period Oct. 2019-Sept. 2020. The number of coastal resilience projects conducted was compiled and submitted by the other Coastal Planner under his Task 1.03 for the reporting period of Oct. 2019-Sept. 2020. The Grants Coordinator and both Coastal Planners submitted the annual Section 312 Performance Measures online report to NOAA on time and submitted minor edits as requested by NOAA.

Outreach, Sponsorship and Program Representation (15%):  Sponsorship of the October 2020 Coastal Policy Center conference was not needed due to it being a series of 3 webinars. She presented on tribal issues at the Governor’s Summit on Equitable Collaboration and led a Marine Debris Team meeting in February.

The Program Manager was re-appointed by the Governor to serve on the VA Offshore Wind Development Authority. She gave a presentation on the VA Ocean Plan 309 strategy at the June 8 2021 meeting. She also continued to serve on the VA Eastern Shore Conservation Alliance assisting with development of a 5 year work plan. She represented the program on Congressman Wittman’s Environmental Advisory Group, and OCM’s National Economic Study group, presenting on the latter at NOAA’s June 29 2021 webinar. She presented plans for developing a VA Ocean Plan to the Coastal Avian Partnership in March 2021. She led development of and hosted the Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Summit on July 20-22, 2021.

The CZM Manager and Coastal Planner assisted with planning and presentation at the February 2021 Lower Chickahominy Collaborative Summit. Both also served as advisors to the VA Coastal Resilience Master Plan Finance Subcommittees. (Finance and Federal Installation Partnerships). The CZM Program Manager and Coastal Planner attended, but did not present at the Sept/Oct Restore America’s Estuaries virtual Summit.

The Coastal Planner participated in the CBNEER Stakeholder virtual training on Jan 12-13 and highlighted FY20, Task 73 Nearshore Habitat Restoration (FY20-22 Resilience Focal Area) as a case study for creating a community of practice.

The Outreach Specialist participated in virtual meetings on creating CZM pages for the new DEQ website and assisted in editing a site map of CZM webpages for the DEQ contractor. She assisted the Outreach Coordinator in exhibiting at the Lewis Ginter Spring Plant Festival on April 30, 2021. VA CZM’s involvement with native plants was shared with attendees.  Attendees who pledged to plant natives, were given native plant decals and guides. 

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                 

1.02

Grantee:

Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Project Title:

Virginia CZM Program Outreach & Social Marketing

Project Description:

This task funds the Virginia CZM Program Outreach Coordinator position.  The coordinator is responsible for developing and implementing targeted outreach and social marketing strategies for the Virginia CZM Program: to effectively communicate key CZM messages to the program’s various target audiences; to raise awareness and increase understanding of coastal resource issues; to encourage stewardship of Virginia’s coastal resources and change behaviors that impact these resources; and, to heighten the Virginia CZM’s visibility and unique position to coordinate solutions to cross-cutting coastal challenges.  In addition, the coordinator works with Virginia CZM Program staff and partners to produce, revise and maintain new and existing print and digital media, and to plan and deliver hosted or co-sponsored exhibits, events and training. This task also provides funds to print and distribute media such the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Magazine.

Federal Funding:

$109,330

Project Contact:

Virginia Witmer; 804.698.4320; Virginia.witmer@deq.virginia.gov

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2022; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Virginia CZM Program Outreach & Social Marketing Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

No Final Project Summary provided.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                 

1.03

Grantee:

Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Project Title:

Coastal Management Support

Project Description:

This task supports one quasi-full time (90%) staff position that is contracted through the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). The Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (VA CZMP) requires this additional support to ensure that there is increased emphasis on policy coordination; that open grants are properly managed and implemented; that performance indicators are reported; and that outreach activities are adequately staffed. The Coastal Planner position supported by this task will contribute to development of all the outcomes in Task 1.01.  This position will provide guidance on coastal management issues, assistance to grantees, agency monitoring, development and implementation of performance indicators, program changes and intergovernmental and interagency coordination.

This Coastal Planner (Shep Moon) will specifically focus on Task 4 (Virginia’s Marine Resource Commission’s [VA MRC] permit review & compliance), Task 6 (Virginia Institute of Marine Science [VIMS] Tidal Wetlands Management Technical Support), Technical Assistance grants for the Northern Neck, Plan RVA and Crater Planning District Commissions (PDCs), and any assigned PDC competitive grants.  He will help develop, monitor and review Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) Section 309 Coastal Hazards projects.  He will be specializing in shoreline management, water quality, climate change adaptation and coastal hazards issues. Specifically, duties will include:

• Facilitating implementation of the CZMA Section 309 Coastal Hazards Strategy, including annual grants and projects of special merit;
• Partnering with assigned PDCs to implement their technical assistance and climate resilience projects;
• Developing, monitoring, and reviewing products for assigned grants;
• Evaluating and processing grant reprogramming and extension requests;
• Assisting in reporting for the CZMA performance management system;
• Working with the DEQ Office of Environment Impact Review, the Coastal Policy Team, the Virginia Coastal Policy Center and NOAA to update Virginia’s enforceable policies as necessary;
• Assisting in outreach efforts including magazine articles and outreach functions;
• Participating in Coastal Policy Team meetings
• Assisting in implementation of Virginia’s Section 309 2021-2025 Coastal Hazards Strategy
• Assisting in preparations for the November 2020 Coastal Partners Workshop

Representing the VA CZMP on the Coastal Training Advisory Board of the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Virginia Clean Marina Program, the Virginia Hazard Mitigation Steering Committee of the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Chesapeake Bay Interagency Team, the Chesapeake Bay Program Climate Resiliency Workgroup and the Management Team of the Chesapeake Bay Sentinel Site Cooperative.

Federal Funding:

$108,376

Project Contact:

William Reay; 804.684.7119; wreay@vims.edu

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Final Project Summary constitutes Final Product.

Project Summary:

1-Policy Team Products:  The Coastal Planner made presentations at the January 28 and September 19, 2021 Coastal Policy Team meetings on the Section 309 Coastal Hazards Strategy, Resilience Focal Area and narrative enforceable policies.  He also helped develop the meeting summaries.

2-RPCs and Amendments:  The Coastal Planner participated in the process of drafting narrative policy revisions for tidal and non-tidal wetlands and state lands as well as the preamble from the state constitution.  He also helped coordinate the submission process to NOAA in March 2021.  He helped organize a training on the new policies for the coastal planning district commissions, which was held on March 30, 2021.  He worked with the Virginia Coastal Policy Center and the DEQ Office of Environmental Impact Review in preparation for an evaluation of CZM enforceable policies for incorporation of climate change resilience practices.

3-Grants Management and Reporting:  The Coastal Planner helped develop the FY 2021 Draft and Final applications.  The Coastal Planner monitored grant activities through phone calls, visits and quarterly Coastal PDC meetings and reviewed extension and budget amendment requests, and proposals to reprogram funds.  He developed the Section C Success Story on Determining First Floor Elevations in Hampton Roads.

4-Section 309 2021-2025 Coastal Hazards Strategy Implementation:  The Coastal Planner worked with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, the Virginia Coastal Policy Center, and Wetlands Watch to implement projects identified in the Section 309 Coastal Hazards Strategy.  He participated in regular meetings with staff from VIMS, VCPC and DEQ to manage the Section 309 Project of Special Merit to incorporate flood mitigation into the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act.

 5-Program Performance Monitoring:  The Coastal Planner reported on CZM performance measures #1, 2 and 11 in October, 2020. The Coastal Planner collected 312 Metrics information on Shoreline Management Plans from VIMS.  The information was submitted through the Section B report to NOAA October, 2020. 

6-Outreach and Program Representation:  The Coastal Planner participated in meetings of assigned workgroups and committees.  He provided support as staff advisor to the Project Identification Subcommittee of the Coastal Resilience Master Plan Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), and participated as an advisor for the Studies, Research and Best Practices Subcommittee.  He also participated in meetings of the full TAC and other subcommittees as needed.  The Coastal Planner participated in periodic calls for the Virginia Chesapeake Bay Interagency Team and drafted an article on coastal resiliency for the Coastal Zone Management magazine.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:              

1.04

Grantee:

Virginia Commonwealth University

Project Title:

Coastal Management GIS Support and Coastal GEMS Maintenance

Project Description:

This task supports one part-time time staff position (Coastal GIS Coordinator at 85% time) that is contracted through Virginia Commonwealth University to provide GIS support to the Virginia CZM program and the partial time of two additional VCU staff required to launch Version 4 of the Coastal Geospatial and Educational Mapping System (Coastal GEMS), host and maintain it, perform data/software updates, and perform grant/project management.

Coastal Management GIS Support: The Coastal GIS Coordinator provides support to the Virginia CZM Program to ensure that GIS needs are met; that policy and planning functions have adequate GIS support; that open grants involving GIS products are properly managed and implemented; and that Virginia CZM’s Coastal GEMS remains a valuable tool to Virginia’s coastal community. This staff position will support the following activities:

• Work with VCU staff and others to ensure the maintenance and enhancement of Virginia CZM’s Coastal GEMS
• Organize Coastal GEMS training programs for state/local government users and others
• Advise CZM project managers and grantees on grants involving GIS data development, mapping, and NOAA’s data sharing policy
• Perform GIS calculations and searches and produce GIS map products, as needed by the CZM Program and its partners
• Work with CZM Program manager and Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) partners on various mapping related ocean planning efforts
• Serve as CZM project manager for VA CZM grants to update the Coastal VEVA data synthesis and its component datasets
• Participate in the Virginia State GIS Users’ Group and keep up-to-date on, or become involved in, other GIS-related developments in Virginia 

Coastal GEMS Maintenance: After launching Version 4 of Coastal GEMS, VCU will continue to host, maintain, and update the Coastal GEMS web mapping application. Current Coastal GEMS data layers will be edited or updated as determined by VCU/CZM staff. New Coastal Gems data layers will be added as they are developed through Virginia CZM Program grants or are contributed from a partnering agency or organization.

Federal Funding:

$111,601

Project Contact:

Nick Meade; 804.698.4297; nick.meade@deq.virginia.gov

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Coastal Management GIS Support & Coastal GEMS Maintenance: FY 20 Annual Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

VCU Life Sciences Staff:

• Performed Coastal Gems maintenance: installing software/security updates and refreshing map services as necessary.  Used data provided by CZM to update 10 existing GEMS layers. Completed new Coastal GEMS v4 mapping application.  This entirely new mapping interface features powerful new functionalities including the ability to share links to interactive maps, add data from outside sources, access and manipulate attribute information, and filter data spatially.
  
  The Coastal GIS Coordinator:
• Worked with VCU staff to test/finalize Coastal GEMS v4 mapping application.  Built new Coastal GEMS landing site designed to be a simple interface to access suite of Coastal GEMS products including mapping application, data library, and story maps.  This site can be quickly edited/updated to highlight new data and events. www.coastalgems.org
• Acquired/processed GEMS data updates: SAV Coverage, Boating Access, ES Water Trails, Condemned Shellfish Areas, Private Oyster Leases, Oyster Gardening, Conservation Lands, Public Access Sites, Coastal Population, and DEQ WQA.
• Filled data/info requests from local, state, and federal agencies, academic institutions, and private contractors/companies. 
• Performed all CZM project manager duties for task 1.04 to VCU and task 10 to DCR and worked with CZM Coastal Planners to determine data product formats and need for data sharing plans for other CZM tasks as necessary.  
• Coordinated Mid-Atlantic state level submissions to NOAA Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping (IOCM) survey.
• Gave live demos of Coastal GEMS highlighting new features of v4 mapping application and new landing site (including data library and story maps pages) at two CPT meetings and GWRC Environmental Managers Meeting. 
• Created maps and GIS products for the VA CZM Program and partners including:  Coastal VEVA map for Office of the Governor Coastal Adaptation and Protection staff to use in Coastal Master Plan, map layouts and packaged data of potential lease scenarios for DMME staff working to identify best locations for new commercial wind areas offshore of VA, a large scale map of offshore wind turbine array for CZM Fisheries Coordinator to utilize in meeting with state and fishing industry reps, initial draft maps of ADV locations for CZM Coastal Planner to present to ADV Work Group, a large scale draft map for VA Aquarium showing human use data for VA Beach kiosk focusing on “What’s Out There” in the ocean.
• Completed story maps for MARCO intended as educational resources for all audiences including a story map on marine debris with a focus on balloon litter highlighting beach monitoring programs in Mid-Atlantic States. https://arcg.is/1HmSna and a story map highlighting three major deep-sea canyons in the Mid-Atlantic (Norfolk, Baltimore, and Hudson) with contextual information on deep-sea topography, canyons, exploration, corals, and protection. https://arcg.is/Sb88r
• Wrote article for CZM Magazine detailing features of new Coastal GEMS mapping application and landing site and article for MARCO newsletter promoting story map on deep-sea canyons in the Mid-Atlantic. 

Provided technical assistance to VA CZM and partners including hosting WebEx meetings for Finance and Project ID subcommittees for Coastal Resilience Master Plan, setting up and running GoToMeeting for CPT meetings, making high-res screenshots for the CZM website and publications, and testing offshore wind energy siting tool developed by TNC.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov or April.Bahen@deq.virginia.gov.

Project Task Number:                                                                 

2

Grantee:

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Project Title:

EIR and Federal Consistency

Project Description:

• Conduct federal consistency reviews of activities that can affect Virginia's coastal uses and resources pursuant to the CZMA and the federal consistency regulations.
• Periodically submit routine program changes, as needed.
• Participate in the existing program revision efforts (narrative enforceable policies and geographic location descriptions).
• Participate in submittal preparation for program revisions (narrative policies, listed activities and geographic location descriptions)
• Coordinate Virginia's review of environmental documents for development of federal and state facilities and actions in Tidewater, Virginia which require federal approvals or assistance.
• Continue to update Virginia's EIR manual and federal consistency information packages as necessary to reflect legislative and policy changes.
• Provide interpretation of federal consistency requirements to federal agencies, applicants for federal permits, approvals, or funding, and consultants preparing consistency determinations or certifications. 
• Provide technical assistance to state reviewers and local government officials on the use of federal consistency and conduct group trainings (when there are opportunities to do so) at workshops sponsored by other agencies.
• Maintain and update the EIR/Federal Consistency website.
• Ensure public participation in the review of federal consistency documents to include publishing notices of consistency reviews in appropriate media such as DEQ’s website, OEIR’s program newsletter, local newspapers and holding public hearings when necessary
• Maintain files in DEQ’s Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system
• Conduct site visits as necessary.

Federal Funding:

$184,025

Project Contact:

Bettina Rayfield; 804.698.4204; Bettina.rayfield@deq.virginia.gov

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Final Project Summary constitutes Final Product.

Project Summary:

During the period of October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021, the Office of Environmental Impact Review/Federal Consistency (OEIR) reviewed 190 development projects and management plans for consistency with the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (CZMP).  Federal consistency reviews included 87 federal actions and 103 federally funded projects. The 87 federal actions included 54 federal agency activities, 33 federal licenses and approvals, and 0 outer continental shelf projects. The 48 federal agency activities included 30 projects submitted under the residual category pursuant to the federal consistency regulation (15 CFR 930.31(c)), which consisted of U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) mortgage insurance projects and US Department of Agriculture funding. All federal consistency determinations and federal consistency certifications were completed within the established legal deadlines.    

Of the 190 projects reviewed under federal consistency, all except four were found to be consistent with the enforceable policies of the CZMP.  Virginia conditionally concurred on these four projects on the basis of the subaqueous lands management, wetlands management, and wildlife and inland fisheries enforceable policies.  These projects included three beach nourishment projects and the 2020 Reissuance and Modification of the Nationwide Permits and Virginia Regional Conditions, Norfolk District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Product #3 - Program Change:  Successfully completed a program change submittal to modify the I) Tidal Wetlands and Non-Tidal Wetlands and (VIII) Commonwealth Lands enforceable policies (received April 30, 2021).  Prepared public notice and program change submittal document for inclusion in the NOAA program change portal.  Developed response to address public comments. 

The OEIR continues to provide informal training on federal consistency requirements to consultants who prepare consistency documents for federal agencies and applicants for federal permits and maintains a website for Federal Consistency Reviews which can be accessed through DEQ's main webpage or found at

https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/environmental-impact-review/federal-consistency.     The OEIR webpage is updated weekly. OEIR provide formal training to the George Washington Regional Commission on May 18, 2021. 

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov or April.Bahen@deq.virginia.gov.

Project Task Number:                                                                 

3

Grantee:

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Project Title:

Stormwater Local Assistance Fund – Fairfax County – Pike Branch Tributaries at Ridgeview Park – Stream Restoration

Project Description:

In order to reduce pollution from stormwater runoff, the Virginia General Assembly created and set forth specific parameters for the administration of the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF) in 2013. The purpose of the SLAF is to provide matching grants to local governments for the planning, design and implementation of stormwater best management practices that address cost efficiency and commitments related to reducing water quality pollutant loads. In accordance with that legislation, the State Water Control Board approved guidelines for implementation of the program. The guidelines call for annual solicitation of applications, an application review and ranking process and the authorization of a Project Funding list by the DEQ Director. One of the projects selected is proposed as this Task 3 match only project.  

This project will consist of the restoration of approximately 2,800 linear feet of stream channel and selected tributaries in Fairfax County, Virginia through natural stream design in order to restore and stabilize the degraded stream channel bed and banks, to provide aquatic benefits, grade control, improve water quality and prevent future erosion. Completion of the project will result in a phosphorus reduction of approximately 415.3 pounds per year.

All applicable laws, permits and BMPs will be followed during the implementation of the work described in this task.

Federal Funding:

$0; Match Only - $989,152

Project Contact:

Karen Doran; 804.698.4133; Karen.doran@deq.virginia.gov

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2022; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Final Project Summary serves as part of the Final Product. 

Certificate of Final Completion by Owner (PDF)

Project Summary:

In order to reduce pollution from stormwater runoff, the Virginia General Assembly created and set forth specific parameters for the administration of the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF) in 2013. The purpose of the SLAF is to provide matching grants to local governments for the planning, design, and implementation of stormwater best management practices that address cost efficiency and commitments related to reducing water quality pollutant loads. 

In accordance with this legislation, the State Water Control Board approved guidelines for implementation of the program. The guidelines call for annual solicitation of applications, an application review and ranking process, and the authorization of a Project Funding list by the DEQ Director. One of the projects selected was the Tuckahoe Park Stream Restoration in Henrico County. Virginia CZM coordinated with DEQ SLAF staff to create a scope of work to serve as a matching funding source for FY20 Virginia CZM funding from NOAA. $1,019,152 (originally $989,152 prior to February of 2023) of the total state share of the project cost ($1,741,612) was used for this match purpose.

The project commenced in February of 2021 and construction was completed on February 8, 2023. The project restored approximately 1,900 linear feet (LF) of stream channel through natural channel design (NCD), stabilizing the degraded channel bed and banks to provide aquatic habitat benefits, grade control, improved water quality, and prevention of future erosion. The project also created long-term channel stability and reduced sediment loads, thus helping to achieve Henrico County’s total maximum daily load (TMDL) Action Plan and Benthic TMDL Action Plan. Finally, the project included the relocation of approximately 2,229 LF of sanitary sewer trunk line that had been impacted by the eroding channel.

As of March 31, 2023, DEQ SLAF had processed $1,408,699.97 of payments to Henrico County and received the Certificate of Completion for the project on February 8, 2023. A copy of this Certificate and this Final Project Summary constitute the final product for FY20, Task 3.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                 

4

Grantee:

Virginia Marine Resources Commission

Project Title:

Permit Review & Compliance

Project Description:

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) is charged with managing the Commonwealth’s submerged lands, tidal wetlands, and coastal primary sand dunes.  Responsibilities in implementing core permit functions are:

• Issuing permits for encroachments in, on or over State-owned submerged lands (recently approximately 2,000 applications have been processed annually and  permits are issued for encroachments over State-owned submerged lands), and
• Regulating the use of development of tidal wetlands and coastal primary sand dunes.

The goal of this effort is to eliminate unnecessary impacts to submerged lands, tidal wetlands, dunes and beaches and to maintain a permit review process based on public interest review procedures consistent with the public trust doctrine that fairly balances private use of State-owned submerged lands and the need to preserve habitat for sustainable fisheries.

Tidal wetlands and coastal primary sand dune programs may be administered by local wetlands boards if the locality has adopted the model ordinances (35 have chosen to do so); however, the VMRC retains oversight and reviews all local board decisions.  These programs protect approximately 213,000 acres of vegetated tidal wetlands and provide for the regulatory management of 10,000 miles of tidal shoreline including all primary sand dunes and beaches throughout Tidewater Virginia.

The Commission’s permit review program is conducted by 7.5 equivalent Environmental Engineer positions. Each Environmental Engineer is assigned a specific geographic territory. They conduct application reviews, correspond with applicants and other concerned citizens, conduct site inspections, coordinate application reviews with other agencies, prepare project briefings, present contested cases to the full Commission at public hearings and draft permit documents. In addition they assist local wetlands boards with their wetland management responsibilities and attend all wetland board meetings in order to conduct the required review of wetland board actions.

The Environmental Engineers will also document losses and conversions of submerged land, wetlands and dunes/beaches associated with all proposed shoreline stabilization projects. Proposed and permitted losses, as well as habitat conversions, will be recorded within the existing VMRC permit tracking datebase. This was initiated for projects beginning in 2013. This is intended to track impacts associated with traditional shoreline projects as well as proposals utilizing living shoreline techniques.

