Weekly Watershed Announcements
September 23, 2019

In This Issue
Thank you for your continued support of the Middle James Roundtable (MJRT)!
 
If you have information that you would like shared in the MJRT weekly announcements, please send it to dur24@henrico.us.

In the News
Bill to protect, preserve the Chesapeake Bay advances out of key US Committee
(13NewsNow)



WASHINGTON - The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday passed Congresswoman Elaine Luria's bill to protect and preserve the Chesapeake Bay.

The committee recommended that the legislation heads to the full House of Representatives for a vote.

The Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization Act (H.R. 1620) is a bipartisan bill that would fully fund the Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay Program by authorizing an injection of $455 million into the Program over the next five years.

To read the full article by Erin Patterson, click here.

Upcoming Events
Virginia Environmental Assembly
(October 11-12, 2019)



Presenting "Our Common Agenda - the 2020 Environmental Briefing Book" - Available at http://www.vcnva.org/our-common-agenda/  

-- Showcases the environmental community's collective state-level policy priorities in the coming year. Printed copies of the book will be available in October.  Organized by Virginia Conservation Network (VCN).  To learn more, click here.

Save the Date:  Middle James Roundtable Annual Meeting
(October 17, 2019)

The 2019 Middle James Roundtable Annual Meeting is scheduled for October 17, 2019 at Victory Hall in Scottsville, VA from 12pm-4pm.  This year's theme will be 

"Restore. Explore. Reconnect.  
The River is Closer Than You Think"
.  

For a draft agenda, click here.

Save the Date:  Virginia Association for Environmental Education Annual Conference
(February 26-28, 2020)

This year's conference theme "EE for EverybodEE" is a celebration and call to action to make environmental education accessible to everyone in the Commonwealth.  Featuring workshops, networking, field trips and a day and a half of concurrent session VAEE 2020 promises to be our most exciting conference yet!

The 2020 Virginia Environmental Education Conference will be held at the Florence Elston Inn & Conference Center at Sweet Briar College in Amherst, Virginia from Wednesday, February 26th to Friday, February 28th.

For more information, go to  https://vaee.wildapricot.org/VAEE2020/

River Management Training Symposium
(May 12-15, 2020)



Presented by  The River Management Society.  in partnership with Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and Virginia Commonwealth University  Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Virginia's Scenic Rivers Program.
The Virginia Commonwealth University River Studies and Leadership Certificate 
program is proud to be co-hosting with the River Management Society and Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation the biennial RMS training symposium 
against the backdrop of the 50th anniversary of Virginia's Scenic Rivers Program. 
Join your colleagues in river management training, best practice presentations, 
posters, information-packed field workshops and fascinating evening programs. The meeting will be held at the VCU Monroe campus. We invite you to submit your 
2020 River Management Training Symposium: From Mountain Creeks to Metro 
Canals abstract by COB Monday, September 9, 2019. We welcome presentations 
and panels from river management professionals (e.g., managers, planners, 
academics, consultants, or students) that show how you, your organization, and/or 
the profession are protecting or enhancing river values. Come help us learn about innovations, creative approaches, successes, and visions for the future of 
sustainable river management! 
 
Our objectives for this symposium are to: 
1. Share current and cutting-edge research in the disciplines of river ecology, 
watershed science, recreation planning. 
2. Connect river managers across geographic regions.
3. Spark interdisciplinary conversations. 
4. Provide opportunities for attendees to sharpen skills, share accomplishments, investigate questions and build new alliances  
 
We are seeking proposals that fit within one or more of these program broad 
thematic areas: 1. Mountain and Rural Rivers (Management Issues and Science): 
Applied research and management practice in applying ecological, biological, geomorphologic or social frameworks to river management especially in headwater 
areas. 2. Urban Rivers (Urban Renewal, Infrastructure, Issues and Economics): How rivers contribute to a community's identity and economic well-being. 3. Management Technology Tools: New technologies and how they are being used in transforming 
river management. 4. Policy and Practice (State and Federal River Management Legislation, Policies and Systems): The next river protection initiative - will it come 
from cities or states? Emerging policy or legislation that impacts how rivers are 
managed. 5. Partnerships and Community Building: Initiatives and successful 
models that join river management agencies, scientists, universities, advocacy
groups and/or communities to support river projects and protection. 6. Water and 
River Corridor Trails: The relationship of trails to river management, resource 
protection, recreational use, and public support.  
 
Call for Presentations
Propose a training workshop or presentation as a solo presenter or group or poster HERE.
 


Grant Opportunities
DEQ Announces Up To $1.5 Million To Address Pollution Projects In Virginia Watersheds

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has announced up to $1.5 million in federal funds for competitive grants to improve water quality in Virginia. The funds will be used to support best management practices (BMPs) to improve impaired waterbodies across the state. Grant awards can range from $100,000 to $400,000 and applications are due Oct. 31, 2019.

Recipients are expected to implement improvement projects with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved local implementation plans designed to prevent and control nonpoint source (NPS) pollution in watersheds, which can consist of streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and groundwater. Improvement measures include the use of BMPs, such as retention ponds, fencing to prevent livestock access to streams and septic system repairs.
"Grantees have implemented projects under the federal Clean Water Act's Section 319 for nearly 20 years and in more than 225 watersheds across the commonwealth," said DEQ Water Planning Division Director Jutta Schneider. "These partnerships have contributed to significant water quality improvements at the local level."

"DEQ is proud to once again offer grant funds to support these important projects," said DEQ Nonpoint Source Project Coordinator Lauren Linville. "This program helps existing partners and grantees continue their excellent work, while also offering opportunities for new partners and organizations to address key local water quality issues."

More details, including the application form, are available on the DEQ website.

Background
DEQ has been working on implementing cleanup plans for local watersheds since 2001. Nonpoint source pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. Runoff carries away natural and human-made pollutants and deposits them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and ground waters. With public participation, DEQ develops implementation plans for each impaired watershed and includes BMPs, such as excluding livestock from streams, repairing failing septic systems and planting vegetation buffers.
For more information about NPS pollution and implementation priorities, visit DEQ's websiteQuestions regarding this grant program may be directed to the Nonpoint Source Grant Program.



Middle James Roundtable | dur24@henrico.us | http://www.mjrt.org
P.O. Box 90775
Henrico, VA 23273