As a result of a previous survey, a comprehensive permit compliance and inspection program was developed and will continue to be implemented through this project. VMRC staff will inspect new construction projects permitted by the Commission, along with a representative sample of wetlands and dunes projects permitted by the local boards.  The goal of the program is to continue to maintain and improve permit compliance rates that have increased from approximately 50 percent, when this program began, to current rates of approximately 90 percent of projects that are in complete compliance. This also includes a goal of reducing the number of projects found to be in moderate compliance and reducing the number of projects for which compliance cannot be determined.

In addition to support for ongoing permit review responsibilities, the workload resulting from the compliance inspections and recording efforts will be offset by one Environmental Engineer position. A program support technician will assist with compliance inspections and compile data generated by the Engineers and ensure its entry into our permit tracking database.  In addition to administrative and clerical duties associated with permit review, the office service specialist will support the clerical duties associated with permit review and compliance monitoring.

Federal Funding:

$181,200

Project Contact:

Randy Owen; 757.247.2251; randy.owen@mrc.virginia.gov

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Permit Review and Compliance Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

The purpose of this grant project was to continue the implementation of a standardized permit compliance program for those permits issued by the Commission in the Coastal Zone. Commission staff also assessed permit compliance for wetland projects authorized in 2019. During the grant year (October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021), 368 compliance inspections were conducted by VMRC Habitat Management Division Staff. This involved 238 inspections of projects permitted by VMRC and 130 inspections of projects permitted by local wetlands boards.

While the overall data for the grant year shows that 91% of the projects permitted by VMRC were found to be in compliance, only 3% of the projects were found to be out of compliance. The remainder were either in moderate compliance (3%), or were not constructed. Although compliance could not be determined for 3% of the projects, inspections in these cases did not indicate there were any permit violations.

To date, the compliance-monitoring program has allowed evaluations of the effectiveness of VMRC’s permit and monitoring procedures. As such, the monitoring program can only improve VMRC’s resource management responsibilities. Therefore, permit compliance initiatives must continue to be a long-term effort if VMRC is to ensure proper construction techniques and the protections of our valuable natural resources. This effort, combined with the improvement of VMRC’s permit tracking database and use of GIS capabilities, is necessary if VMRC is to realize the goal of making cumulative impact assessments a part of VMRC’s wetlands and submerged lands permitting program.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:       

5

Grantee:

Department of Conservation and Recreation – Division of Natural Heritage

Project Title:

Habitat Conservation/Locality Liaison

Project Description:

Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Natural Heritage (DCR-NH) Locality Liaison Program works with localities, Planning District Commissions (PDCs), and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to help protect natural heritage resources (rare plants, animals, exemplary natural communities and geologic features) by providing access to biodiversity information and DCR-NH consultative services.  A key service is review of projects to identify and recommend mitigation for potential impacts to natural heritage resources.  The Natural Heritage Data Explorer (NHDE) website-Version 2.5 (www.vanhde.org) will undergo another update in FY20 that will increase the effectiveness of providing natural heritage information. The Locality Liaison will include the new features and functionality of the upgraded website into training. The Locality Liaison will continue to work to make it available to localities, PDCs, land trusts and others through bi-monthly training. By subscribing to the Natural Heritage Data Explorer (NHDE) website, localities and PDCs can access conservation sites and other natural heritage resource information including predicted suitable habitat layers, which are useful both for project review and for conservation planning.  Digital geospatial datasets will also continue to be available for incorporation into local GIS systems through our subscription service.  The Locality Liaison will work consultatively with locality planners to incorporate natural heritage resource concerns into local comprehensive plans and permitting processes.  The Locality Liaison will also assist localities and local conservation partners to identify habitat conservation opportunities using tools such as the ConserveVirginia,  Virginia ConservationVision and the Virginia Ecological Value Assessment (VEVA). An overall goal of the DCR-Virginia Natural Heritage Program is that 100% of the counties and cities throughout the Virginia Coastal Zone will have Natural Heritage information by the end of September 2021. As of March 2020, the percentage of localities with Natural Heritage information is 96% within the Coastal Zone of Virginia. DCR-NH will continue to provide updated natural heritage information to all PDCs and land trusts in the coastal zone region through NHDE and/or ArcGIS shapefiles. Solar native pollinator habitat tools will continue to be promoted to encourage sustainable development of renewable energy projects in the coastal zone.

Federal Funding:

$56,600

Project Contact:

Rene’ Hypes; 804.371.2708; rene.hypes@dcr.virginia.gov

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Natural Heritage - Locality Liaison/Habitat Restoration Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

During the FY2020 grant year, the Department of Conservation and Recreation-Division of Natural Heritage (DCR-DNH) reviewed 1,081 projects for impacts to natural heritage resources in the coastal zone (37% of the projects reviewed statewide) as defined by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program. During FY2020, 601 coastal projects were submitted through the NHDE; 56% of all the projects submitted for review in the coastal zone. 102 of the projects reviewed in the coastal zone were solar projects, representing a continuing trend of solar development in Virginia. Specific project highlights within this report represent the diversity of projects reviewed including an offshore wind facility with onshore transmission lines, a highway improvement plan in Fairfax County, a proposed subdivision in Prince William County, a data sharing agreement with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and a wetland restoration project in Fairfax County.

Coastal localities and other conservation partners participated in 11 training sessions for the Natural Heritage Data Explorer (NHDE) website (https://vanhde.org) including 28 from state agencies, 9 from local governments, 24 from consulting companies, 11 from land trusts, 2 from Planning District Commissions, 7 from federal agencies, 4 from Virginia Indian tribes and 7 members of the public. At the end of FY2020, there were 42 coastal localities, 8 Planning District Commissions and 19 land trusts within the coastal zone with access to NHDE, digital shapefile data, and/or a combination of these tools. This equates to 96% of coastal zone counties or cities having Natural Heritage data, 100% of the Planning District Commissions and 86% of the Land Trusts as of September 30, 2021. The Locality Liaison and project review staff renewed or initiated 34 data licenses throughout this year within the coastal zone, including localities, consultants, land trusts, and Virginia Indian tribes. 

Presentations included an overview of DCR-DNH’s Natural Heritage Program, the Locality Assistance Program and data and functionality of the Natural Heritage Data Explorer (NHDE) website, which includes ConserveVirginia v2.0/v3.0, the Predicted Suitable Habitat Summary layers and ConservationVision models. Additional information was provided about the Virginia Wetlands Catalog and the Coastal Virginia Ecological Value Assessment (VEVA), part of DEQ’s Coastal GEMS website application. Natural Heritage information was updated quarterly on the NHDE website and shapefiles including the updated information are also distributed to licensed users. 

The Natural Heritage Locality Liaison (Locality Liaison) attended meetings, presentations and workshops throughout the year, and presented information on Natural Heritage resources at the Rappahannock Tribe Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) Conservation Workshop on May 14, 2021 and at the Elizabeth River Watershed Action Plan meeting on July 13, 2021. 

The Locality Liaison worked with other Heritage staff and staff from the DCR-Public Communications and Marketing Office and the CZM Program to redesign the Locality Assistance Program webpage. The Locality Liaison also posted quarterly coastal species highlights to the Locality Assistance webpage (http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/localityliaison).

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                 

6

Grantee:

Virginia Institute of Marine Science - Center for Coastal Resources Management

Project Title:

Tidal Wetlands Management Technical Support

Project Description:

The project provides operational support for tidal wetlands management technical support provided by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science Center for Coastal Resources Management staff.  The proposed project addresses an identified need for improved understanding of coastal resources and issues particularly with respect to shoreline management.  We target shoreline decision-makers for outreach efforts and training, as well as provision of advice on the likely adverse effects of proposed actions regarding tidal shoreline resources.  We will continue to build on previously funded projects by continually updating outreach efforts and advice to reflect best available science. The project objectives we propose to address the issue of better-informed decision-making are:

1) Education/Outreach: Includes a workshop on the VIMS campus, the production and distribution of CCRM E-News and Rivers and Coast publications on current coastal management topics, and support for social media via the CCRM Facebook page.

2) Technical Guidance: Provision of advice to shoreline property owners, shoreline professionals, local government staff, state agency personnel and NGO staff as well as input to the VIMS advisory activities coordinated by the Office of Research and Advisory Service. This effort includes web service of historical permit records.  In addition, we will continue to maintain two databases.  One for tracking the provision of technical advice and the second to track permit data and decisions. We are continuing to enhance the second database by continuing to create a georeferenced location for all historical permits.

Federal Funding:

$47,550

Project Contact:

Dawn Fleming; 804.684.7380; dawnf@vims.edu

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Tidal Wetlands Management Technical Support Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

Through this grant, the Center for Coastal Resources Management (CCRM) staff produced materials for outreach education and newsletters; communicated relevant information through Facebook posts; provided routine advisories; hosted a website for joint permit application records; and maintained two databases - all supporting tidal wetlands management.  This grant year, CCRM implemented a plan as part of a new Communications Team to build our readership.  This effort increased CCRM’s E-News subscribers by 500 contacts (2500 to 3000) due primarily to hosting webinars vs. an in-person workshop. Therefore, CCRM was able to advertise more, and increased its followers on social media by 43 people (546 to 589) due to regularly scheduled postings.

The Center for Coastal Resources Management was responsible for organizing, hosting and presenting its annual Tidal Wetlands Workshop which was held virtually due to Covid-19 as two Shoreline Management Webinar.  Each event focused on a different topic that included presentations and live interaction with tidal wetland scientists and regulatory agency staff: Aug 11 – Tidal Marsh Ecology featuring recent studies of tidal marshes and living shorelines, and Aug 25 – Integrated Shoreline Management featuring shoreline guidelines and regulations that incorporate sea-level rise and climate change.  There were a total of 278 webinar participants representing a broad range of coastal stakeholders.  (https://www.vims.edu/ccrm/outreach/workshops/)  CCRM annually produces the Rivers & Coast newsletter. It covers one relevant topic in detail through the use of charts, graphs, maps and photos in an 8-page color publication.  The Summer 2021 issue, Nature-Based Solutions for Coastal Resilience, highlights nature-based solutions in the coastal plain.  This publication provides a delivery mechanism to link stakeholders with resources and information at a critical time for Virginia’s effort to address coastal risks and resilience.  It is available online, hard copies were mailed to local wetlands boards, and it was announced through the Center’s September e-news. (https://scholarworks.wm.edu/reports/2486)  CCRM e-News, is a quarterly e-newsletter, distributed to more than 3000 subscribers including local and state agency personnel, General Assembly members, shoreline industry professionals, and interested private citizens.  Each newsletter summarizes and communicates current issues that support integrated management of coastal zone resources; announces pertinent publications, programs and events; and points the reader to more detailed information on the CCRM website (and others).  This project period, CCRM updated the look and layout to increase visual appeal and conform with VIMS branding.  The Center’s social media effort on Facebook and Instagram to inform CCRM followers about CCRM activities and coastal issues in Virginia included 170 posts that reached 477 followers in the USA, and another 112 people in 29 countries worldwide.  (https://www.facebook.com/CCRM10/)

CCRM technical advisory activities encompassed everything from site visits to verbal communications and written environmental assessments, handling information requests on a variety of coastal management issues.  A CCRM Advisory Database was maintained to track advice provided within and outside of Virginia.  The final report will include the number and type of requests, who is requesting information and in what localities.  Pre-application and follow-up visits for living shorelines remain a priority.  CCRM’s Shoreline Permit Database was updated with Virginia tidal shoreline erosion control projects and permit information, location (including geo-reference), approved decisions, recommended preferred management approach and more to support various CCRM coastal resources management activities such as research needs, site selection for field investigation, surveys and analyses, and program assessment.  CCRM continued to maintain and serve complete historical records for Joint Permit Applications for years prior to 2010, searchable here http://ccrm.vims.edu/perms/newpermits.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                 

7

Grantee:

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Project Title:

2020 Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Distribution and Abundance Survey

Project Description:

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) is a critical living resource in Chesapeake Bay that has undergone rapid and dramatic baywide fluctuations in distribution and abundance over the last two decades, and is being subjected to declines in water quality and to ever increasing pressure from recreational, commercial, and industrial demands. Because SAV is dependent on good water quality to which it responds over short time scales, it can be an important indicator of water quality.

In 2020, VIMS will continue the annual SAV survey program, begun in 1984, by mapping SAV in the shoal areas of the entire Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries from digital aerial imagery acquired during late spring to late summer. This grant does not cover costs of conducting or acquiring the aerial survey data but does cover personnel costs at VIMS to analyze the data and prepare maps.

Digital aerial photography will be acquired at a photographic scale of approximate 1:24,000, following guidelines that address tidal stage, plant growth, sun angle, turbidity, wind, atmospheric transparency, sensor operation and land features to allow for acquisition of photographs under near optimal conditions.

Ground data on species distribution and abundance will be collected by participating agencies and citizen groups from as many of the Chesapeake Bay Program segments as possible and included in the final report.

The digital aerial imagery will be evaluated for SAV signatures using all available information.  Photographs containing SAV signatures will be orthographically corrected and mosaiced by USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangles using Orthobase and Imagine image processing software .

The perimeters of all SAV beds mapped from the 2020 aerial photography will be delineated on-screen using ArcInfo geographic information system (GIS) software and stored in an ArcInfo GIS database.  A final report will include maps of all SAV beds, and areas of these beds, as well as any ground truth information submitted to VIMS.  The report will be published on the VIMS web site, as in past years.  SAV polygons will also be available on the VIMS SAV interactive web site (http://vims.edu/bio/sav/maps.html?svr=www).

Federal Funding:

$68,000

Project Contact:

Christopher Patrick; 804.684.7399; cpatrick@vims.edu

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Final Project Summary constitutes Final Product.

Project Summary:

PROJECT SUMMARY:  The 2020 distribution of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries was mapped from aerial multispectral digital imagery. These were acquired between May and September 2020, with a resolution of 24 cm, encompassing 187 flight lines. WorldView 2 satellite imagery acquired from Digital Globe through the NGA NextView program was used to augment the aerial imagery for the Belmont Bay portion of the Potomac River.  For 2020, 25,547 hectares (63,131 acres) of SAV were mapped in Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, a 5% decline from the 2019 totals.  

In the Tidal Fresh Bay Zone (19 CBP segments), 7,492 hectares (18,513 ac) of SAV were mapped for 2020, a 5% increase over 2019. In the Oligohaline Bay Zone (25 CBP segments), 3,330 hectares (8,230 acres) of SAV were mapped for 2020, a 9% decline from 2019.  In the Mesohaline Bay Salinity Zone (41 CBP segments), 9,180 hectares (22,685 ac) of SAV were mapped for 2020, a 19% decline from 2019. In the Polyhaline Bay Zone (8 CBP segments), SAV 5,544 hectares (13,701 ac) of SAV were mapped for 2020, a 14% increase from 2019. 

The overall Baywide loss of 5% is largely attributable to losses in the Mesohaline Zone as well as losses in the Oligohaline Zone, which were somewhat offset by expansion in the Tidal Fresh and Polyhaline Zones. 

In the Delmarva Peninsula Coastal Bays Zone (10 segments covering Assawoman, Isle of Wight, Sinepuxent, Chincoteague, and Southern Virginia coastal bays), 7,280.19 hectares (8,297 ac) of SAV were mapped for 2020. However, the northern portion of the zone, including Chincoteague Bay and Maryland coastal bays, representing 3,641 ha of SAV in 2017 (8,996 ac, 55% of the zone total) was not mapped for 2019 making comparison from 2019 to 2020 not possible in all areas. Splitting out the mapped and unmapped areas of 2019 yields several observations.  For the area unmapped in 2019, VIMS observed 3,446 hectares (8,514 ac) of SAV in 2020, a 5% decline from 2017, largely driven by a 35% decline in Sinepuxent Bay. For the area mapped in 2019, VIMS observed 3,835 hectares (9,475 ac), a 14% increase from 2019, driven by continued expansion in all surveyed embayments.  Assuming that estimates from areas last mapped in 2017 can be reasonably applied to 2019, VIMS saw an estimated overall SAV expansion of 4% in 2020 in the Coastal Bays.

The 2020 SAV report can now be viewed at: https://www.vims.edu/research/units/programs/sav/reports/2020/index.php  and also on VIMS’ interactive map: https://www.vims.edu/research/units/programs/sav/access/maps/index.php

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov or April.Bahen@deq.virginia.gov.

Project Task Number:                                                                 

8

Grantee:

Department of Conservation and Recreation – Division of Natural Heritage

Project Title:

Healthy Waters in the Coastal Zone

Project Description:

Funding through this grant will be used to support the implementation of the Virginia Healthy Waters Program (HWP) within the Natural Heritage Program (NHP) at the Virgnia Department of Conservation and Recreation (VDCR) as it applies to advancing the identification, interpretation and protection of aquatic communities. This task includes the administration and development of the Healthy Waters Program, delivery of tools and products of the VDCR NHP such as the Virginia Ecological Values Assessment (VEVA), development of Element Occurences (EOs), Stream Conservation Units (SCUs), INSTAR data, Coastal GEMS, and ConservationVision Watershed Model, in the Coastal Zone of Virginia. The Program Manager will work with both the VDCR NHP and the VDEQ to fully implement the Program to achieve lasting benefits for the Commonwealth.

Through a contractual agreement between DCR and the the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), an Environmental Scientist/Analyst will be retained through the VCU Life Sciences Department and the Rice Rivers Center to serve as the Healthy Waters Program Manager. The HWP Manager continues to be housed in the DCR NHP, have access to the facilities, equipment, vehicles and expertise of the VDCR and continue to integrate the skills and abilities of VCU, as well. The position also serves as a liaison between DCR and VCU to promote joint, applied research and outreach projects. This includes the oversight of programs, projects, grants and grant budgets, providing technical support to VDCR NHP and the VCZM, as it relates to coastal zone ecology, management, and restoration. 

Governor Northam officially launched ConserveVirginia, as a data-driven, state-wide, land conservation strategy that identifies high value lands, waters, and conservation sites across the Commonwealth of Virginia. ConserveVirginia was created as a living “smart map” for the synthesis of 19 mapped data inputs, divided into six categories, each representing a different overarching conservation value to guide investments to conserve the highest value lands. These mapped acres will help guide a long-term land conservation strategy for Virginia by serving as a “menu” to guide and inform state land acquisitions, environmental mitigation projects and Virginia Land Conservation Foundation Grants. In addition to the six categories, the NHP will integrate the Healthy Waters Program aquatic community classifications. The ConserveVirginia tool will be used to maximize the benefits derived from land conservation efforts within the State and is designed to include regular updates as new data are available and priorities refined, such as the inclusion of ecologically healthy waters.

Virginia has committed to a Chesapeake Bay Program goal of 100 percent of state-identified, currently healthy waters and watersheds to remain healthy, as identified in 2014, by 2025. This goal was set by the Healthy Watersheds Goal Implementation Team (GIT) and is based on INSTAR data and identified Healthy Watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. To achieve that goal, NHP is in the process of evaluating different scales of contributing drainage areas (based on NHDPlus-HR) and different metrics that can be used to predict stream health as assessed by INSTAR and to refine those areas to conserve, further validated with INSTAR sampling.

This position will also continue to participate in state, local, or federal work groups as needed with regard to water quality protection and restoration issues as the VDCR deems necessary.  In addition, the Program Manager will prepare semiannual and annual reports and other documents.

Federal Funding:

$30,500

Project Contact:

Todd Janeski; 804.371.8984; todd.janeski@dcr.virginia.gov

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Healthy Waters in the Coastal Zone (PDF)

Project Summary:

The Environmental Scientist/Analyst with the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Department of Life Sciences (LS), Rice Rivers Center (RRC), was retained by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Natural Heritage Program (NHP), served as the Program Manager of the Virginia Healthy Waters Program (HWP). The HWP Manager maintains access to the facilities and expertise of the DCR, and continued to integrate the skills and abilities of the VCU Department of Life Sciences. The position serves as a liaison between DCR and the VCU LS/RRC to promote a coordinated, collaborative approach to integrating field capacity, applied research and outreach to inform the protection of ecologically healthy aquatic systems. This includes the oversight of programs, projects, grants and grant budgets, providing technical support to DCR Natural Heritage Program and the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (CZM), as it relates to coastal zone ecology, management, and restoration. Additionally, this grant supported the VA Oyster Shell Recycling Program (VOSRP) at the VCU RRC as an effort of Healthy Estuarine Waters to reclaim waste oyster shell and return it to the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay as part of overall Bay restoration activities.

For the Program Growth and Administration portion of the grant, the HWP focused on the data collection and development of tools and resources to advance resource protection goals. While this is the foundation of the program, the challenges of a lack of capacity, statewide coverage and dedicated field staff limit the full effectiveness. Addressing the data gaps and data integration were the priorities of the program with the goal to integrate existing VCU collected INteractive STream Assessment Resource (INSTAR) data into the NHP data explorer with the creation of new Element Occurrences (EOs) and Stream Conservation Units (SCUs). While these limitations existed, the Program leveraged relationships with both DCR and VCU to advance the program. The HWP Manager also continued to participate in the Chesapeake Bay Program, Goal Implementation Team (GIT) for Healthy Watersheds. As part of this GIT, the HWP Manager put considerable effort toward the Chesapeake Bay Management Strategy development process, this included the coordination of DCR and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The HWP Manager continued to advance Healthy Waters Bay Agreement Goal of 100% protecting the 2014 HW sites in the Chesapeake Bay by 2025. Most importantly, CZM funding specifically allowed the HWP Manager to continue to staff the HW Goal team remaining consistent that the Commonwealth will set their own course for long-term protection action, which includes internally developed prioritization and land conservation tools.

For the Program Capacity Development portion of the grant, the development of models and tools continued to be the focus of efforts during the reporting period. As mentioned above, the focus is the ongoing data integration, geographic expansion, data re-sampling and the continued integration of existing INSTAR data into the DNH data explorer and the creation of new EOs and SCUs. VCU field team continued to collect data in coastal sites including, Tuckahoe Creek (Henrico County), Polecat Creek (Caroline County), the Lower Rappahannock River, and in non-tidal James River basin streams.

Again supported by CZM funding, for the Healthy Waters Data Analysis, Evaluation and revision of models relavent to interpreting Healthy Waters data portion of the grant, the HWP completed the enhancement of the ConserveVirginia tool to include the healthy waters data as a new input and to provide guidance on the implementation of agricultural BMPs and conservation of these water bodies. These new HW inputs were then used to model ConserveVirginia’s Healthy Waters Conservation Opportunity Areas (under the Water Quality Improvement Category). Specifically, the INSTAR data was used to identify areas for conservation as well as those agricultural areas that would benefit from additional protections (based on INSTAR characterization of being Restoration Candidates or Compromised). The ConserveVirginia tool will continue to be used to maximize the benefits derived from land conservation efforts within the State and include regular updates as new data become available and priorities refined, such as the inclusion of newly identified ecologically healthy waters.

For the Estuarine Healthy Waters, Oyster replenishment in the Coastal Zone portion of the grant, a small amount of funding was allocated to VOSRP in order to continue to reclaim waste oyster shell and return it to the VA portion of the Chesapeake Bay. The grant supported the development of banners, stickers, purchase of containers and supported the bulk movement of shell from local storage sites to the VCU Rice Rivers Center. This grant also funded the purchase of 8.5 million eyed larvae to be set on shell for other restoration projects not funded by CZM. VOSRP was challenged by COVID-19 but saw consistent operation during the project period and included an opportunity to broaden the geography of the collection and to fully engage more of the public.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov or April.Bahen@deq.virginia.gov.

Project Task Number:                                                                

9

Grantee:

Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission

Project Title:

Hog Island Shoreline Restoration

Project Description:

MPPDC staff propose to restore the shoreline of Hog Island as a 306A restoration project for $412,229, which leverages (but is not used as match) the recently announced National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Project #76171 titled Phase I: Hog Island Restoration project funded at $499,999.15. Although the combined funds are slightly less than the approximate $900,000 in project restoration need, the combined funding should provide enough funding to complete the entirety or majority of the proposed restoration project. In addition, the two projects are completely separable as each project will restore a particular linear footage of shoreline and can stand alone.  In 2019, the VIMS Shoreline Studies Program designed a CZM-funded nature-based flood mitigation solution for Hog Island (location map below). The plan includes constructing sills of various concrete and product design that will protect the marsh that faces the York River. On the flanks of the island, smaller oyster structures will be installed to enhance habitat and provide shore protection along the limited fetch shorelines. These techniques are proven approaches to address coastal hazards and enhance coastal habitats. The project was designed to a 15 to 25-year FEMA design storm standard. The design attenuates wave energy and storm surge.  The island is surrounded by shallow water thus access will require specialized shallow water equipment.

Hog Island is an emergent estuarine marsh complex that is part of the Guinea marshes in Gloucester County, Virginia. These marshes are located at the confluence of Mobjack Bay and the York River. Hog Island is located within the new NOAA Middle Peninsula Habitat Focus Area, a targeted area for habitat restoration. The project site experiences high wave energy which has eroded the shoreline along its south face on the York River, and lower wave energy along its west and east flanks that occur on Monday Creek. Based on tidal gauge data from Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), relative sea-level rise rates ranging from 0.11-0.23 in/yr (2.9-5.8 mm/yr; period: 1976- 2007; 10 stations) within the Chesapeake Bay region, which are the highest rates reported along the U.S. Atlantic coast (Boon et. al. 2010). In addition to sea-level rise, the project location has a history of impacts from hurricanes and tropical storms. As storms pass over or near the coast, the atmospheric pressure drops, causing a large volume of seawater to build up, eventually being pushed ashore by the storm’s winds causing a storm surge. In Gloucester County, strong East and Northeast winds can push water from the Chesapeake Bay into the mouth of the York River and Mobjack Bay, flooding much of the county’s low-lying areas (MPPDC, 2005).

Hog island provides critical storm protection to an existing, well established Big Island Aquaculture company which relies on calm water for oyster growth.  The fetch originates as a direct easterly line from Western Sahara, Africa. Its south-facing shoreline is exposed to large waves coming from the Atlantic Ocean through the mouth of Chesapeake Bay as well as Bay-generated waves coming from the east and east-southeast. It is eroding at a high rate of -4 to -5 ft per year. The east and west-facing Hog Island shorelines along Monday Creek have lower fetch exposures (0.2 to 0.5 miles) and erosion rates of about - 1 ft/yr. The proposed living shoreline project protects a total of about 3,200 ft of low marsh shoreline and consists of 15 stacked concrete oyster structures and 12 concrete oyster structures. Proposed structures will be cast by NATRX ( Natrx Nature-Based Coastal Resilience Solutions  https://natrx.io/ ) using a patented Dry Forming™ technology which provides the ability to move from digital design to physical ExoForm™ structure within 1 day. Dry Forming enables the unprecedented ability to optimize and deliver ExoForms™ at scale. 

• Efficiently mass manufactured with patented digital manufacturing platform
• 7x faster production than additive printing techniques and lower cost than traditional product (e.g. rock, riprap, concrete) implementations
• Void design tailored to ensure local habitat thrives
• Up to 80% reduction in carbon footprint vs. traditional products
• Using data gathered from our SatTech analysis and other location-specific research, solution  design for ExoForm is custom to the project's habitat, climate, and project goals.

The structures will consist of 3 interlocking blocks that are 3 ft long, 3 feet wide and 2 ft high and will weigh about 1,000 lbs. The small concrete oyster structures will be 1.5 ft in each dimension and will weigh about 250 lbs. Each block will be 3D printed to include crevices for flushing and fauna-use, and the tops and sides will be irregular to assist oyster recruitment. The stacked concrete oyster structures will be placed 2 on the bottom and one on top in a line along the shore to form a nearshore reef that will extend to about +2.5 ft MLW. The crest elevation is just above mean high water to help reduce the effects of larger waves that affect the site during storms. They will be placed strategically at existing headlands and along the marsh between the headlands along the south-facing shoreline. Gaps are between 10 ft and 30 ft wide, purposefully minimized to reduce waves affecting the marsh between the structures. The structures range in length from 82 ft to 195 ft and will be placed on subaqueous bottom to maximize oyster colonization. The structures will be placed inshore of existing SAV so that no SAV will be impacted by the project. The small concrete structures will be placed along the marsh scarp at MLW on the east-facing shoreline. The oyster structures will be between 52 ft and 150 ft long with small gaps of 12 ft to 20 ft wide. Hog Island is only accessible by water. The concrete oyster structures will be brought in by barge.  Installation cost for this effort is anticipated to be significantly higher when bid due to the remote location and shallow water conditions at the site. Additionally with existing supply chain problems and cost of manufacturing products changing daily, the proposed budget is based on a range of linear feet possible given the complexity of the project. We estimate that 514 to 800 linear feet for the stacked structures (NOAA Funding) and 1,524 to 2400 linear feet for single structures (NFWF Funding) will result. Bid process will determine final negotiated outcomes and linear feet under each grant award.

Federal Funding:

$412,229

Project Contact:

Curt Smith; 804-758-2311; csmith@mppdc.com

Project Status:

2/1/2023 - 9/30/2023; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Hog Island Shoreline Restoration (PDF)

Project Summary:

Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission (MPPDC) staff procured a contractor to restore the shoreline of Hog Island in Gloucester County based on approved permit designs and requirements. This NOAA 306A restoration project for $427,200 ($415,195 for construction related activity) was matched with $20,000 from MPPDC general funds and leveraged the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Project #76171 titled Phase I: Hog Island Restoration project funded at $499,999.15 ($394,782 for construction related activity). Although the combined funds are slightly less than the approximate $900,000 in project restoration need, the combined funding should provide enough funding to complete the majority of the proposed restoration project. In addition, the two projects are completely separable as each project restored a particular linear footage. Two rows of Natrx units were deployed in parallel with a third unit centered and stacked on top.  Generally speaking, a single Natrx unit is 3 feet wide by 3 feet deep.   Using parallel and stacked deployment, overall, 711 linear feet (LF) of shoreline was protected, including 521 LF of shoreline using NOAA funds and 190 LF of using NFWF funds.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov or April.Bahen@deq.virginia.gov.

Project Task Number:                                                                

41

Grantee:

Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission 

Project Title:

A-NPDC Technical Assistance Program & Coastal Resiliency Planning 

Project Description:

The Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission (A-NPDC) serves two counties and 19 incorporated towns on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.  The Eastern Shore of Virginia is a 70-mile long peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay that has remained as one of the few remaining rural regions on the Atlantic seaboard despite consistent pressure from development. The region is unique for its vast wealth of coastal resources and natural-resource based economies. Around the turn of the 20^th Century in the years following the construction of a rail line that allowed for expedited shipping of agricultural and seafood products to larger urban markets, Accomack and Northampton Counties were noted as the two wealthiest agricultural counties in the nation. Following this thriving period the region’s population and economies regressed due to challenges in environmental sustainability and geographic isolation. While many other coastal communities have flourished along the Atlantic seaboard, the Eastern Shore continues to pursue opportunities and persevere against challenges facing its rural communities. The following activities proposed for the FY2019 Technical Assistance Program have been developed in a manner that will benefit the Eastern Shore as its communities work towards establishing a sustainable, viable, and prosperous future.

During FY2020, A-NPDC will offer coastal management training opportunities for local government staff, coordinate public education efforts, and continue to staff the Eastern Shore of Virginia Ground Water Committee. The Ground Water Committee, which has successfully managed the region’s EPA-designated sole source aquifers since 1990, are working to ensure a productive and sustainable future for Eastern Shore residents and the natural environment. The A-NPDC will work with local government and nonprofit partners to facilitate a native garden clean-up. Native plants offer protection for our local water supply and wildlife, yet the Native Gardens are not being maintained and taken care of. These native plants are often more resistant to insects and disease, requiring less to no fertilizing, which results in less to no run off or leaching; their need for less watering means conserving potable water supplies. These native plants are resistant to occasional salt-water stress and provide critical habitats and food for migratory birds and butterflies. Overall, these Native Gardens play a key role in preserving diversity, beauty, and function of the Eastern Shore’s natural ecosystems. 

Federal Funding:

$64,500 

Project Contact:

Jessica Steelman; 757.787.2936 x114; jsteelman@a-npdc.org  

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed  

Final Product:

A-NPDC Technical Assistance Program & Coastal Resiliency Planning (PDF)

Project Summary:

1) Coastal Management Training Report – 12/18/2020: A-NPDC Staff shared outreach education materials virtually; materials were developed and provided by TNC, VESLT, & Virginia Coast Reserve LTER. 12/2020: A-NPDC Staff educated and shared resources with the EDC on groundwater use, hydrogeologic framework, and USGS model. Staff is seeking county input on outreach material – Convenience Center Flyers – developed for residents to promote proper litter disposal. 2/25/2021: A-NPDC Staff presented at the NAI Region 2 conference on Collaboration, Education, & Virginia Water Trails, educating participants about the various collaborative tools developed and promoting ecotourism in coastal regions (40 participants, as reported by workshop facilitator). 4/6/2021 BMP Warehouse Use Training; 4/15/2021 River Management Society Symposium; 4/23/2021 RAFT Virtual Workshop; 5/18-5/19/2021 ESVA Business Resiliency Training; 6/4/2021 Coastal PDC Meeting.

2) Technical Assistance Outcomes Report – A-NPDC Staff continues to serve on local and state committees, including the ES Environmental Education Council, CAWG, Virginia’s Eastern Shore Conservation Alliance (VESCA), ES Watersheds Network, VCZM Coastal Policy Team, and Resilience Planning for Master Resilience Plan. A-NPDC staff continues to provide technical assistance to county residents as well; to date A-NPDC staff has provided T.A. to 38 requests. A-NPDC Staff participated in facilitation of Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce hosted Resiliency Roundtables across all business sectors. This was a 3-day event, with 5 roundtables; facilitation also included development/distribution of a survey, taskforce planning meetings, and development of quick reference guides (to be distributed once complete in April/May.)

3) Ground Water Committee Outcomes Report – The Ground Water Committee met October 2020, February, and March 2021. Discussion topics during these meetings were as follows: October – USGS logging efforts that took place in August, tTem surveying at the Persimmon Point Paleochannel, which was postponed until after hunting season, public nomination for the 2019 Ground Water Award, and election of FY2021 Committee Officers; February – Marshall-Johnson-Grapeland Complex facility in Northampton County Permit request, update from DEQ regarding the General Permit that was developed during the Eastern Shore Surficial Aquifer General Permit RAP, 2019 Toxics Release Inventory for the Eastern Shore, continued nomination period of 2019 and now 2020 Ground Water Awards; March – Marshall-Johnson-Grapeland permit, Q&A with HRSD regarding Exmore and the wastewater in Onancock, review of a Draft GWC Statement of Principal, ways to protect critical resources areas (formerly referred to as “the recharge spine”), recognition of 2019 and 2020 Ground Water Awards, and introduction of two (2) new Committee Members from Northampton County. The Ground Water Committee met in April, May, July, and September 2021. Discussion topics involved revision of the Statement of Principle, coordinating with Scott Kudlas of DEQ for support and input on the Statement of Principle; 2020 EM Logging Findings Presentation; further discussion and in-depth review of the Marshall-Grapeland Complex permit request; project and study priorities; water quality test clinics being facilitated by county agencies and Virginia Tech; review of the groundwater work plan; updates on the recharge spine (critical resource area) along the ESVA; discussion of the Tyson consent order; and actionable items the Ground Water Committee can take to further educate the region on water quality and the importance of protecting the sole source aquifer.

4) Eastern Shore Native Garden Revitalization – A-NPDC Staff has identified a native garden and initiated planning with outreach to stakeholders - Master Gardener’s and the Historic Onancock School where the garden is located. Due to unforeseen infrastructure obstacles, the planting of the native garden was unable to be completed. However, an old native garden that had been overtaken by invasive vines and weeds was rehabilitated and prepared for future planting of a native garden. Intentions to replant the native garden once the infrastructure for watering is in place have been discussed by the nonprofit partners and the A-NPDC staff.

5) GreenWorks Committee Report – A-NPDC staff has continued to attend Waste Watchers monthly meetings as acting Secretary, manage county funds, provide technical assistance, and develop educational goals. GreenWorks Committee met in January - discussion included review of past meeting minutes, highlighting how to access the Improper Disposal of Waste Impact Assessment, the Native Garden Revitalization special project and potential for collaborative effort to host a litter clean-up simultaneously or prior to, revamping and rebranding of the Waste Watchers initiative to breathe new life into the nonprofit. GreenWorks Committee collaborated with the Accomack County Department of Public Works, Accomack County Solid Waste Committee, and Northampton County staff to complete development of and distribute flyers for the Eastern Shore Convenience Centers. GreenWorks Committee staff coordinated with Accomack County Department of Public Works to inventory public access sites with and without trash barrels. The GreenWorks Committee staff planned and facilitated a town-wide cleanup in Exmore, VA for Clean the Bay Day in honor of the Great American Cleanup. The event was featured in the Eastern Shore Post on page 38.

6) Benefits Accrued from Prior CZM Grants Report – No activity to report; updates will be included in the final product report.

7) Regional Resiliency Coordination –CAWG convened virtually in January with 26 in attendance, including representatives from the VESLT, UVA/LTER, localities, USGS, VIMS ESL, etc. Over the following quarter, PDC staff worked with TNC staff to refine the projects identified in the resilience database. CAWG will meet again in the late summer. 4/15/2021 – A-NPDC Staff attended the Virginia Bay Enhancement Work Group. A-NPDC Staff made announcement to both Accomack and Northampton County Administrators as well as the Board of Commissioners of the PDC with regards to the CBPA Regulations and public comment.

8) Regional Resiliency Priorities – A cloud database (using Google Sheets) was created with fields that align with the Wetland Watch air table. It was supplied to CAWG partners for updates and to allow them to add resilience projects. 4/15/2021 – A-NPDC Staff attended the Virginia Bay Enhancement Work Group. A-NPDC Staff made announcement to both Accomack and Northampton County Administrators as well as the Board of Commissioners of the PDC with regards to the CBPA Regulations and public comment. CAWG convened in July to identify resiliency projects applicable for the Community Flood Preparedness Fund and to aid interested localities in learning how to apply for this funding and build capacity. Eight were accepted.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov or April.Bahen@deq.virginia.gov.

Project Task Number:                                                                 

42

Grantee:

Crater Planning District Commission 

Project Title:

Crater PDC Technical Assistance Program/ Advancing Ecosystem and Community Resilience in Virginia’s Coastal Zone 

Project Description:

This grant proposal includes the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Annual Technical Assistance Program products and year one products of the three year Virginia Coastal Zone Management Resiliency Focal Area Advancing Ecosystem and Community Resilience in Virginia’s Coastal Zone project.

Technical Assistance Program

Crater PDC staff will work with the Commission’s  established Environmental Resources Management Task Force comprised of the planning directors of the Crater Planning District to carry out this Technical Assistance program.

The Commission staff will assist tidewater communities within its region with environmental impact reviews, provide technical assistance, coordination, training, and staff support to the Friends of the Lower Appomattox River (FOLAR).

Crater PDC staff will continue work under this proposal in concert with the Friends of the Lower Appomattox River (FOLAR). Staff will continue looking into developing an invasive plant task force as a volunteer initiative along the Appomattox Regional Trail (ART) that could become the catalyst for positive environmental change by supporting reforestation efforts to preserve the native tree canopy, protecting it from invasive vines, preventing the spread of invasive underbrush, and replanting or restoring native habitat.

Community Resilience (year 1 of 3)

The purpose of this project is to improve regional capacity at the Planning District Commissions (PDCs) for resilience planning; to support local, regional, and state efforts; and to develop and implement new projects and policies.  Collaboration with the other seven coastal zone PDCs streamlines the development of procedures and products and will lead to synergic results for the most efficient and effective use of funds.  Since resilience means different things to different communities and regions, this scope includes common tasks across PDCs (4 base tasks) and allows for PDCs to focus on local priority concerns (PDC-specific tasks).  In general, each task will be worked on in each year to initiate, fully develop, and implement the tasks. 

As a newcomer to resiliency planning, Crater PDC will  begin to focus on the four basic tasks:

1. Establish a regional resiliency stakeholder group and conduct at least two (2) annual stakeholder meetings.
2. Identify regional resiliency needs, such as data gaps, local capacity, etc., and establish regional resilience priorities (such as identifying areas to protect/relocate/adapt, natural resource protection, planning for migration of flora and fauna, etc.) and potential projects. 
3. Support the development of the CZM resilience database by providing feedback on structure, usability, and procedures based on local and regional needs, project priorities, and a list of regional projects and data on those projects.

Participate in development of Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan by attending meetings and providing information to state entities. 

Federal Funding:

$64,500 

Project Contact:

James Ruffa, II; 804.861.1666; jruffa@craterpdc.org 

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed 

Final Product:

Crater Planning District Commission Technical Assistance Grant Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

(1) Environmental Impact review Comments

Crater PDC Staff processed multiple environmental impact reviews for local, state, and federal projects.

(2) Report of Coastal Meetings

CPDC held successful coordination/training meetings for stakeholders on March 17, 2021, May 19, 2021, and June 25, 2021. The September 15, 2021 meeting had to be rescheduled because of presenter conflict to October 19, 2021 but was held on that date.

(3) Coastal Training

Cater PDC hosted/attended four training events 1. FOLAR State of the Trail Third Annual Jurisdictional Stakeholder Engagement for the Appomattox River Trail (virtual) 2. Training on the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan Framework by Anne Phillips. 3.New Legislation Overview and Training by Denise Nelson Berkley Group. 4. Utility Scale Solar and onsite large medium scale battery backup Powhatan facility tour. 5. Social Equity/Environmental Justice Training, by Celeste Green of the Berkley Group

(4) Friends of the Lower Appomattox River

Crater PDC staff continued to provide technical support to FOLAR. This included FOLAR bi-monthly Board Meetings (02/17/2021, 04/21/2021). Crater PDC staff provided technical and GIS mapping support for updates to master plan maps, used to reflect progress in trail development. Crater staff also provided help and support for the two year update to the Appomattox River Trail Guide.

(5)  Benefits Accrued from Prior CZM Grants

Crater PDC staff continued to track benefits accrued, including how the Lower Appomattox Trail Master Plan has been utilized and updated to its current form, which has led to work in 2021 developing the Lower Appomattox Blueway Plan.

(6)  Regional Resiliency Coordination

Crater PDC held a successful coordination meeting for resilience stakeholders on March 17, 2021 to kick off the project, discuss resiliency needs, and define what resilience means in the region.

(7)  Regional Resiliency Priorities

Crater PDC is working with stakeholders to identify regional resiliency needs, such as data gaps, local capacity, etc. and establish regional resilience priorities. The needs and priorities will be shared for discussion at the June 2022 meeting.

(8)  Resilience Database Support

Crater PDC reviewed the state database format and content, and plans to provide a list of projects at a future date.

(9)  Coastal Resilience Master Plan

Crater PDC participated in the Virginia Coastal Master Plan Framework release meeting November 4, 2020. Also, Crater PDC participated in TAC meetings on December 14, 2020, February 26, 2021, April 4, 2021, June 22, 2021, September 2, 2021, and November 7, 2021. Crater PDC participated in Community Outreach Subcommittee meetings on February 19, 20210, March 11, 2021, April 7, 2021, April 28, 2021, June 1, 2021, and June 23, 2021.

Lastly, Crater PDC participated in Project Identification Subcommittee meetings on February 23, 2021, March 23, 2021, April 6, 2021, April 27,2021, May 25, 2021, June 7, 2021, and June 22, 2021.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                 

43

Grantee:

Hampton Roads Planning District Commission 

Project Title:

Hampton Roads Coastal Resources Management Technical Assistance Program 

Project Description:

The HRPDC staff will assist the seventeen (17) member local governments of the Hampton Roads Planning District, other public entities, and non-governmental organizations and entities on coastal and other environmental issues, including coastal resilience. This project is a continuation of activities undertaken by the HRPDC through the VCZMP over the last twenty years. The HRPDC staff will perform the following general coastal resources management tasks:

1. Environmental Impact Review

   This includes review and comment on EIA/EIS and Federal Consistency Determinations/Certifications affecting Hampton Roads, including coordination of local responses if needed.

2. Public Information, Education, and Training

   This includes maintaining VCZMP-related information on the HRPDC website. Presentations to governmental and non-governmental organizations will be made on request. This component also covers monthly status reports and/or briefings to the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, the Regional Environmental Committee, and the Coastal Resiliency Committee. The HRPDC will also conduct or host at least six (6) training programs or activities for local government staff. Generally, while meetings and training activities are targeted toward serving local government staff, most are also open or available to the public. 

3. Regional Coordination Process

   The regional coordination process involves all seventeen (17) member local governments, associated towns, five (5) Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Hampton Roads Sanitation District, and several state and federal agencies. It addresses core elements of the VCZMP, Chesapeake Bay Program, and other state and federal programs. This component includes participation by the HRPDC staff in the Coastal PDC Committee, Coastal Policy Team, and other state and federal environmental initiatives. The Regional Coordination Process is integral to all of the program components, linking them into a comprehensive environmental planning program.

4. Regional Special Projects/Technical Studies

   This includes the development of policy and technical analysis or projects related to environmental and coastal issues. Specific studies will be determined in cooperation with local governments.

5. Technical Assistance

This includes providing information, data, and technical assistance to help localities or other entities (including state and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations) with comprehensive planning, ordinance updates, or other technical needs related to coastal resources management. 

Resiliency:

In addition, the HRPDC will continue efforts to enhance local and regional resilience through coordination with local, state, and federal governments and development of policy and analysis products. The HRPDC has been working on resilience initiatives for over ten (10) years, several of which were supported by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program. Other regional efforts, including the creation of the HRPDC’s Coastal Resilience program, have been supported through local contributions and agreements. Tasks supported through this grant will include continuation of the region’s coastal resilience coordination process, contribution to CZM and statewide resilience efforts, including the Coastal Zone Resilience Projects Database and Coastal Resilience Master Plan, and assistance to local governments on resilience issues.

To the degree feasible, the HRPDC will document program measures consistent with the NOAA Performance Measurement System. This will include numbers of individuals participating in the various educational components and discussion of local ordinances, plans, policies and acquisitions being considered.

Federal Funding:

$99,000 

Project Contact:

Benjamin McFarlane; 757.420.8300; bmcfarlane@hrpdcva.gov 

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed 

Final Product:

Hampton Roads Coastal Resources Management Technical Assistance Program Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

This report describes the technical assistance program conducted by the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission during FY 2020-2021 through its Coastal Resources Management Technical Assistance Program. This program encompasses environmental impact review, participation in state and federal programs, coordination of regional environmental programs addressing environmental issues, public information and education, and technical assistance to Hampton Roads localities. It describes the technical work, comment letters, outreach materials, and associated materials generated and used in assisting the region’s seventeen local governments, supporting the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (VCZMP), and working with the other Planning District Commissions in the Coastal Zone. 

Environmental Impact Review – Comments were provided on one (1) federal consistency determination and one other transportation project study.

Participation in State and Federal Programs – The HRPDC staff represents the region on several state and federal technical advisory committees. The HRPDC staff continued to participate in the Coastal PDC Committee and Coastal Policy Team.

Regional Coordination Process – The HRPDC staff facilitates regional advisory committees addressing a variety of coastal and environmental issues. During this grant period, the Regional Environmental Committee met ten (10) times.

Public Information and Education – The HRPDC staff maintained information on its website and provided regular briefings to local elected officials, local governing bodies, and to professional and civic organizations.

Regional Technical Studies – The HRPDC staff completed three studies and projects: a flood events and flood insurance claims dashboard, development of climate-informed precipitation design storms, and a story map on building first floor elevations.

Technical Assistance – The HRPDC staff assisted local government staff, consultants, businesses, and citizen environmental organizations on environmental and planning issues on request.

Benefits Accrued from Prior CZM Grants – As a result of the coastal resiliency work the HRPDC staff has completed with CZM support, the HRPDC has built and continues to maintain a growing collection of elevation certificates that support local resiliency and floodplain management initiatives.

Regional Resiliency Coordination – During this grant period, the Coastal Resiliency Committee met four (4) times.

Coastal Zone Resilience Database Support – The HRPDC staff maintained its regional resiliency dashboard and project database and provided access to that database to the VCZMP and the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan effort.

Coastal Resiliency Master Plan Development – The HRPDC staff supported the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan by participating on the Technical Advisory Committee and its subcommittees and providing feedback on plan products.

Identification of Regional Resilience Priorities and Needs – The HRPDC staff, Coastal Resiliency Committee, and HRPDC board identified several key data needs and changes to public policies for consideration by localities and the state.

The report will be made available online at the HRPDC’s website: https://www.hrpdcva.gov

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                 

44

Grantee:

Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission 

Project Title:

MPPDC Technical Assistance Program 

Project Description:

MPPDC’s Coastal Resources Technical Assistance Program provides the necessary administrative framework to assist rural coastal local governments across the Middle Peninsula with access to enhanced coastal zone management tools and techniques that balance economic development with protecting coastal resources.  

For FY 20, additional tasks related to Coastal Resiliency have been added.  MPPDC staff will build upon previous resilience activities and continue to promote coastal resilience solutions at the local level, which is critical to maintaining and preserving Virginia’s coastal resources. Specifically, the MPPDC Coastal TA program has provided the basis for the development of several key resilience programs (MPPDC Fight The Flood Program, MPPDC Living Shoreline Revolving Loan Fund, MPPDC Beneficial Placement of Dredged Material Program) that will be built upon with the proposed activities. MPPDC anticipates advancing the status of its resilience program from focusing on planning activities to focusing primarily on implementing existing plans and developing new programmatic- based solutions. MPPDC staff will provide technical assistance and coordination to member local governments while also serving as liaisons to state and federal agencies in charge of developing new resiliency policies and regulations.    The focus of the additional deliverables is to improve regional capacity for resilience planning. Support to local, regional, state and private efforts will be provided to assist with the development and implementation of new projects, policies, and solutions including financial, technical and entrepreneurial.  Work will be centered on the delivery of resiliency solutions for recurrent flooding, sea-level rise, storm surge and subsidence while emphasizing the protection of water quality.

For the federal FY 20 grant, the work program will consist of 7 distinct products: 

• Coastal Management Analysis and Policy Support (TA-1);
• Local and State Planning Coordination (TA-2);
• MP CBPAA Work Plan & Support for Online Facility Reservation system (TA-3);
• Regional Resiliency Coordination (Resiliency Focal Area – 1);
• CZM Resilience Database Support (RFA-2);
• Resilient Wastewater System Design Research (RFA-3);
• Resiliency Special Project – Fight the Flood Resilience Industry Accelerator Program Expansion (RFA-4); and

Benefits Accrued from Ongoing and Prior CZM Grants (TA-4) 

Federal Funding:

$64,500 

Project Contact:

Lewie Lawrence; 804.758.2311; llawrence@mppdc.com 

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed 

Final Product:

MPPDC CZM Technical Assistance and Resilience Program Final Report (PDF)
Fight the Flood List (Excel file)

Project Summary:

The Technical Assistance Program, funded through the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, provides Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission (MPPDC) staff the opportunity to create and implement adaptive management techniques, enhance communication between local, regional, and state stakeholders, and inform planning decisions by local, regional, and state coastal managers.

Middle Peninsula localities rely annually on MPPDC staff to provide professional and technical coastal zone management planning assistance on national, regional, and local coastal issues and policy and legislative changes that impact how the issues are addressed. Over the past year, the MPPDC has made significant strides in providing education and assistance on issues such as the regional impacts of COVID-19, resiliency, nature-based flood mitigation solutions, and dredging. For the Federal FY20 grant, there were seven tasks outlined and completed under the work program:

Coastal Management Analysis and Policy Support. MPPDC staff provided coastal management support to local government elected officials, chief administrative officers for local governments, local planning staff, local planning commissions and wetlands board staff. MPPDC staff worked to advance the regional Fight the Flood (FTF) Program that aims to connect property owners facing rising flood waters with tools and funding, including specialized businesses who can help evaluate, design, and build flood resiliency solutions. MPPDC staff consulted with local businesses to participate in the program and worked with local homeowners to connect them with financial tools available through the FTF.

Local and State Planning Coordination. MPPDC staff attended, convened, and participated in various monthly and quarterly meetings with local government level planners, government administrators, and other appropriate government and NGO committees to assist with improved coastal planning. These meetings help inform decisions at a local and regional level.

Middle Peninsula Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority (MPCBPAA) Work Plan & Support for Online Facility Reservation System. MPPDC staff assisted the MPCBPAA in implementation of their annual work plan. Three meetings were held throughout the year. In conjunction to meeting, MPPDC staff contracted with Consociate Media to launch the Virginia Coastal Wilds website; staff worked on a bid packet for a pier on the Captain Sinclair Recreational Area Property; MPPDC staff helped to launch the Bay Direct app to serve as a virtual marketplace for local food; and staff partnered with VA Sea Grant and Go Virginia to launch a Rural Coastal Challenges competition.

Regional Resiliency Coordination. MPPDC staff participated in the development and management of the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan through TAC committee and sub-committee meetings. MPPDC staff also provided standing monthly meetings for localities to discuss regional resiliency issues and to provide trainings on resilience topics.

CZM Resilience Database Support. MPPDC staff shared the Middle Peninsula Fight the Flood Program database with CZM which included 51 potential resiliency projects within the region.

Special Project – Fight the Flood Program. MPPDC launched the Fight the Flood program in March 2021 to connect citizens experiencing flooding and erosion issues on public and private property to specialist contractors offering resiliency or mitigation solutions. The program also connects private needs to viable funding sources. For instance, MPPDC submitted 39 applications amounting to over $2.5 M to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund.

Benefits Accrued from Prior CZM Grants. MPPDC contracted with Consociate Media to develop an ongoing strategic outreach and awareness initiative to inform localities and stakeholders of the PDC’s work and the benefits of the CZM program. 

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov  

A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov or April.Bahen@deq.virginia.gov.

Project Task Number:                                                                 

45

Grantee:

Northern Neck Planning District Commission 

Project Title:

Northern Neck Planning District Commission Technical Assistance and Advancing Ecosystem and Community Resilience 

Project Description:

Technical Assistance

NNPDC staff will assist the four (4) member local governments of the Northern Neck Planning District, six (6) towns, other public entities and non-governmental organizations on coastal and other environmental issues, including coastal resilience. This project is a continuation of activities undertaken by the NNPDC through the Virginia CZM Program over the last twenty+ years. NNPDC staff will perform the following coastal management tasks:

1. Provide coastal management support to local governments, planning commissions, local planning staff, as well as the Northern Neck Land Conservancy (NNLC), the Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR), the Northern Neck Soil and Water Conservation District (NNSWCD), and other regional environmental organizations. NNPDC staff will provide technical assistance when needed to local governments, GIS analysis of land development proposals, land conversion and land use plans, as well as maps of wetlands, aerial photographs, elevation and/or topographic features.
2. Support local planning, staff education, training and coordination through quarterly Coastal Managers Meetings and four local government Training Sessions. Meetings and Training Sessions will invite staff from local governments and planning organizations to include Land Use and Zoning Administrators, Planners and other stakeholders. Training sessions will be targeted to assist localities in better managing coastal resources and improving water quality, and may be conducted by Federal, State or Not for Profit entities.
3. Continue to manage the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Program for home elevations through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and Federal Emergency Management Agency. The NNPDC assists homeowners to mitigate future storm damage to homes in low-lying or flood-prone areas. This program enhances resiliency for small coastal communities in the Northern Neck.
4. Continue to update the Northern Neck Green website (NNKgreen.org), a regional portal designed as the go-to place for all topics environmental, relevant to the Northern Neck of Virginia. It is maintained with the active participation and contribution from many of the region’s organizations that are dedicated to making the most out of our air, land, and water. Coordination with stakeholders and efforts to increase traffic to the site will continue.
5. Coordinate with stakeholders to conduct the Resilience Adaptation Feasibility Tool (RAFT) assessment for the four (4) counties and six (6) towns of the Northern Neck.  The Northern Neck RAFT will consist of a comprehensive community resilience assessment that utilizes community engagement strategies to develop resilience planning and implementation capacity.  The NNPDC will engage closely with localities and local stakeholders to develop resilience action checklists and will coordinate with the RAFT team to implement the resilience actions identified.
6. Complete a special project educating landowners on the benefits of land conservation, particularly forest lands.  The conservation of land in the Northern Neck is a key strategy to meet water quality and natural resource management goals in the region. The special project will consist of a workshop with topics to include land conservation, natural resources planning, land transfer, and legacy planning.

Create a report that highlights the benefits that have accrued during the grant period based on previous Virginia CZM Grants. 

Federal Funding:

$64,500 

Project Contact:

John Bateman; 804.313.8478; jbateman@nnpdc17.state.va.us 

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed

Final Product:

NNPDC Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program Technical Assistance Grant Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

NNPDC staff provided coastal management support to local governments, planning commissions, Northern Neck Land Conservancy, Northern Neck Soil and Water Conservation District, Northern Neck Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority, watershed commissions, and other environmental and conservation groups in the region. Support provided includes environmental assessment review, project development, GIS analysis, mapping services, intergovernmental review and planning to assess coastal issues. Other support included resiliency planning, grant writing and project implementation assistance, NFIP and CRS coordination, water quality planning, and coordinating regional initiatives with eco-tourism and coastal resource dependent industries. NNPDC staff held multiple virtual local planning, training and coordination events that focused on coastal community resiliency, coastal hazard mitigation, coastal resource management and water quality. Coordination and training events were attended by various stakeholders including local planning and land use staff, regional planning staff, local stakeholders and were conducted in collaboration with Federal, State and Not for Profit entities. NNPDC staff acted as network administrator for the Northern Neck Green website and provided technical information to maintain the site and keep it up to date and generate new content. NNPDC staff administered the Northern Neck Flood Hazard Mitigation Program to elevate homes out of the floodplain and are currently working to elevate homes in Essex County, have received funding to elevate homes in the Northern Neck, and have applications pending for additional homes in the Northern Neck and Essex. NNPDC staff continues to provide information about the program for homeowners interested in elevating their homes. NNPDC staff facilitated local participation in the RAFT, a years-long planning and implementation process designed to build local resilience. In all, eight localities actively participated in the RAFT, and outcomes included the organization of local resilience stakeholder groups and the development and implementation of local resilience action priorities. NNPDC staff promoted local landowner participation in a land conservation and legacy planning workshop series designed to provide resources and tools to landowners to preserve the environmental and conservation legacies of their land. NNPDC staff have identified benefits accrued from products completed under previous VACZM grants which will be enumerated in the final report. NNPDC staff, through VCZMP resilience focal area funding, helped build regional resiliency coordination among its member localities, local, state, and federal stakeholders, and residents. NNPDC staff, through VCZMP resilience focal area funding, helped develop local and regional resiliency priorities. NNPDC staff, through VCZMP resilience focal area funding, helped VCZMP develop a resilience database and populate it with local planning and project priorities. NNPDC staff, through VCZMP resilience focal area funding, supported the development and implementation of the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan.  

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                 

46

Grantee:

Northern Virginia Regional Commission 

Project Title:

NVRC Coastal Resources Technical Assistance Program and Resiliency Focal Area 

Project Description:

This proposal consists of two main sections; 1) the NVRC Coastal Technical Assistance Program, and 2) Resilience Focal Area: Utilizing Planning District Commissions to Advance Ecosystem and Community Resilience in Virginia’s Coastal Zone. 

1. Technical Assistance Program

   The Technical Assistance grants provided by the Coastal Zone Management program have been critical in supporting coastal-related technical assistance to Northern Virginia localities since 1992.  NVRC serves as an entity that promotes coordination among all government agencies in Northern Virginia, which administer enforceable laws, regulations and policies that protect our coastal resources. For FY20, the Northern Virginia Regional Commission proposes the following efforts to continue the promotion of sustainable management of the coastal zone in Northern Virginia.

   Local Coordination and Training

   NVRC will convene four (4) workshops or meetings, including at least four (4) trainings on topics of local interest and/or that promote collaborative measures for discussing or addressing CZM interests.  These topics may include shoreline management, rain gardens, climate change adaptation, new policies and procedures, living shorelines, green infrastructure planning, stormwater best management practices, and other relevant topics. Additionally, NVRC staff will participate in ongoing local and regional forums, including the Potomac Watershed Roundtable and the Northern Virginia Salt Management Strategy.

   EIS/EIR/ER and Permit Reviews

   NVRC will continue to review and respond to environmental impact statements and reviews for consistency with local, regional, and state interests. 

   Special Project

   Since 2003, NVRC has managed the Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners Regional Social Marketing Campaign.  Technical assistance funds will continue to support the overall administration of this project, including the acquisition of leveraged funding from partners, the development of social media content, website content and promotional materials, and procurement of contractual services such as social media management, cable advertising and post campaign surveys. 

   An annual survey will be conducted through online polls to better understand the level of awareness of Northern Virginians on pollution-causing behaviors and to what degree the campaign messages encourages them to act and change their behaviors.  These results will continue to inform the messages placed in campaign advertisements including the campaign website - onlyrain.org, public service announcements on social media platforms, and other multi-media promotional materials. 

   Benefits Accrued from prior CZM grants

   The Technical Assistance grant from the Virginia CZMP provides an opportunity to leverage the efforts and funds of multiple partners that extend the impact of the investment. NVRC will track the amount of funds that are leveraged by our partners during this grant period and report this to the CZM Program.

2. Focal Area- Utilizing Planning District Commissions to Advance Ecosystem and Community Resilience in Virginia’s Coastal Zone   

The second goal of this proposal is to improve the long-term capacity for community resilience planning and support local, regional, and state efforts to develop and implement new projects and policies. The funding requested in this proposal will allow all eight coastal planning districts to support local governments to advance resiliency plans and ensure the coastal zone of Virginia is equipped with knowledge, tools, and policies to bounce back and adaptively manage for the future.  For FY20, the Northern Virginia Regional Commission proposes the following efforts as initial actions within CZM’s overall 3-year Resiliency Focal Area strategy;

Regional Coordination for Resilience Planning

During FY20, NVRC will continue to coordinate the Northern Virginia Climate Resiliency Team (NVCRT). The NVCRT was created during an FY18 CZMP grant. The NVCRT is a working group of stakeholders from across the region that meets quarterly to share information on best practices and increase local capacity around critical infrastructure, such as filling data gaps on projected scenarios. Continued coordination of this group will also allow NVRC to provide support to the development of the Coastal Resilience Database as well as the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan.

Coastal Resilience Database Support

A recommendation from the Virginia CZM Program’s 2016-2020 Section 309 Coastal Hazards Strategy is to develop a coastal resiliency database to identify proposed resilience-building projects. The goal of this database is to provide a tool that helps position Virginia to obtain grants from various funding sources, and to develop an understanding of where resilience-building projects are being planned to inform a more comprehensive and strategic approach to coastal resilience.

To move this action forward, Wetlands Watch was granted funds from VA CZMP to design a database with the flexibility to connect projects with applicable funding streams, identify potential collaboration between stakeholders, and identify priority areas based on a range of initiatives, including the recently announced ConserveVA, the beneficial use of dredged materials, and NNBF analysis.

One of the conclusions from the Wetlands Watch grant was that populating the database requires soliciting a significant amount of staff time from local government officials.  Funding for this product will allow NVRC to work with local officials in Northern Virginia to populate the database and deliver specific data on projects in the region.

Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan Development

In 2018, Governor Northam directed The Chief Resilience Officer, with the assistance of the Special Assistant to the Governor for Coastal Adaptation and Protection, to create and implement a Coastal Resilience Master Plan for coastal Virginia to reduce the impacts of tidal and storm surge flooding. Among other things, the plan will incorporate all ongoing planned and proposed federal, state, and local projects and infrastructure to reduce tidal and storm surge flooding and flood risk. In developing the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan, the Chief Resilience Officer, with the assistance of the Special Assistant to the Governor for Coastal Adaptation and Protection, shall consult with many stakeholders including local governments and Regional Planning District Commissions. The funding from this proposal would allow NVRC to coordinate with Governor’s Resiliency Task Force and participate in in development Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan, including attending meetings and providing information to state entities as needed.

Identification of Local Needs in the Northern Virginia Region

Governor Northam also directed the Special Assistant to the Governor for Coastal Adaptation and Protection, to provide guidance to assist local governments with respect to regional or statewide sea level rise projections and work collaboratively to ensure these projections are useful for local decision-making. In developing this guidance, the Chief Resilience Officer shall consult with localities and planning district commissions and identify regional resiliency needs, such as data gaps, local capacity, etc. The funding requested for this task will allow NVRC to assist with identifying needs in the Northern Virginia region.

Federal Funding:

$64,500 

Project Contact:

Rebecca Murphy; 703.642.4625; rmurphy@novaregion.org 

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed 

Final Product:

NVRC Coastal Resources Technical Assistance Program & Resiliency Focal Area Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

The Technical Assistance grant from CZM allows NVRC’s Coastal Resources Management Program to conduct outreach and education on coastal issues, coordinate regional programs that advance CZM’s interests in coastal resource management, and serve as a point of technical information exchange for local planning involving coastal issues. The Technical Assistance grant also allows NVRC to support CZM through membership on the VA Coastal Policy Team, participation in the quarterly Coastal PDC meetings, semi-annual Coastal Policy Team meetings, Coastal Partners Workshop, and other regional initiatives that involve coastal issues. Outcomes of the FY 20 grant included participation in working groups and teams to coordinate and exchange ideas on topics that are relevant to the coastal zone. NVRC staff participated, coordinated, or provided technical assistance in support of the following trainings and meetings: Coastal Planning District Commissions Planning Meetings, Virginia Coastal Policy Team Meetings, and five resiliency focused webinars.

NVRC also coordinated the Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners (CWP) program to educate the public about the impact of stormwater runoff on water quality and change human behaviors through a Regional Stormwater Education Campaign. From July 2020 through June 2021, educational messages aired on 24 English language cable TV networks, and five Spanish language networks a total of 5,156 times resulting in 771,115 household impressions. The CWP website www.onlyrain.org was updated and received 9,662 unique visits. As a new strategy in 2020, a social media campaign was implemented. Since July 1, 2020, the Facebook page has gathered 271 page likes, 275 fans, and reached 1,360,699 people. The Twitter page has gained: 81,066 impressions, 1,220 total engagements, 105 post link clicks, and 77 followers. A follow-up survey of 500 Northern Virginia residents indicated that using social media to conduct outreach is an effective way to reach residents, and there continues to be a need to educate residents about stormwater pollution. A summary of the campaign is on the CWP website (https://www.novaregion.org/408/Clean-Water-Partners). The Regional Stormwater Education Campaign was initiated in 2003 to assist localities in leveraging funds to achieve common goals regarding stormwater education and outreach and promote consistent messages. This grant allows this program to continue with matching contributions amounting to approximately $1,400,000 since 2007.

For the Resilience Focal Area, NVRC completed the following efforts:

Regional Coordination for Resilience Planning: NVRC staff serve on the Infrastructure Advisory Group for the Fairfax County Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Plan and help to share relevant information about the VCRMP and other state level initiatives. NVRC staff developed the NOVA Flood Mitigation and Resiliency Workgroup and hosted a meeting on October 29, 2021.

Coastal Resilience Database: NVRC staff engaged with local government stakeholders on identifying resilience projects.  NVRC staff is participating in a coastal study, being led by the US Army Corps of Engineers, that has identified several preliminary projects that will improve community resiliency in vulnerable areas of the region.

Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan Development: NVRC staff assisted with the development of the VCRMP by participating in the Technical Advisory Committee and two subcommittees.

Identification of Local Needs: NVRC staff continued meeting with local stormwater planners and engineers to discuss challenges related to flooding from extreme precipitation. NVRC partnered with VDEM to develop a scope of work to set up a central database for a network of precipitation monitoring stations across the region to track heavy downpours. The scope of work was submitted for funding under the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness fund and recently awarded to complete the work in 2022.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov  

Project Task Number:                                                                 

47

Grantee:

George Washington Regional Commission 

Project Title:

George Washington Regional Commission Technical Assistance and Advancing Ecosystem and Community Resilience 

Project Description:

This grant proposal includes annual Technical Assistance and the first year of the three-year Advancing Ecosystem and Community Resilience project.

Technical Assistance

The project offers three components to provide technical assistance and planning support to the local governments of the George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC) service area: 1) Training and Coordination Activities; 2) the Flood Risk Communication Program special project; and 3) benefits accrued from prior Coastal Zone Management Program (CZM) grants.

1. Training and Coordination within GWRC, among the other coastal PDCs, and with the Coastal Policy Team will continue. GWRC proposes to support CZM through the following activities:
   1. Quarterly meetings (at a minimum), which will include at least four training events, for the Regional Environmental Managers Technical Committee.
   2. Participation in quarterly Coastal PDC coordination meetings with CZM staff, attendance at semi-annual CZM Coastal Policy Team meetings, and attendance at the two-day fall CZM Coastal Partners Workshop.
   3. Report out on common themes, challenges and opportunities, at least twice a year, to the jurisdictions’ monthly meeting of Chief Administrative Officers and other community leaders.
   4. Expand the Regional Environmental Managers Technical Committee presence on the GWRC website to include meeting minutes and toolbox items submitted by committee members to facilitate greater knowledge and use of best practices.
   5. Compliance with the program and financial reporting requirements incumbent with the grant award.
       
2. The Flood Risk Communication Program special project (“Project”) will align with the FEMA update to Flood Insurance Rate Maps in the region. As of February 2020, the City of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County have open studies to update their flood plain maps. The Project will include:
   1. Three stakeholder meetings to kick off the project, work through the Communication Plan Guide, and introduce the resources.
   2. Recommendations for adding resources to the websites and social media feeds of local governments and major stakeholders.
   3. Coordination with FEMA and the Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) on the timeline and activities related to updating Flood Insurance Rate Maps in the region.
       
      1. GWRC will report on benefits accrued from prior CZM grants, including reporting on strategic plan progress and supporting the continuation of the Plant Central Rappahannock Natives Campaign by hosting two (2) semi-annual meetings, storing campaign materials, and supporting other activities as needed.

Advancing Ecosystem and Community Resilience

The purpose of this project is to improve regional capacity by collaborating with the other seven coastal zone Planning District Commissions (PDCs) for resilience planning to support local, regional, and state efforts; and to develop and implement new projects and policies. Since resilience means different things to different communities and regions, this scope includes common tasks across PDCs (4 base tasks) and allows for PDCs to focus on local priority concerns (PDC-specific tasks). As a newcomer to resiliency planning, GWRC will focus on four base tasks in FY2020:

1. Establish a regional resiliency stakeholder group and conduct at least two annual stakeholder meetings.
2. Identify regional resiliency needs, such as data gaps, local capacity, etc., and establish regional resilience priorities (such as identifying areas to protect/relocate/adapt, natural resource protection, planning for migration of flora and fauna, etc.) and potential projects.
3. Support the development of the CZM resilience database by providing feedback on structure, usability, and procedures based on local and regional needs, project priorities, and a list of regional projects and data on those projects.

Participate in development of Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan, including attending meetings, and providing information to state entities, as necessary. 

Federal Funding: 

$64,500 

Project Contact:

Kate Gibson; 540.642.1579; gibson@gwregion.org 

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed 

Final Product:

GWRC Coastal Zone Management Technical Assistance Program Report FY2020 Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

GWRC participated in Coastal Planning District Commission (PDC) meetings/conference calls and Coastal Policy Team meetings on December 18, January 28, March 30, June 24, and July 16, in addition to numerous smaller meetings and communications. 

GWRC staff hosted bimonthly meetings of the Regional Environmental Managers Technical Committee, four of which were dedicated to technical assistance trainings and two of which were used for trainings and discussion of resilience topics. The meetings were hosted on November 11, January 19, March 16, May 18, July 20, and September 21. The trainings encompassed overviews of water quality laws and regulations, information on various grants including the Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF) and the Clean Water Financing and Assistance Program, erosion and sediment control program audits, training on CZM enforceable policies, flood risk communications outreach, social equity and environmental justice, sea level rise and associated data, FEMA flood maps, and discussions of the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan (VCRMP). 

GWRC staff is seeking to extend the Flood Risk Communication Program project to next year’s CZM grant and incorporate lessons learned from presentations and collaboration with Hampton Roads PDC, FEMA, and Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). GWRC staff and partners intend to complete milestones before the next Virginia Flood Awareness Week in March. 

GWRC staff and consultants hosted semi-annual meetings of the Plant Central Rappahannock Natives (PCRN) campaign on February 23 and August 24. GWRC also coordinated meetings of the Maintenance Team for the CZM-funded native plant demonstration garden at Cedell Brooks, Jr. Park on March 25 and September 30. 

GWRC used the 2020 Environmental Services Strategic Plan to create regionally-specific deliverables for the WIP III 2022 contract and the proposal for the 2021 CZM contract. The Strategic Plan was also instrumental in creating the GWRC Resilience Plan for CFPF, which was approved by DCR. GWRC has assisted localities in prioritizing needs and is encouraging localities to apply for Round 3 funding and to develop their own resilience plans using GWRC’s resources.

GWRC added projects to the CZM Project database and participated in the VCRMP Technical Assistance Committee (TAC) and subcommittee meetings. Projects that were added to the CZM Project database also fed into the VCRMP database.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov  

A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov or April.Bahen@deq.virginia.gov.

Project Task Number:                                                               

48

Grantee:

Richmond Regional Planning District Commission 

Project Title:

Richmond Regional Technical Assistance and Resiliency 

Project Description:

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

The Richmond Regional Planning District Commission will provide policy and planning assistance to member localities as follows:

1. Coordination & Training Meetings

   RRPDC staff will host quarterly meetings of local staff representatives who work with coastal resource management issues.  These meetings will provide both training and coordination opportunities for attendees.

2. Natural Resource Protection Campaign Support

   RRPDC staff will support natural resource protection campaigns in the Richmond region in cooperation with member localities and other partners through project management, research, planning, and public outreach.   This effort has been identified by staff and commissioners of the RRPDC as an area of growth for the Environmental program at the RRPDC.  There are 2 existing campaigns that RRPDC staff intend to support through work associated with these grant funds. 

   • Don’t Trash Central Virginia Litter Prevention Campaign
   • Virginia Oyster Shell Recycling Program
3. Below the Falls

   RRPDC staff will continue the Below the Falls project for a third year.  The project is focused on use conflict and resiliency concerns along a stretch of the James River corridor.  The Below the Falls project study area coincides with the James River Association’s Regional Rivers Plan Below the Falls of the James and Lower James areas in the RRPDC: City of Richmond and the Counties of Charles City Chesterfield, and Henrico. 

   In the third year of funding, proposed with this grant, RRPDC staff will continue maintenance of the project website, continue development of project ArcGIS StoryMaps or issue white papers, and discuss how and if to fold this project into the Resiliency planning components proposed for funding with this and possible future grant funding. 

4. Benefits Accrued from Prior CZM Grants

RRPDC staff will summarize how projects funded by CZM grants in the past have produced measurable benefits.

RESILIENCY

The Richmond region is new to the resiliency planning arena.  Discussions with stakeholders or localities have occurred in the past, especially in the context of specific projects or planning processes.  The Below the Falls project, funded through FFY18 and FFY19 CZM Technical Assistance grant funding, has considered resiliency in the bounds of a specific stretch of the James River.  While the region is not a neophyte to concepts of resiliency planning, the Below the Falls project is more focused on use conflict and how resiliency concerns may exacerbate policy or physical use conflicts.   The Below the Falls project is not a full-scale resiliency project considering all threats to society’s resilience.  While many in the region have exposure to resiliency planning considerations, there are important conversations that have yet to occur on a regional scale in an interdisciplinary manner.  In many ways, these conversations will begin at or close to the starting line.

The basic concept behind this proposal is to improve regional capacity for resilience planning to support local, regional, and state efforts to develop and implement new projects and policies.  RRPDC staff will work with regional partners to coordinate with the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan process and to initiate a regional resilience planning effort which currently does not exist in the Richmond Region. 

In year 1, RRPDC staff will focus on the fundamentals of organizing a functional planning committee and understanding existing data sources and gaps.  Relationships will be established and strengthened among stakeholders; resources and priorities for the following two years will be identified.  A strategy for regional engagement will be developed and a project webpage will be created.  Beginning discussions about resiliency information gaps and priorities will be held. 

Federal Funding:

$64,500 

Project Contact:

Sarah Stewart; 804.323.2033; sstewart@planrva.org 

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed 

Final Product:

Final Report: Richmond Regional Technical Assistance FY 2020 Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

Coordination and Training Meetings - PlanRVA staff hosted an Environmental TAC meeting on November 16, 2020.  PlanRVA staff provided a presentation about upcoming environmental projects including hazard mitigation, regional resiliency water risk mapping done for the RRTPO and a preview of the regional resiliency planning program starting this year.  At a PlanRVA Environmental TAC Meeting on April 29, 2021, PlanRVA staff presented on the regional resilience planning process and facilitated discussion through interactive exercises.  On July 26, 2021, PlanRVA staff hosted an Environmental TAC Meeting and presented on a regional resilience public survey, draft resilience vision and priorities, the Coastal Resilience Master Plan, and Community Flood Preparedness Fund. On September 22, 2021, PlanRVA staff hosted an Environmental TAC Meeting and presented on regional resilience vision and priorities and discussed next steps in the planning process, including use of a project submission form.  

Natural Resource Protection Campaign Support - PlanRVA staff finalized a Strategic Framework for the Don’t Trash Central Virginia Campaign.  Comments were received after a March 19 meeting of the Campaign Litter Managers including a presentation of the Framework.  The Framework was finalized in April 2021.  PlanRVA staff continue to create content for the Don’t Trash campaign. It is posted to the PlanRVA Facebook page and shared with campaign members and partners via a SharePoint site.  On July 20, 2021, PlanRVA staff hosted a coordination meeting for Don’t Trash campaign members and partners.  PlanRVA staff presented on legislative updates and how to use the group’s SharePoint site.  RVA Rapid Transit, a campaign partner, presented on their new Better Bus Stop program. PlanRVA staff added content about marine debris to the Don’t Trash web pages.  PlanRVA staff created social media content  about the VA Oyster Shell Recycling Program.

Below the Falls - PlanRVA staff produced a flyer about illicit discharge and pollution in the region.  PlanRVA staff also worked with James River Association staff to create a rack card about public access to the James River.  

Benefits Accrued - Throughout the year PlanRVA staff make notes about items to include in the final report.

Regional Resiliency Coordination - In March 2021, PlanRVA staff finalized a framework for regional resiliency planning at PlanRVA identifying an expanded Environmental TAC as the primary engagement group for resiliency planning.  On June 24, 2021, PlanRVA staff hosted a resiliency data coordination meeting.  PlanRVA staff presented on PlanRVA resilience data and shared information about other data and tools available.  PlanRVA staff created an Environmental TAC SharePoint site for coordination and collaboration on resiliency planning.  PlanRVA staff created a resilience page on the PlanRVA website.

Regional Resiliency Priorities Identification - PlanRVA staff have developed regional resilience priorities with the Environmental TAC. PlanRVA staff created and released a resiliency planning public survey in May 2021. The survey allows PlanRVA staff to better understand existing resilience knowledge, lived experiences, and community resilience priorities. In coordination with Environmental TAC, PlanRVA staff decided to keep the survey open to the public for the foreseeable future to gather broader input and inform year 2 of the planning process.

CZM Resiliency Database Support – PlanRVA staff reviewed the VCZM Project Database with locality staff during meetings and via email.  An updated regional project list was shared with Wetlands Watch during grant close out. 

Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan (VCRMP) Support – PlanRVA staff attended VCRMP TAC meetings during the grant year and supported regional meetings in the Richmond Region during the summer of 2021.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                 

49

Grantee:

Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation

Project Title:

Virginia Sea Turtle and Marine Mammal Stranding Network

Project Description:

The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation’s Stranding Response Program (VAQS) is permitted by the NOAA Fisheries Service (NMFS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Commonwealth of Virginia to manage the state’s sea turtle and marine mammal stranding networks. The Aquarium’s mission is to “inspire conservation of the marine environment through education, research and sustainable practices.” With assistance of this grant from the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, VAQS maintains a statewide stranding network and responds to marine mammal strandings (average 99/year from 2003-2012, 427 in 2013, average 99/year from 2014-2019) and sea turtle strandings (average 248/year from 2010-2019) throughout the tidal waters and shorelines along the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay. Virginia has a rich diversity of marine mammal and sea turtle species. There are 32 marine mammal species and five sea turtle species in the state stranding records. During 2013, a historic number of marine mammal strandings (427 in a single year) occurred in Virginia as a result of a bottlenose dolphin unusual mortality event (UME) caused by a cetacean morbillivirus. The strandings were part of the largest cetacean mortality event ever recorded. The UME continued throughout 2014 and into 2015, though associated dolphin mortalities were primarily focused south of the mid-Atlantic region. Virginia has experienced more normal overall levels of marine mamal strandings since 2013, however 2015 included the third highest annual total of bottlenose dolphin strandings (85) ever recorded in the state, and 2017 (11) and 2019 (9) were record years for large whale strandings. 2015-2019 also included increases in live sea turtle strandings, with the majority of the strandings associated with incidental capture by hook and line fishers. Stranding response includes carcass recovery, external/internal examination, photo/video documentation, human interaction analysis, stomach contents analysis, tissue sampling, carcass disposal, and database management. Live animal strandings, especially sea turtles and some seals, are provided with emergency medical care and rehabilitated for return to their natural environment. Animals that are succesfully rehabilitated but unable to be returned to the wild are placed with professionally managed zoological parks or aquariums. Nonreleasable animals are placed with the guidance of the agency with authority – either NMFS, USFWS or both. The VAQS staff recruits, trains and coordinates a volunteer stranding team with approximately 60 members. Additionally, stranding response cooperators within the state network include state and federal parks staff, game wardens and biologists, military base personnel, U.S. Coast Guard, VMRC, VDGIF, life guards and law enforcement officers. Trainings are conducted throughout the year with emphasis on the natural history and stranding response requirements of sea turtles and marine mammals. The VAQS maintains the state marine mammal and sea turtle stranding databases and submits reports to NMFS and other agencies. Stranding data is compiled and stored by VAQS and reported to NMFS national databases. The VAQS views each stranding event as an opportunity for education about natural history, threats (such as marine debris ingestion, entanglements, vessel strikes and disease) and conservation needs of Virginia's sea turtle and marine mammal species. This message is presented through exhibits and outreach programs, at schools, to teachers, to groups such as girl and boy scouts, to civic organizations, and at scientific conferences, workshops, trainings and special events. Through these efforts, information about the status of these protected species in Virginia is presented to the public and to the agencies and individuals responsible for their management and conservation.

Federal Funding:

$35,650

Project Contact:

Alexander Costidis; 757.385.6482; acostidi@virginiaaquarium.com

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Virginia Sea Turtle & Marine Mammal Stranding Network Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

The Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Program (VAQS) and Virginia stranding network collect data critical for the long-term monitoring of sea turtle and marine mammal populations. Strandings provide information on life histories and health of these species from Virginia waters. Despite dealing with restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, VAQS recorded 289 Virginia strandings in 2021, including 77 marine mammals and 212 sea turtles. In comparison, 95 marine mammal and 216 sea turtle strandings were recorded in 2020.

In 2021, overall stranding records for marine mammals remained at “normal” levels compared to historic numbers documented in 2013 when 382 bottlenose dolphins stranded in Virginia as the result of a coast-wide Unusual Mortality Event. A significant percentage of Virginia marine mammal mortalities continue to be related to human activities, most notably vessel strikes and interactions with fishing gear. In 2021, bottlenose dolphins that were moderately decomposed or fresher, 15% exhibited signs of human interaction, 11% did not, and 74% could not be determined. Of the seven cases in which human interaction was confirmed, five were positive for fisheries interaction, one was entangled (fishery interaction status unknown), and one appeared to have been mutilated postmortem. In addition to its commonality in bottlenose dolphins, human interaction was observed in two live entangled humpback whales, (one of which disentangled itself naturally and the other was not re-sighted), a dwarf sperm whale, a common dolphin, and a harbor seal. The harbor seal was admitted with a fishing lure embedded near its mouth. Unfortunately, the animal expired naturally despite emergency care. The cause of death is believed to be pneumonia, likely the result of aspiration while the animal attempted to dislodge the gear prior to its recovery. An additional notable stranding included a Risso’s dolphin that was frozen for future post-mortem investigation.

Sea turtles stranded in high numbers in the lower Chesapeake Bay and ocean coastal regions of Virginia during 2021. Vessel strikes, fishery interactions, and cold-stunning continue to be the most commonly identified causes associated with sea turtle strandings. In total, signs of human interaction were documented in 42% of all sea turtle strandings, not present in 11% and could not be determined in 47%. Outreach to fishing piers through the VAQS Virginia Pier Partner Program continues to enhance recovery and rehabilitation of turtles incidentally hooked by fishers. In 2021, VAQS recorded a high number of live strandings (61), many of which were hooked turtles. Of the 45 turtles successfully recovered for rehabilitation, 25 were released in 2021, two were released in January of 2022, and 10 are still undergoing rehabilitation.

After many years of planning, VAQS successfully opened the Darden Marine Animal Conservation Center, a new 18,000 ft² state-of-the-art facility. This facility will significantly increase response, rehabilitation, necropsy, and research capabilities to enable VAQS to meet the increasing demands of high-quality marine mammal and sea turtle stranding response in 2022 and beyond. Managing the Virginia stranding network for these protected species continues to be a priority for VAQS and is vitally important for the state and federal agencies who depend on this information. More detailed information and discussion of 2021 stranding data and VAQS’ professional and education activities can be found in the final grant report to the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, VAQF Scientific Report 2022-02. Further information and a copy of the report can be found at www.VirginiaAquarium.com or by contacting VAQS at VAQStranding@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                 

71

Grantee:

Virginia Institute of Marine Science 

Project Title:

Conservation Targeting for Resilience 

Project Description:

VIMS proposes to enhance current conservation targeting by developing future projections of likely migratory patterns and abilities of natural habitat and species guilds to shift under climate change and sea level rise. The period of future projections will be determined by the project team based upon conservation program needs and availability of robust data. Our approach would focus on species guilds linked to coastal wetlands, beaches and riparian forests, and collaborate with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Natural Heritage Program to identify habitat thresholds, metrics and access to data, and with the Virginia Coastal Policy Center to determine the overall scope of conservation strategies and their policy implications. Project partners will confer with the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to identify habitats and species of import for DGIF conservation programs.

Climate change and sea level rise pose a substantial threat to Virginia’s living resources. Changes in temperature, precipitation patterns, and accelerating sea level rise are expected to result in considerable changes to species distributions throughout the Commonwealth. The natural communities and native species of coastal Virginia provide numerous ecological, cultural, and commercial functions and services to the Commonwealth, the Chesapeake Bay, and beyond. Species distributions are predominately determined by the physiological tolerances of the species (e.g., temperature and salinity ranges), the availability of suitable habitat, and predatory restraints (e.g., both natural and anthropogenic). The largest driver of species distribution shifts in coastal Virginia is expected to be through changes in habitat as a result of sea level rise. In Virginia, the rate of sea level rise is among the highest in the nation, and is accelerating. This rapid sea level rise is resulting in major redistribution and loss of coastal marshes, a critical habitat for many coastal inhabitants.

VIMS proposes to work in collaboration with the Virginia Departments of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) and Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Natural Heritage Program and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) to develop spatially explicit projections of shifts in coastal habitats and their cascading impacts on natural communities and native species throughout the Tidewater region. Faunal guilds provide a useful mechanism for examining the impacts of climate change on species distributions by aggregating species into guilds based on shared functional (e.g., filter feeders), taxonomic (e.g., shorebirds), managerial (e.g., gamefish), and/or habitat (e.g., salt marsh) characteristics. These guilds increase the data density and facilitate the clear translation to defined ecological, cultural, and commercial impacts. In anticipation of policy analysis focused on gaps and barriers to climate adaptive habitat and species management, the Virginia Coastal Policy Center will collaborate via participation in planning meetings and calls.

Quantifying the impacts of the shifts in distributions of species and natural communities as a result of climate change will provide scientists and managers with the necessary information to plan for and guide conservation and restoration activities in the coming years. 

Federal Funding:

$101,250 

Project Contact:

Pam Mason; 804.684.7158; mason@vims.edu 
Robert Isdell; 804.684.7718; risdell@vims.edu

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed 

Final Product:

Conservation Targeting - Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

As year one of a three-year project on conservation targeting incorporating projected climate effect, the Center for Coastal Resource Management, Virginia Institute of Marine Science developed spatial and statistical protocols for mapping all terrestrial (i.e., non-fish) species in the study. For each species, potential habitats are derived from the National Land Cover Database based on their specific habitat requirements obtained from a literature review. Using the potential habitat layer, species presence locations are placed within the boundaries of the state agencies species occurrence polygons. The values for all relevant spatial habitat variables (e.g., proportion of forested land cover within 500 m) are then joined to each of the presence and background points, and exported for statistical analysis. The final output provides the habitat suitability estimate on a continuous scale from 0 to 1, with 1 being the most suitable predicted habitat. Model output for each species was assessed by an independent biological expert.

Virginia Natural Heritage Program completed spatial analyses to identify significant biodiversity occurrences on climate change resilient sites, and assessed the most important of these, many of which had not been observed in over 25 years, over recent aerial imagery. Based on review over recent high-resolution imagery, suitable habitat persisted for a vast majority of assessed occurrences, though ~22% were experiencing potential negative impacts from encroaching development activity. Using information from spatial analyses and imagery review, a prioritization was completed to highlight occurrences on resilient sites which are most in need of biological inventory review planned for year two of the project.

The Virginia Coastal Policy Center participated in team meetings and reviewed project outputs to prepare for legal analysis to be performed in year 3.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                

72

Grantee:

Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission 

Project Title:

Promoting Ecotourism to Support Conservation of Conserved Lands and Resilient Communities 

Project Description:

This collaborative project will build on the efforts completed during fiscal years 2017- 2019 (Task 72, Section 306) under the project titled "Virginia Oyster & Water Trails Eco-Tourism Promotion." Improving ecotourism related opportunities, resources, and trainings helps to protect economic resiliency and to support maintenance of conservation lands. Due to low development and the abundance of green infrastructure, Rural Coastal Virginia minimizes risk to sea-level rise for the entire coastal region and thus the Commonwealth as a whole. Previous Virginia CZM Program investment in studies for both the Eastern Shore and the Lower Chickahominy, have already shown the economic benefit of conserved lands to the local economies in those respective regions without even adding into the calculation the value of the conserved lands in enhancing resiliency to climate change. The Rural Coastal PDCs (ie. Accomack Northampton PDC, Northern Neck PDC, Middle Peninsula and Plan RVA) and a representative from the Virginia Oyster Trail Board of Directors will serve on the Rural Coastal Virginia Alliance (RCVA) Ecotourism Steering Committee. This committee will guide the overall project, coordinate with the Virginia Tourism Corporation, local Tourism Commissions and localities, and will work with the new Office of Outdoor Recreation (the Office) and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (VDCR) to provide statewide support and integration of RCVA goals and products into state planning efforts. Each PDC will develop a list of proposed actions for their respective regions and together for the RCVA, as the Office requests, in order to move Ecotourism and the associated ecological and economic benefits forward.

Each of the four RCVA partners will identify and implement appropriate actions identified in the 36-month Marketing Strategy and Action Plan (Plan) developed during FY19 and guide any award from VTC from applications submitted during calendar years 2020 and 2021. The Water Trails website will continue to be maintained, while our newest partner in this effort, PlanRVA (formerly RRPDC), will develop the lower Chickahominy River water trail in Google Maps. This will align with the other RCVA maps and will be embedded in a new section of the VirginiaWaterTrail.org website. RCVA will coordinate with partners to create a small business resiliency training, utilizing the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Resilience in a Box as a resource. The trainings will teach businesses strategies to be more resilient, from physical positioning of assets, data maintenance and redundancies, and techniques to ensure a quick return to business following a natural hazard or intense storm event. Efforts over this  year also includes the Virginia Oyster Trail (VOT) continuing to focus on outreach to local businesses aimed at increasing awareness of the local economic benefits of Virginia oysters. This involves identifying each community’s “Merroir-Terroir” – which, as defined by the VOT, “is the palate celebration that occurs when the textures and flavors of the sea are paired with the regional, companion-grown products of the land.” – and continuing the development of its marketing brand identity which will take into consideration each community’s diverse oyster-related businesses and cultural assets. Finally, each of the three original RCVA PDCs (i.e. ANPDC, NNPDC, and MPPDC) will create a tiered priority list for paddling launch sites that need signage enhancements and will begin the development of graphic design content for selected launch sites. This will benefit each of the rural coastal regions across the coastal zone by improving the visibility of the Virginia Water and Oyster Trails and other coastal recreational assets. In doing so, traffic will be driven to partner sites, supporting conservation and economic efforts. 

Federal Funding:

$74,000 

Project Contact:

Jessica Steelman; 757.787.2936 x114; jsteelman@a-npdc.org  

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Promoting Ecotourism to Support Conservation of Conserved Lands and Resilient Communities (PDF)

Project Summary:

1) Ecotourism Steering Committee Outcomes – The Committee met in November 2020 for Q1 meeting and again in February 2021 for Q2 meeting. Q1 meeting involved discussion of future plans for ownership/maintenance of the VWT website asset and identified the Committee’s new name (Coastal Virginia Ecotourism Alliance) to be inclusive of non-rural regions such as Richmond Regional (PlanRVA) and potential future partners.Q2 meeting featured guest speakers from VTA, DCR, United for a Chesapeake National Recreation Area, and VTC; a standard “appropriate use” statement was drafted and finalized (after the meeting) by Committee members for social media posts from external users. The Committee met in May 2021 for Q3 meeting and again in August 2021 for Q4 meeting. Q3 meeting involved discussion of VWT advertisement opportunities, how to interpret and use website analytics tool, completed upcoming business resiliency trainings, PDC sponsored blogs update, submission for Summer 2021 VTC MLP, VCEG course update, and preliminary sign design for launch site enhancement plan deliverable. The Q4 meeting resulted in high productivity and product status updates. Discussion included setting a VWT Events Policy featuring Virginia Certified Ecotour Guide events and adding a link to the VWT Events website page for non-Certified Ecotour Guides to request posting of their event(s). Regarding VWT News posts, the Committee designated two new categories for blog posts – History & Culture; and Wildlife & Birding – to align with efforts promoted by the VWT. Agendas can be found here; minutes can be found here.

2) Implementation of Marketing Strategies and Development of VTC Application – A-NPDC Staff contracted a media consultant with VTC MLP funds. Media consultant has begun social media posts, engagement, following; facebook has reached over 2,000 people with increased visits to the VWT page - an increase from 79 to 168 followers in just the month of March. Media consultant has also written and published blogs (i.e. Spring Paddling: Beautiful Weather, COLD Water!) for the VirginiaWaterTrails.org website. The VWT was featured in an article in Distinction Magazine. The MPPDC, in contract with Consociate Media, worked to implement the first year of the 3-year marketing strategy. To date, Consociate Media has outlined 12 blog posts, developed the editorial calendar for publishing, and started drafting the blogs. These blogs will be posted April through September to coincide with the paddling season. A-NPDC staff submitted an article to the NAI Region 2 Newsletter Chesapeake Chat; A-NPDC staff requested quotes for advertisement in the Virginia Pilot, Washington Post, and Rappahannock Record (identified feeder markets for the VWT); A-NPDC staff developed draft rack card design and shared with CVEA for approval prior to printing; A-NPDC staff printed VWT decals; Marketing consultant developed blogs, weekly social media posts, social media engagement, and GoPro videos to accompany blogs and be featured on social media platforms, including YouTube; A-NPDC staff, with input from NNPDC and NNTC, submitted Summer 2021 VTC MLP Application on behalf of the CVEA, unfortunately it was not awarded; Ads featuring the VWT were included in the Rappahannock Record (2 publications) and as digital impressions (333,333 total) delivered across the pilotonline.com, dailypress.com, and virginiagazette.com suite of sites; Media consultant continued managing social media content and engagement, writing and publishing blogs, and designing ads for VWT; NNPDC and the NNTC continued to promote the virginiawatertrails.org website, Northern Neck water trails and suggested itineraries, and generated blogs and other content promoting ecotoursim using social media and the virginiawatertrails.org website. PlanRVA staff published 4 blog posts to the Virginia Water Trails site on a range of topics in the three-county study area: the Chickahominy Indian Tribe, the VCU Rivers Rice Center, an eco-tour guide business highlight and a winery located along the Virginia Capital Trail.  The MPPDC contracted with Consociate Media to promote watertrail and ecotourism within the Middle Peninsula. Throughout this project 11 blogs were posted on the Virginia Water Trails website and on the MPPDC facebook page.

3) Water Trails Website Maintenance – A-NPDC Staff worked with a media firm (PLM) to transition the website to new servers and update user accounts. A-NPDC Staff updated website with new hashtags (#VWT #VirginiaWaterTrails) and alliance name (Coastal Virginia Ecotourism Alliance/CVEA). Website consultant updated the events calendar to integrate with Google Calendars for increased ease of use and ability for visitors to “add event to my calendar”; events banner was also added to the home page. Website Consultant continued maintenance of the VWT website and met with A-NPDC staff to review analytics, including how to increase visits through keywords tracking and social media traffic. NNPDC continued to maintain the Northern Neck landing page with map and content updates. MPPDC staff updated the Middle Peninsula landing page with maps and content as needed.

4) Virginia Certified Ecotour Guide Course - A-NPDC Staff continued promotion/advertisement (from previous grant year) of the 2021 iteration of the course. Staff lined up guest speakers. Coastal Virginia Ecotourism Alliance (CVEA) developed a Recertification Packet and distributed it to current and past certified guides. A-NPDC Staff developed “Recert Portals” (sample here) for several certified guides seeking to begin their recertification process. A-NPDC Staff facilitated the 2021 iteration of the VCEG Course with the mandatory field trip scheduled for 4/18/2021, anticipating 12 certified ecotour guides; A-NPDC staff developed all course materials for the 2022 iteration; A-NPDC staff developed event registration and 2022 course flyer for advertisement during the fall; A-NPDC staff scheduled fall advertising in the ES Post for the VCEG course; NNPDC and NNTC continued to promote the VCEGC to local guides and groups such as Friends of the Rappahannock who promote environmental education and advocacy through ecotourism.

5) Ecotourism Business Resiliency Training – Each region is planning its training; Eastern Shore anticipates training to take place in May 2021. A-NPDC Staff partook in planning and facilitating the Eastern Shore & Chincoteague COCs Resiliency Roundtables as a precursor to the Resiliency Training, which was also promoted at the Roundtables. These roundtables gathered information on what local businesses would like to see in training and are in need of. MPPDC initiated work with Consociate Media to develop the Middle Peninsula Ecotourism Business Resiliency Training program. A task timeline has been created. MPPDC staff and Consociate Media hosted a live virtual Resiliency Training in May 2021. This training was also recorded and posted on Youtube, MPPDC Facebook page and the Fight the Flood Program website. To-date the video was viewed 542 times. A-NPDC Staff presented a 2 (half) day ESVA Business Resiliency Training virtually; a living resiliency resources database was created and distributed to registrants, along with being shared on social media platforms and the A-NPDC website; NNPDC, in collaboration with the RAFT team and the Commonwealth Center for Recurrent Flooding Resiliency, developed business resilience tools catered to small businesses and selected pilot communities to test the tools during the RAFT process. NNPDC and NNTC plan to replicate those pilots with other communities and to conduct a regional business resilience workshop during subsequent grant years.

6) Integration of Lower Chickahominy into Water Trails Website – PlanRVA staff produced page narrative content and the water trails map for publication on the Lower Chickahominy page on the Virginia Water Trails website.  The site narrative includes information about the region and links to visitor highlights and resources.  The regional trails map includes 9 trails and other geographic resources.

7) Development of the Virginia Oyster Trail Communities Program – VOT is developing the criteria, format and process for approaching community participants, in an effort to identify prospects.

8) Water Trail Launch Sites Enhancement Plan – Quinby kayak dock has been fixed (2020). A-NPDC Staff have developed a list of launch sites and initiated site assessments in collaboration with each county DPW. A-NPDC Staff has obtained support from both counties for sign donation/installation in coming years. MPPDC staff prioritized public access locations within the region that need signage. Based on a previous assessment and local knowledge of the sites, four access locations were selected to receive signs, pending funding. A-NPDC completed on-site visits to each of the public access launch sites in both Accomack and Northampton counties, a region-wide launch site assessment (including prioritization of sites in need of interpretive signage), received LOS from Northampton County, and reached out to Accomack County and DWR for LOS; NNPDC and NNCBPAA conducted an assessment of public access sites (partially funded under VCZMP grant # NA19­­­­­NOS4190163), including prioritization of sites in need of signage.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov or April.Bahen@deq.virginia.gov.

Project Task Number:                                                                

73

Grantee:

Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Project Title:

Advancing Resiliency in Virginia’s Coastal Zone by Supporting Climate-Adaptive Nearshore Natural & Nature-Based Restoration Projects – Phase 1: York River, Piankatank River & Mobjack Bay 

Project Description:

In 2019 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chesapeake Bay Comprehensive Plan, the Commonwealth of Virginia identified the York River, Piankatank River, and Mobjack Bay as a priority area for natural and nature-based (NNB) shoreline resiliency projects to benefit coastal communities. To promote coastal resiliency efforts in Virginia, Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve-Virginia (CBNERRVA), in conjunction with regional partners, will support the development of a York-Piankatank-Mobjack Bay NNB nearshore restoration “community of practice” to collectively advance coastal community resiliency projects. In conjunction with the community of practice, and with additional support for nearshore NNB restoration design projects provided by NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office (NCBO), funding will support the creation of detailed design plans for one climate adaptive NNB nearshore restoration project in this geography. Beyond year one, and contingent on funding, CBNERRVA would continue to cultivate the development of nearshore NNB communities of practice throughout Virginia’s coastal zone; anticipated efforts ultimately culminating in a workshop targeting all coastal planning district commission representatives and their partners, and focused on knowledge transfer through peer-to-peer exchange. Outcomes and deliverables associated with the current proposal are as follows:

• Site selection. Development and implementation of vetting process incorporating tools, data and research developed by VIMS, CBNERRVA, NCBO and others, to identify potential climate adaptive NNB nearshore restoration sites in the York-Piankatank-Mobjack Bay systems.
• Workshop. Workshop delivery and other meetings to support the development and implementation of a York-Piankatank-Mobjack Bay NNB nearshore restoration “community of practice.” Continual communication and coordination within the community of practice stakeholder group on restoration topics, including best practices, the latest science and cobenefits, will leverage CBNERRVA, NCBO and other partner expertise.
• Subaward. Provision of funding to support the creation of one detailed design plan for a climate adaptive NNB nearshore restoration project on an identified site in the York-Piankatank- Mobjack Bay systems.

Federal Funding:

$50,000  

Project Contact:

Cirse Gonzalez; 804.684.7144; cagonzalez@vims.edu 

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 6/30/2021; Project Completed

Final Product:

Advancing Resiliency in Virginia's Coastal Zone by Supporting Climate-Adaptive Nearshore Natural & Nature-Based Restoration Projects - Phase I: York River, Piankatank River and Mobjack Bay (PDF)

Machicomoco State Park Shoreline Management Plan (PDF)

Project Summary:

Product #1 – Restoration Site Selection

Having determined that identifying discrete sites suitable for restoration was not the most effective, nor enduring, approach toward site selection in the project geography for the target audience, the project team devised the concept of an “inventory of resources.” This alternative approach was thought to achieve similar objectives as that initially proposed, though with greater flexibility - and increased potential to embed sustainability within any future site selection process. To this end, the team developed an inventory of resources with input from the York River and Small Coastal Basin Roundtable Nearshore Habitat Restoration Steering Committee and vetting from the participants of the Middle Peninsula Restoration Workshop (Product #2). By developing a one-stop-shop for regional restoration resources that local practitioners could access, the project team recognized it could leverage existing tools, and help drive visibility toward them, helping practitioners identify their own sites given their respective capacities and allowances. As a part of this inventory, the project team developed site selection guidance, entitled “Restoration Project Review and Selection Criteria.” This document is intended to offer criteria and considerations in site selection and was utilized in the selection of the site for the restoration design component of this project, outlined below (Product #3). The resource inventory is available at: https://www.vims.edu/cbnerr/roundtable/members/habitat-restoration-steering-committee/restoration-resources/index.php 

Product #2 – Workshop for a York-Piankatank-Mobjack Bay Community of Practice

In concert with NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office (leads of the York River and Small Coastal Basin Roundtable’s Nearshore Habitat Restoration Steering Committee, the project’s target audience), and with the support of Green Fin Studio (contracted by NOAA to support the YRSCB Roundtable), the project manager developed and led a Middle Peninsula Restoration Workshop, held virtually on the mornings of September 21-23, 2021. The objectives of this workshop were to provide a forum for knowledge exchange and networking, supporting the local restoration community of practice in their respective efforts through peer-to-peer exchange, idea generation, and discussion of opportunities and challenges. Approximately 50 coastal practitioners participated in the workshop over the course of three days. Workshop content, including select presentation slides and example activities, can be found here: https://padlet.com/ctpcoordinatorcbnerr/midpenrestoworkshop Key results, conclusions and next steps from the workshop were reported to the Nearshore Habitat Restoration Steering Committee, which is moving forward in pursuit of identified activities with collective support.

Product #3 – Design Plan Subcontract

Applying the “Restoration Project Review and Selection Criteria,” a suite of framing questions and considerations developed by the project team (respective input available upon request), the project team allocated design funds to the development of a restoration project in Machicomoco State Park. Final deliverables include a shoreline management plan with recommendations, a site-specific living shoreline plan to address erosion, and a final report on the methods and results of the field work.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                             

81

Grantee:

Coastal States Stewardship Foundation

Project Title:

2021 Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Regional Summit

Project Description:

This project will support a two-day Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Regional Summit (“Summit”) in spring/summer of 2021. The goal of the Summit is to inspire and empower our partners with solutions to marine debris impacts. Summit attendees will represent state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, academia, and other groups that are conducting work related to marine debris reduction in any of the five Mid-Atlantic coastal states (New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia) and the Washington, DC territory.  This high priority activity related to marine debris reduction in the state and Mid-Atlantic region.            

Marine debris is a growing global problem with wide-ranging impacts. The Mid-Atlantic region is impacted by marine debris that litters its waters and shoreline, harms ecosystems, marine life, navigation, and the economy. Over the years, the Mid-Atlantic regional agencies, Tribes, NGOs, and industry have done remarkable work to prevent and remove marine debris. A Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Regional Summit will bring together these Mid-Atlantic regional entities working on marine debris with the purpose of increasing coordination, discussing current and emerging marine debris fields, and bringing the community together. The Summit will bring together researchers, educators, policy-makers and businesses at this collaborative summit as we explore Mid-Atlantic regional solutions to decrease litter and marine debris. Feedback obtained from a post-Summit survey in 2019 suggested a strong desire from the regional community for the Summit to occur on a more regular basis, either annually or bi-annually. A 2021 Summit will also be a complement to both the update of the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan and the development of the Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Action Plan (Mid-A MDAP). The Mid-Atlantic plan is currently in progress, but planned for publication in 2020.  The 2021 Summit will bring together the marine debris stakeholders in Virginia and the region to discuss current efforts in the region and envision a future without marine debris.

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) states have agreed that reducing marine debris is a priority, and collaborate with each other and with federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and academia through the Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Work Group. A 2021 Summit has been identified as a priority by the Work Group. This work group was established under the 2016 Mid-Atlantic Ocean Action Plan and is led by the Virginia CZM Program Manager in collaboration with MARCO staff, NOAA and EPA.

Federal Funding:

$15,000

Project Contact:

Avalon Bristow; 302.561.2520; abristow@midatlanticocean.org

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed  

Final Product:

2021 Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Summit Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Work Group members volunteered to join a Summit planning team that began meeting in February 2021. The Planning Team was convened by MARCO staff and consisted of representatives from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, Clean Virginia Waterways, Virginia CZM program, and DC DOEE. MARCO staff created a timeline for planning and reporting progress and scheduled bi-weekly planning team meetings. Fifteen planning meetings were held between March-July 2021, and were all facilitated by the MARCO Program Director. The MARCO Finance and Administration Manager developed agendas, took notes during each meeting, and managed file organization on the shared drive. 

MARCO staff managed the shifting of the Summit to a virtual platform due to the continued health and safety protocols of COVID-19. The team decided to accept the in-kind donation of the Longwood University’s Zoom webinar platform and technology support. The Summit was scheduled to accommodate participants working from home offices: three afternoons in July, with several breaks within the agenda. Event registration and follow-up registrant communication was established using MARCO’s EventBrite system. Clean Virginia Waterways provided additional staffing and other resources before, during, and after the Summit. Duties included assisting with agenda development, speaker coordination, promotion, writing daily scripts, scheduling AV checks with the speakers, running the behind-the-scenes zoom webinar, coordinating with Longwood University’s event staff, creating and posting recorded sessions, and assembling some of the videos shown during breaks.

MARCO staff synthesized and shared feedback from 1) the full Mid-A Marine Debris Work Group and other stakeholders, including feedback from the 2020 and 2021 MACO Ocean Forums, and 2) a pre-Summit survey that was included in the registration process. MARCO staff managed the development of an internal draft agenda, including two-way communication about the agenda with the Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Work Group, MARCO Management Board, and MACO Steering Committee. MARCO staff ensured that each section of the agenda had speakers, moderators, and facilitators where necessary, and identified relevant content for breaks. MARCO staff ensured timely communication with speakers and relevant partner organizations, and the development and distribution of materials to each speaker, including: a letter of confirmation, what to expect, and requests for biographies. A public agenda with confirmed speakers was put on the MARCO website and the link was included in promotional materials. The agenda was divided into sections and a moderator identified for each. A timed and annotated process agenda was developed to guide the technical team minute-by-minute through the agenda. Recordings of each day were edited, put on YouTube, and posted on the MARCO website. In total, 497 people registered for the event and 335 actually attended. Attendees tuned in from all over the world, including all five mid-Atlantic states (Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and New York), other U.S. states, and 21 other countries. 

Post-Summit Activities:

Post summit survey: All registrants were sent a thank you email with the link to the recordings and a link to a post-Summit survey.

Final Summit Report: MARCO Staff wrote an article about the Summit that was distributed to the MARCO Listserv as part of its quarterly newsletter. This article included links to the Summit Agenda, information about registrants and attendees, and links to the presentation videos on YouTube. Additionally, a Final Summit Report has been created by MARCO and is included as an attachment.

The Summit recordings can be found linked here or through www.midatlanticocean.org.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                 

92.01

Grantee:

Virginia Institute of Marine Science 

Project Title:

Evaluating the impact of flooding on road network access in coastal Virginia – Year 2 

Project Description:

The impacts of recurrent flooding on roadways present challenging social and economic considerations for all coastal jurisdictions.  Maintenance, public and private accessibility, evacuation routes, and emergency services are just a few of the common themes local governments are beginning to address for low-lying roadways currently known to flood.  Available data on current flood frequency of roads in coastal Virginia has limited value in a region where sea level rise predictions estimate water levels to be 1.5 feet (0.5m) higher by 2050 than today (CCRM, 2018).  In the low lying coastal plain this means that roadways that do not currently flood today may flood by the year 2050, or sooner.  Identifying the impacts of projected increases in flooding is critical for   Virginia state and local governments to begin to improve the resilience of its transportation networks under current the social and economic drivers.

The project implements a protocol developed by CCRM to analyze the level at which road flooding may impact communities and their ability to reach key locations at periodic intervals; through the year 2100 in coastal Virginia.  An analysis of roadways and the average annual duration in hours/year of flooding on road surfaces can be assessed using GIS, water level data derived from tide gauges, road centerline data, topographic lidar, and sea level rise predictions.  Building footprint, land use, and social vulnerability data derived from census data can be used to identify hotspots within localities where impacts may be greatest from roadway flooding. 

A traditional projection analysis would focus only on impacts within the actual zone of inundation.  The protocol developed and proposed for use in this analysis also considers impacted inhabitants that may not be within the inundation zone but will lose their transportation corridor into or out of their downstream dwelling/service areas.  The analysis will assess current risk and vulnerability of these areas under current conditions and associated flood frequency (hours/day) measurements by using water level data and road centerline elevation to assess the frequency that water levels exceed the road surface elevation over a designated period of time.  Using the VIMS recommended Sea Level Rise projections for the region, average annual flood duration for 2050, and 2100 will also be assessed. 

The resulting geospatial output will bring to communities new and critical data for planning, zoning, and protection consideration that will have great value over many years.  This road accessibility analysis of flood frequency over time will be delivered to stakeholders within the Interactive Map tool served through the ADAPTVA Portal (http://cmap2.vims.edu/AdaptVA/adaptVA_viewer.html).  This will allow the end user to visually interpret and combine data output with other data resources within ADAPTVA to bolster their decision making capacity.  For example, ADAPTVA’s current interactive map contains extensive information on social vulnerability.  Therefore, if a community is particularly concerned with maintenance of public roadways to underserved neighborhoods, the new data delivered under this project could be viewed in conjunction with the present social vulnerability data to provide answers.  Similarly, if a community is concerned about future access to an airport or school, the resulting analysis will allow the end user to assess if any impacts are projected in the future.

The analysis is a continuation of work in a prior year (FY19) which addressed localities with the highest amount of recurrent road flooding as determined by data analyzed by CCRM/VIMS.  That data focused on localities with at least 3 known incidences of road flooding in more than one location throughout the community as reported in CCRM, 2013.  This year VIMS will assess the location of recurrent flooding under present and future water level conditions for the remainder of the Tidewater localities. 

Federal Funding:

$70,000  

Project Contact:

Molly Mitchell; 804.684.7188; molly@vims.edu  

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed 

Final Product:

Evaluating the Impact of Flooding on Road Network Access in Coastal Virginia Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

This project implements a protocol developed in year 1 of the project by the Center for Coastal Resources Management to analyze the service areas impacted by road flooding at periodic intervals through the year 2100 in Coastal Virginia.  The localities assessed in this year of the project are: Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Isle of Wight, Smithfield, Surry, Northumberland, Westmoreland, Richmond, Lancaster, King & Queen and King William.  Localities are grouped by region into the Southside, Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula regions. 

The final map viewer is accessible on the AdaptVA.org tool tab and a link will be added to the locality-specific Comprehensive Coastal Resource Management Portals (CCRMPs, https://www.vims.edu/ccrm/ccrmp/index.php). 

Final products include:

1. The following layers for each locality, grouped by region:

• Tidal flood duration time in hours, raster layers for 2020, 2050, 2100 (provided to CZM in the zipped folder “Final_FloodDuration_rasters_Year2”
  • These layers were developed using tide gauge data. Water level durations for the past 19-years were determined for the 2020 layers. The projected water level durations for the 2050 and 2100 layers were calculated by adjusting the 19-year record from the tide gauge using the NOAA intermediate projection for Sewell’s Pt, Norfolk, VA. These water level durations were mapped onto a 1-m horizontal resolution digital elevation model. 
• Road inaccessibility classified by 0.1m increments (provided to CZM in the zipped folder “Road_Accessibility_Layers_Year2”)

• shapefile layer with inaccessible roads used for the web viewer
• excel spreadsheet with inaccessible roads used for Detailed Road Flooding Summaries analyses available for download on the web viewer

• This layer was developed using a road network analysis. Road networks were based on Open Street Map road centerline data and road elevations were extracted from a 1-m horizontal resolution digital elevation model. For each locality, the point of origin was the locality seat. Flood impacts were mapped from 0-3m of flooding at 0.1m increments to create possible service areas for each flood level. The road network analysis was run for each service area and results were compiled into a single file that codes road segments by the water elevation at which they become inaccessible from the county seat due to flooding.

1. Web viewer http://cmap2.vims.edu/VAroads/ with layers developed in this analysis (Inaccessible roads, Flooding duration maps), additional information layers (Infrastructure, Accessible roads, Social Vulnerability, and 2020 FEMA flood hazard zones), dashboard of road impacts, and downloadable Detailed Road Flooding Summaries

• Each region is grouped on to a page and the locality information can be displayed individually or information for the entire region can be displayed, except in the Northern Virginia Region where both Fairfax and Alexandria are always displayed together
• The Detailed Road Flooding Summaries include the length of each road flooded at 0.1m increments.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                

92.02

Grantee:

College of William and Mary - Virginia Coastal Policy Center

Project Title:

The Resilience Adaptation Feasibility Tool (RAFT) 

Project Description:

Through work with localities to assist them in their resilience efforts, it became clear that an important gap in the toolbox of Virginia’s coastal communities that are dealing with sea level rise, is an easy and accessible scorecard to define and measure a locality’s resilience. In response, The Resilience Adaptation Feasibility Tool (The RAFT) was developed by an interdisciplinary academic collaborative (the “Project Team”), which includes the Institute for Engagement & Negotiation^[1] (IEN) at the University of Virginia, the Virginia Coastal Policy Center (VCPC) at William & Mary Law School, and Old Dominion University/Virginia Sea Grant Resilience Program (ODU).

The goal of The RAFT is to help Virginia’s coastal communities improve resilience to flooding while remaining economically viable and socially relevant. Because this is an “adaptive management” effort, continued refinements are expected in the years ahead. The RAFT’s goal is to bridge the gap between science and action by catalyzing meaningful action by localities to increase their resilience through policies and programmatic changes.

Unlike many resilience scorecards that are self-assessments, The RAFT begins with a resilience assessment (the “Scorecard”) conducted by the Project Team, lending both independence and academic collaboration to the process. Next, to assure that the Scorecard leads to real action, a two-step process of presentations to the locality Board of Supervisors or City/Town Council followed by a community workshop enables the community’s thought leaders to identify community resilience strengths and opportunities. The workshop product is a Resilience Action Checklist (“the Checklist”) with clear goals and an implementation timeline. A final component of The RAFT process is that the Project Team and partners (such as the Planning District Commission (PDCs)) continue to work with the community through one-year of implementation to provide various forms of assistance, whether technical assistance or help in finding funding sources. Since the founding of The RAFT, it has been made clear by local government representatives that the Project Team must continue to provide localities with independent academically-scored results. Additionally, it would be beneficial to continue to explore ways in which The RAFT process can be refined for broader application, such as inland communities. 

The portion of the project for which the Project Team seeks 309 funding is a vital step in the implementation of The RAFT. With 309 funding the Project Team will use the outcomes from its first three applications of The RAFT (three pilot localities, a regional approach of seven localities in Virginia’s Eastern Shore, and a regional approach of six localities in Virginia’s Northern Neck) to: 1) implement a fourth round of The RAFT in a regional approach in the Middle Peninsula; 2) continue to provide follow-up to the growing list of localities that we have worked with, to provide assistance with meetings or other assistance directly related to The RAFT process; and 3) review The RAFT for application to inland communities.

Through this phase of the project, the Project Team will meet at least once with its advisers from coastal localities, including a representative from the Virginia CZM Program, to discuss continuing refinements and adaptations that may be needed or desired. Additionally, the Project Team will provide at least one update to its inter-university academic advisory committee that includes environmental scientists, engineers, architects, landscape architects, planners and marine scientists from ODU, W&M, UVA and Virginia Tech. 

Federal Funding:

$50,000 

Project Contact:

Elizabeth Andrews; 757.221.1078; eaandrews@wm.edu 

Project Status:

10/1/2020 – 9/30/2021; Project Completed 

Final Product: 

The RAFT - Resilience Adaptation Feasibility Tool - Essex County Scorecard Report (PDF)

The RAFT Northern Neck One-Year Progress Workshop (PDF)

PREP Tool: Planning for Resilience: Evaluation and Prioritization - An Evaluation and Prioritization Tool for Local Governments in Virginia's Coastal Region (PDF) 

Project Summary:

The RAFT Project Team – which includes the Institute for Engagement & Negotiation at the University of Virginia, the Virginia Coastal Policy Center at William & Mary Law School, and Old Dominion University/Virginia Sea Grant Resilience Program– collaborated with the Northern Neck Planning District Commission to implement a third round of The RAFT with eight localities in the Northern Neck, and are currently implementing a fourth round of The RAFT with the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission and six localities in the Middle Peninsula.

During this reporting period, The RAFT Team conducted its assessment and scoring of Middle Peninsula localities, developing 508-compliant PowerPoint presentations and graphical outcomes of the assessment, and providing findings and opportunity lists to locality and planning district commission staff. The scoring and opportunity lists were prepared in consultation with locality staff, and the RAFT Team conducted internal cross-locality analysis to identify trends and opportunities for collaboration.

The RAFT Team also worked to organize, facilitate, and support eight Northern Neck locality Implementation Teams (ITs). This included developing the IT member list through outreach and consultation, scheduling and conducting monthly meetings, and working outside of meetings to address specific locality resilience needs. Examples of efforts to address specific needs included incorporating resilience into local comprehensive planning efforts, increasing collaboration with local nonprofit groups, or securing funding for one town to provide its vulnerable communities with emergency weather radios.  The RAFT Team worked with each locality to develop local Resilience Committees to continue the ITs’ mission and projects after the year of implementation work. In August 2021, The RAFT Team hosted a one-year progress workshop, including representation from both the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck, to discuss the process, encourage group discussion and reflection, and seek locality input regarding lessons learned and best practices.

In the fall of 2021, VCPC scheduled scorecard presentations to leadership in each Middle Peninsula locality. In January 2022, the RAFT Team hosted a regional kickoff workshop for the Middle Peninsula localities, where RAFT Core Team members facilitated locality-based workgroups to develop their draft RAC based on the scorecards and opportunity lists compiled by the RAFT Core Team. Each locality workgroup presented their findings to the larger audience and the Core Team then used that baseline discussion to continue to refine the Checklists as we transition into implementation.

The Project Team has also planned to collaborate with the Middle Peninsula PDC on regional workshops in 2022 to improve community education about resilience resources to combat flooding, which was a shared RAC priority for Middle Peninsula localities. The RAFT Team has been engaged in internal discussion and planning for developing The RAFT Scorecard for application in inland communities, using lessons learned from new engagement with inland communities. 

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                 

92.03

Grantee:

Wetlands Watch 

Project Title:

Building CRS Program Capacity & Outreach in Virginia’s Coastal Zone 

Project Description:

Wetlands Watch will complete four projects that will build interest in and support of the Community Rating System Program and other resilience building initiatives in Virginia. Wetlands Watch completed work in FY18 that highlighted the critical need for local government staff training and outreach related to the Community Rating System, as well as the National Flood Insurance Program and related state and federal resilience programs. This project aims to address some of those technical assistance needs in coastal communities, while continuing to grow participation in the CRS Program.

Wetlands Watch will follow up with the twelve communities that received extensive CRS Trainings and evaluations in FY 2018 through in-person meetings. Wetlands Watch staff will offer technical assistance during these meetings to communities working through specific CRS questions and issues as they pursue CRS participation. An assessment of the community’s progress to join the CRS Program, including their participation in the Coastal Virginia CRS Workgroup, will help determine road blocks and opportunities for future assistance to help communities cross the finish line to join the CRS.

Wetlands Watch will offer two new CRS Trainings/Evaluations to communities in Virginia’s Coastal Zone. The all-day trainings offer extensive technical assistance in the National Flood Insurance Program, the Community Rating System, hazard mitigation grants, resilient building codes, stormwater management, and more. The FY 2018 trainings were well received and interest grew as a result of the positive feedback from communities who received a training. Wetlands Watch staff will offer these trainings to help grow CRS participation and knowledge. Each community will receive deliverables that help reduce the amount of time necessary to join the CRS Program and excel in the Program once they have joined.

Finally, Wetlands Watch staff will provide technical assistance at four meetings/trainings to help communities with resilience planning and implementation. Wetlands Watch staff will offer this assistance through the Planning District Commissions located in Virginia’s Coastal Zone. Regions across Virginia’s coastal zone are planning for resilience at vastly different levels and paces. Developing expertise in resilience related programs and policies is time consuming and expensive. Wetlands Watch staff will provide information to those regions in need through technical assistance in varying capacities, that will be identified by the Planning District Commission and agreed upon by Wetlands Watch. This technical assistance will help inform communities about the opportunities available to them for increasing their regions’ resilience.

Federal Funding:

$38,613 

Project Contact:

Mary-Carson Stiff; 757.376.1364; mc.stiff@wetlandswatch.org

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed 

Final Product:

-Community Rating System (CRS) Program Trainings/Evaluations Technical Assistance & Lessons Learned (PDF)
-Coastal Virginia CRS Workgroup Increased Geographic Impact & Virtual Capacity (PDF)
-Technical Assistance: CRS Training/Evaluations Summary 2020-2021 (PDF)
-Technical Assistance - Resilience Building Summary Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

Product 1: CRS Trainings/Evaluations Follow Up – Technical Assistance & Lessons Learned
Publication Title: Wetlands Watch CRS Trainings Follow Up White Paper 2021
Publication Abstract: To determine the effectiveness and impact of the twelve CRS trainings/evaluations conducted in 2019, Wetlands Watch surveyed the twelve communities requesting information on progress to join, or consider joining, the CRS Program. Relevant findings from the surveys are included in the report to help capture the level of progress post CRS training, while also highlighting other issues pertinent to resilience concerns across Virginia’s coastal zone.
Publication Distribution: This report will not be posted online, but submitted to VA CZM staff

Product 2: Report on Increased Geographic Impact & Virtual Capacity
Publication Title: Wetlands Watch VA CRS Workgroup Increased Geographic Impact & Virtual Capacity White Paper 2021
Publication Abstract: The Coastal Virginia CRS Workgroup is a community of practice for flood risk professionals that meets bi-monthly in person in the City of Newport News and online through the Zoom platform. This report details a history of the Workgroup, offers commentary on the Workgroup’s growing membership and technological need, and discusses the implementation of new technology. The intention to improve the meeting technology was planned before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the benefits were compounded by the pandemic’s prohibition of in person meetings. The report summarizes the success in achieving a greater geographic distribution of Workgroup meeting attendees.
Publication Distribution: This report is posted on Wetlands Watch’s website, the CRS Workgroup’s website, & distributed via email & in person at the CRS Workgroup

Product 3: Technical Assistance – CRS Trainings/Evaluations
Publication Title: CRS Trainings/Evaluation Deliverables Report
Publication Abstract: Wetlands Watch provided three Local Government CRS Program Evaluation Trainings in 2021 that helped increase awareness of the CRS and offered an opportunity for community staff to get a head start on the application to join the Program. The Town of Smithfield received a training on October 12, the Town of Dumfries received a training on October 14, and the Town of Colonial Beach received a training on November 12. The report details the trainings and summarizes the deliverables provided.
Publication Distribution: This report will not be posted online, but submitted to VA CZM staff

Product 4: Technical Assistance – Resilience Building
Publication Title: Wetlands Watch Resilience Technical Assistance Report 2021
Publication Abstract: Wetlands Watch provided four flood resilience meetings/trainings for Planning District Commissions located in Virginia’s Coastal Zone. The purpose of this technical assistance was to assist regional and local governments execute resilience planning and preparedness at the community level. Over the course of the grant period, this assistance became increasingly helpful to local and regional entities as the Northam Administration and the 2020 Virginia General Assembly’s legislative session passed sweeping resilience related initiatives. The report details the meetings and content discussed.
Publication Distribution: This report will not be posted online, but submitted to VA CZM staff. A YouTube video of Wetlands Watch’s presentation to the Resilience Adaptation Feasibility Tool community workshop can be viewed here.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                               

93

Grantee:

Richmond Regional Planning District Commission – PlanRVA

Project Title:

Leveraging Economic Benefits of the Natural Resources of the Lower Chickahominy

Project Description:

This 5-year project, Leveraging Economic Benefits of the Natural Resources of the Lower Chickahominy, seeks to study the natural resources present in the Lower Chickahominy watershed and develop policies to promote economic development that encourages protection of those coastal resources.  The study area includes the three counties included in the USGS HUC “Lower Chickahominy” watershed: Charles City, James City, and New Kent. 

Year 5 of this project will fund the RRPDC to maintain an online project presence, build an online stakeholder engagement tool, coordinate with a project steering committee, assist in facilitation of a policy development process in cooperation with an expert outreach coordination team, and develop an ecotourism infrastructure plan.

In Year 5, RRPDC staff will maintain the online project web presence created during Year 3 (FY2018).  The online platform acts as a resource for project committee members as well as the general public.  RRPDC staff will work with the outreach contractor team (see below) to create an online engagement tool to facilitate the policy development process.  Meeting resources and additional materials relevant to the project will be posted on the web platform and online engagement tool as appropriate.

RRPDC staff will continue facilitation of the project steering committee throughout year 5.  RRPDC staff will seek input from steering committee members on the format and content of the Ecotourism Infrastructure Plan, Product 4 of this grant proposal.  Additionally, RRPDC staff will communicate progress updates of the outreach contractor (Product 3) to the steering committee.

RRPDC staff will collaborate with an expert outreach contractor team to develop at least one policy for consideration by appropriate authoritative boards in the study area localities and by relevant stakeholders, if necessary.  At the time of submitting this proposal, it appears that such a policy will include the creation of a watershed working group and could be enacted via an MOU or a Declaration of Cooperation signed by all relevant parties.  Other policy options are also under consideration. The contractor team will also summarize policies and actions that have gained support during project outreach.  Those will be included in a River Corridor Action Plan which can be used in the future by the watershed working group to advance natural resource conservation and local economic development. 

RRPDC staff will work with the project steering committee, including locality staff and other stakeholders in fields relevant to eco-tourism, to complete an ecotourism infrastructure plan.  Recommendations in the plan will pertain to asset and program elements that contribute to a healthy eco-tourism industry: boat access to waterways, land trails, water trails, signage, etc.  

Federal Funding:

$161,500

Project Contact:

Sarah Stewart; 804.323.2033; sstewart@planrva.org

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Final Report: Leveraging Economic Benefits of the Natural Resources of the Lower Chickahominy River (PDF)

Project Summary:

Online Project Resources – PlanRVA staff created a Lower Chickahominy SharePoint site for file sharing, project coordination, and collaborative documents and data tasks.  The SharePoint site is protected and only accessible by invitation; it provides a private space for collaboration among project partners.  PlanRVA staff also maintained and updated the Lower Chickahominy webpages.  Pages were reorganized to better reflect the project’s status – support of a newly formed Collaborative effort instead of data gathering and outreach in search of solution(s).   

Steering Committee and Final Policy Development – The policy pursued was the creation of the Lower Chickahominy Watershed Collaborative (LCWC), formed by Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).  LCWC signatories include the three counties of the watershed, the three Tribes of the watershed, and the two PDCs of the watershed.  Interested stakeholder organizations can sign Supporting Cooperative Partner Statements, declaring their intention to support the signatories and their pursuit of the LCWC priorities. Since the initial signing of the MOU, two additional Supporting Cooperative Partners – the Capital Region Land Conservancy and the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve – Virginia – have signed the MOU. The LCWC aims to improve relationships among signatories and, in doing so, advance natural resource conservation and sustainable economic development priority actions. Throughout the grant period, PlanRVA staff worked in coordination with UVA IEN and stakeholders to finalize the MOU and set up the committee and meeting structure of the LCWC.  PlanRVA staff facilitated final edits to the MOU and the signature process.  The LCWC structure includes a Steering Committee and three work groups: Land Conservation and Ecological Stewardship, Sustainable Economic Development and Protection of Tribal Sites and Traditions, and Recreational Infrastructure and Marketing.  While UVA IEN staff facilitated the first several meetings of these groups, PlanRVA staff provided administrative capacity in organizing and hosting the meetings and a February LCWC Summit. 

Collaboration with Outreach Contractors - UVA IEN staff provided PlanRVA staff a synthesis report of year 4 stakeholder outreach work.  PlanRVA staff coordinated regularly with UVA IEN staff regarding MOU creation and planning LCWC meetings. UVA IEN produced an “Annotated Directory” for use by the signatories of the LCWC.  The document informs how best to work with each county or Tribe and includes information about contacts, administration, and history.  UVA IEN also produced a Watershed Priorities Implementation Plan summarizing priorities and action steps identified through meetings of the LCWC Steering Committee and Work Groups.  UVA IEN facilitated the first several meetings of the LCWC Steering Committee and Work Groups to help establish administrative structure and ensure adequate feedback about for the Action Plan.  UVA IEN facilitated a February 2022 LCWC Summit at which LCWC signatories and stakeholders benefited from updates from each of the Work Groups, general interest presentations, and time for stakeholder relationship building.

Ecotourism infrastructure Plan – PlanRVA staff produced an Ecotourism Infrastructure Plan advising LCWC signatories and stakeholders how to advance ecotourism through infrastructure improvements.  The Plan is based on the ecotourism Infrastructure Inventories completed during a previous grant year.  Consultation with stakeholders and GIS analysis resulted in the recommendations included in the plan. The plan introduces the LCWP, the work done over the course of the 5-year study, and ecotourism - what it is and why it is important. The plan then provides an overview of the previously completed ecotourism infrastructure analysis, with links to the three-ecotourism infrastructure inventory StoryMaps for each county. To set the stage for the recommendations, the plan offers maps for existing ecotourism infrastructure in the watershed as well as planned improvements at public access sites. This helps readers to understand where ecotourism infrastructure is currently located, and where there are already plans for improvements. The plan offers four different recommendations for improvements: improvements at existing public access sites, consideration of additional public access sites, improved bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure networks, and new and improved signage.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                 

94.01

Grantee:

Virginia Commonwealth University

Project Title:

Ocean Planning Stakeholder Engagement

Project Description:

Virginia Commonwealth University will provide an Environmental Scientist/Analyst/Program Manager to serve as the VA Ocean Planning Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator (OPSE) for the VA CZM.  The Stakeholder Coordinator will work under the direction of the Virginia CZM Program Manager to continue the engagement of the Virginia ocean stakeholders through personal contact, public meetings, PGIS workshops and other techniques to refine the offshore ocean management objectives for various uses with a focus on the commercial fishing sector as it relates to changes in energy development. The offshore Virginia commercial fishing industry lacks a central coordinating organization or entity. Changes in ocean use are likely to impact Virginia seafood landings due to modifications of transit lanes/corridors, increases in shipping, deployment of renewable energy and regulations affecting available fishing areas. As Virginia advances to develop a Virginia Ocean Plan and the deployment of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) commercial lease, the need for maintaining a close relationship with the commercial fishing industry will be greater than ever. The Stakeholder Coordinator will assist with obtaining data from the Commercial fishing community, Ports, Renewable Energy developers, Defense, Recreational users and Transportation sectors when such sectors are contacted regarding Virginia-based activities.          

The Stakeholder Coordinator will be a primary point of contact for coordinating, outreach and engagement of fishing industry-based, ocean stakeholders, arranging and establishing meetings, and communicating with those stakeholders. Virginia and the OPSE Coordinator will work with the Mid Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) staff on shared priorities and most directly relate to commercial and recreational for-hire fisheries. Outreach and facilitation of stakeholder meetings will be summarized and analyzed such that a Virginia perspective on management objectives will be available for informing and advancing Virginia’s participation.

The Coordinator will participate in MARCO Action Teams as needed but will also directly support the VA CZM Manager to address emerging issues, researching relevant topics, providing policy input and analysis to advance the Ocean Action Plan.

Federal Funding:

$48,000

Project Contact:

Greg Garman; 804.828.1574; ggarman@vcu.edu

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Virginia Ocean Plan Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

The VCU Environmental Scientist/Analyst, as retained by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Coastal Zone Management Program, served as the Ocean Planning Stakeholder Engagement and Fisheries Coordinator (OPSE) for the grant reporting period under the VACZM Section 309 Ocean Resources Strategy. The focus of the efforts was targeted to commercial and recreation aspects with key outputs of strengthening the relationship with the CZM as it relates to changes in ocean use. The COVID-19 pandemic affected the seafood industry and the means by which meetings were held, but the outreach and engagement efforts continued. 

Ocean planning in the Commonwealth includes a partnership, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO), which includes representatives from the States of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. The broader MARCO effort is being supported through several contractors such as Monmouth University, University of Delaware, Rutgers University, and The Nature Conservancy. Primarily, ocean planning brings together the sectors of Ports and Navigation, Military, Commercial Fisheries, Recreational Users, Alternative and Traditional Energy, Conservation, Tourism, and Local Government. These sectors have been brought together both in the Commonwealth as well as in the region to share information regarding ocean uses for the purpose of understanding the complexity of overlapping and abutting uses. The relationship with the commercial industry has continued to grow where representatives from the East Coast have shared their experiences with respect to the changes in ocean use. Fishermen have shared concerns regarding the loss of access to fishing areas or changes in transit routes that would increase operating expenses or take away days at sea. The competition for access continues to be a concern. The industry shares concerns that the developers are more able to invest in advancing energy development due to more available capacity and funding. 

During the grant cycle, the OPSF Coordinator had extensive communication with field partners including NOAA, Department of Mines Minerals and Energy (DMME), VA Marine Resources Commission (VMRC), Fisheries Representative from Sea Freeze Inc, Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA), Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA), Long Island Commercial Fisheries Association, Virginia Watermen’s Association, NYSERDA and representatives from the Virginia commercial fishing fleet. Geographically, the OPSF Coordinator began communicating more with the states of Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine as their states were directing staff resources to address the fisheries changes likely to impact their fishing industry. The reporting period saw an increase in intensity on the development of offshore wind. Projects moved forward in the federal permitting process; 16 projects advanced for consideration. This resulted in a corresponding increase in the focus on the interactions between commercial fishing and offshore wind development.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Project Task Number:                                                                 

94.02

Grantee:

Coastal States Stewardship Foundation

Project Title:

Development and Use of Webinars and Surveys to Engage Ocean Stakeholders

Project Description:

Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) personnel will work collaboratively with the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (VA CZM) to support outreach in the Commonwealth related to construction of offshore wind facilities, development of additional shipping fairways and other ocean management issues as resources allow. Although this is a VA CZM grant task, Virginians use and rely on ocean resources that know no state boundaries. Outreach efforts will focus on ensuring that ocean maps and data reflect local knowledge.  MARCO personnel will develop survey tools and implement them to gather input from Virginia stakeholders.  These tools will be developed with input from the other Mid-Atlantic states to ensure their transferability.

Through this project, MARCO and VA CZM will directly collaborate with Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME) to enhance the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) research and commercial projects by conducting outreach to commercial and recreational for-hire fisheries in Virginia. The outreach efforts will be web-based and recorded, and therefore accessible to the fishing industry and ocean managers throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

As the region’s population increases, ocean uses intensify, and climatic changes bring uncharted changes to the ocean and coast, states are tasked with considering how these changes will affect the commercially, recreationally, and ecologically productive waters of the Mid-Atlantic. One way that Virginia, as a member of MARCO helps advance understanding of ocean resources is through MARCO’s Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal (“Portal”). The Portal is a mapping tool used by decision-makers and other stakeholders to inform siting, planning, and management of uses such as offshore wind development, aquaculture, telecommunications cables, ocean disposal site designation, and more. It is critical for states to reach diverse stakeholder groups, especially those that generate revenue at-sea, to make them aware of current data on the Portal and ensure that the most useful data are included for planning purposes.

In 2019, MARCO and the Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC), were allocated funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to partner with the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) to engage commercial fishermen in both regions in the development of updated maps and fisheries data on the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Ocean Data Portals. That project, which will be implemented from January to September 2020, will increase collaboration with the fishing industry on updating and developing products that represent their knowledge and experience, and seeks to improve fishing industry trust in the data used to inform decisions. This VA CZM project will continue outreach to the commercial fishing sector in Virginia in conjunction with FY20 Task 94.01 (VCU), as well as undertake outreach to the recreational for-hire industry, through webinars and follow-up web-based surveys. This project will be an important continuation of the 2019 fisheries outreach that MARCO is currently conducting, allowing Virginia and MARCO to continue engaging commercial fisheries and recreational for-hire anglers around data products on the Portal and other ocean data collection efforts in the region. MARCO personnel will work closely with VCU and the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy to ensure alignment with existing fisheries liaison efforts in Virginia. Additionally, MARCO personnel will communicate directly with state representatives and members of MARCO’s Ocean Mapping and Data Team (which Virginia CZM chairs) to identify what can and should be shared with the fishing community via the webinars.

The outreach proposed will accomplish the following goals:

1. Update the fishing community and others about new data products and maps on the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal, as well as other data collection efforts.
2. Solicit feedback regarding current data products as well as data needs from the commercial fisheries, recreational for-hire anglers and other stakeholders. The feedback will be focused in Virginia but methods will be made available to other MARCO states. 

Consolidate the feedback obtained into a report, which will provide insight from the fishing community and other Virginia stakeholders to inform ocean planning in the Commonwealth. The report will also provide recommendations for how to deliver wider dissemination of the outreach tool throughout the region.

Federal Funding:

$25,000

Project Contact:

Avalon Bristow; 302.561.2520; abristow@midatlanticocean.org

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 3/31/2022; Project Completed  

Final Product:

Development and Use of Webinars and Surveys to Engage Ocean Stakeholders (PDF)

Project Summary:

The purpose of this project, funded by the VACZM Program via FY20 funds, was to bring awareness about recent data product developments and enhancements on the Portal to commercial, recreational, and for-hire fishers in the region, with a special focus on Virginia. This project was developed in conjunction with FY20 Task 94.01 (Virginia Commonwealth University), and is meant to complement that work. Progress on this project faced a number of challenges, including delays in fishing data updates on the Mid-Atlantic Portal; stakeholder fatigue and lack of responsiveness, inability to meet in-person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed outcomes and progress made are described below:

1. Proposed outcome: Update the fishing community and others about new data products and maps on the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal, as well as other data collection efforts.

   MARCO hosted a webinar for fishers in Virginia and other Mid-Atlantic states in November 2022. MARCO invited the  Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) and the Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC) to partner on the outreach and delivery of the webinar. Seventeen people participated, three of whom were from Virginia. This low response rate affirms that there may be stakeholder fatigue -some fishers have communicated this to MARCO through outreach conducted during this project. Fishers on the call recommended having an online tutorial for fishing data products on the Portal. MARCO created this, and it serves as a resource for anyone interested in learning about the types of fishing data products on the Mid-Atlantic Portal: https://portal.midatlanticocean.org/ocean-stories/marco-improves-fishing-map-collection-with-insights-from-industry/ 

2. Solicit feedback regarding current data products as well as data needs from the commercial fisheries, recreational for-hire anglers and other stakeholders.

   Through the webinar and individual outreach to VA fishers, MARCO learned the following suggestions for enhanced or new data products: (1) A need for a web-based / virtual tutorial of the fishing data on the Portal - something that could be referenced at any time by fishing stakeholders; (2) Suggestion to line up VTR and VMS data layers by gear; (3) Suggestion that unexploded ordinance data would be helpful to show on the Porta

3. Consolidate the feedback obtained into a report, which will provide insight from the fishing community and other Virginia stakeholders to inform ocean planning in the Commonwealth.

Takeaways from this project directly informed MARCO’s funding plan for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Regional Ocean Partnership Funding. The final report to VACZM articulates MARCO’s plan for future engagement of fishers in VA and the rest of the Mid-Atlantic Region. 

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

Virginia CZM Program: 2020 Coastal Grant Project Description and Final Summary

Project Task Number:

94.03 

Grantee:

Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center Foundation 

Project Title:

Developing a Baleen Whale Monitoring Plan for Virginia’s Wind Energy Area 

Project Description:

This project will take the first step in developing an environmental monitoring plan for offshore wind development off the coast of Virginia, USA. For this project, previously collected acoustic data from passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) projects will be analyzed to develop a future large whale monitoring plan using PAM and potentially other survey platforms. This plan will provide information on the number and distribution of PAM units needed to effectively monitor whale abundance and distribution based on their vocalizations and occurrence in the migratory corridor off the coast of Virginia. This information may also be helpful for other mid-Atlantic states in the migratory corridor between summer feeding areas and northern breeding areas of the NW Atlantic. The information will complement efforts underway by NOAA to develop an East Coast whale monitoring grid of passive acoustic monitors by providing more specific details for the ocean area off Virginia and be coordinated with the Regional Wildlife Science Entity’s subcommittee on marine mammals.

Federal Funding:

$49,887

Project Contact:

Sue Barco; 757-385-6476; sgbarco@virginiaaquarium.com

Project Status:

4/1/2022 - 9/30/2022; Project Completed

Final Product:

Power Analysis for Optimal Design of a Passive Acoustic Monitoring Network in the Virginia Offshore Wind Area (PDF)

Project Summary:

The project was conducted to begin the process of developing an environmental monitoring plan to study the impact of offshore wind development and operation on baleen whales in Virginia. For this project, researchers determined the efficacy of using passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) for monitoring the effect of OSW construction on baleen whales, particularly the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis-NARW). The funding for this project was contracted to the Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind which also sought funding for a similar coastwide analysis. As such, this project became part of a larger, more complex regional analysis supported by BOEM and described in Chudzinska and Thomas (in review). CREEM researchers were contracted to develop a statistical power analysis to determine the ability to detect changes to baleen whale occurrence using PAM in the waters surrounding the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind development area.

The analysis required several complex steps including:

1) generating data to be used in the modeling effort

2) developing hypotheses and data for testing hypotheses

3) transforming estimated number of whales generated from models into number of vocalizations (cues) detected by each PAM unit in each PAM array and determining statistical power to detect change based on experimental scenario and PAM array. 

Results of the analyses showed that the combination of:

a.   relatively low and variable baleen whale density off Virginia

b.   expected limits on timing of construction to avoid times when NARW are in the region

c.   uncertainty associated with sole use of whale vocalization via PAM (rates of vocal cues, detection distance, behavioral changes in vocalization, etc.);

as a measurement of occurrence combined to make the probability of detecting changes in whale occurrence extremely low even when a significant number of PAM units are deployed. These results suggest that use of PAM as the sole method of monitoring baleen whales is not recommended for impact assessment in Virginia. PAM, especially units that provide real time detection notification may, however, be useful for a broad scope environmental monitoring and as mitigation tools during the construction phase of the project. PAM alone, however, cannot determine whale presence in the region since whales must be vocalizing in order to be detected. PAM can act as one of several tools to provide information on whale presence, but should not be the only method of determining whale presence in a sensitive area.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov 

A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov or April.Bahen@deq.virginia.gov.

Project Task Number:                                                                 

94.04

Grantee:

Longwood University – Clean Virginia Waterways

Project Title:

Virginia’s Marine Debris Reduction Plan: Implementation and Update

Project Description:

This task supports the VA CZM Program’s leadership in reducing the amount of trash & marine debris from land-based & water-based sources in Virginia through multiple approaches:

• further implementation of the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan (VMDRP)
• monitoring marine debris
• updating the VMDRP to include priorities for 2021-2025.
• creating a summary of laws and policies that were created due to (or inspired by) the 2016-2020 5-year strategy that included funding to support Clean Virginia Waterways
• further collaboration with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Body’s Marine Debris Work Group in its efforts to decrease sources of marine debris in the Mid-Atlantic states through a current grant from NOAA’s Marine Debris Program, and hopefully a future grant project as well.

The VMDRP outlines politically, socially & economically feasible strategies & actions that will lead to prevention, interception, innovation & removal of marine debris for ecological, social & economic benefits. The VMDRP, published in 2014, included short-term goals for 2014-15, and also priorities for the 5-year period 2016-2020. This grant will allow staff from CVW to work closely with VA CZM staff to engage local, state & federal stakeholders (government & NGOs) in Virginia to implement and update the plan. In addition, this grant will allow further collaboration with NOAA’s Marine Debris Program on developing regional solutions.

Specifically, this grant will allow Clean Virginia Waterways (CVW) staff to continue to support the VA CZM Program’s implementation of a marine debris reduction strategy for Virginia, and assist the Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Body’s Marine Debris Work Group (which is co-led by Virginia CZM & EPA) its efforts to decrease the sources of marine debris in the Mid-Atlantic states: New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia). The District of Columbia is also engaged in these efforts.  Through a grant to the Mid-Atlantic Committee on the Ocean (MACO) from NOAA’s Marine Debris Program, this Work Group (which includes Clean VA Waterways) is working on a 3-year campaign to reduce the intentional releases of helium-filled balloons in the Mid-Atlantic states. The original balloon litter reduction campaign was developed in Virginia in 2015-2017.

This grant will support quarterly monitoring of Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge for balloon and other debris items as part of Virginia’s participation in the regional MACO grant project.

CVW staff will participate in the ongoing plastic pollution prevention work underway in two of Virginia’s most populated counties: Fairfax and Prince William Counties. Transfer of knowledge will also be accomplished through updating the CZM & CVW websites, CVW’s Facebook page & other social media and presentations at workshops and conferences. Marine debris projects underway in Virginia will continue to be included on NOAA’s marine debris portal for the Mid-Atlantic.

Federal Funding:

$60,000

Project Contact

Katie Register; 434.395.2602; registerkm@longwood.edu

Project Status:

10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021; Project Completed 

Final Product:

Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan Refinement FY 20 Final Report (PDF)

Project Summary:

Not Submitted.

Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Ryan Green, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4258 or email: Ryan.Green@deq.virginia.gov