Law Commons^™

The Creation Of A Virginia Coastal Resilience Development Authority: An Inventory Of State Coastal Resilience Authorities And Funding Mechanisms To Help Guide Virginia, Kristi Gennette

Virginia Coastal Policy Center

In June 2018, Governor Ralph Northam signed legislation creating a cabinet-level position, the Special Assistant to the Governor for Coastal Adaptation and Protection, to lead efforts in addressing coastal resilience and flooding mitigation in Virginia. The following November, Governor Northam signed Executive Order No. 24, which directed the state to increase statewide resilience to natural hazards and extreme weather. This Executive Order directed Virginia to develop a Coastal Resilience Master Plan (CRMP). In order to implement the projects proposed in the CRMP, the Commonwealth will need funding. This paper provides an inventory of various states’ programs for funding coastal resilience …

Balancing Act: Water Quality Protection And Flood Resilience, Samatha Becker

Virginia Coastal Policy Center

Flood resilience efforts and laws designed to protect water quality may not always be compatible under current Virginia law. This paper will discuss two examples in particular. First, there can be tensions between the water quality goals under the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act and efforts to conduct flood resilience projects within 100 feet of the shoreline in Tidewater Virginia. Second, there are significant challenges faced by localities seeking to comply with the Virginia Stormwater Management Program, while also continuing to mitigate the impacts of flooding. These two examples stem from the larger question facing Virginia: as flooding increases, how does …

Planning For The "New Normal": Using Build One Portsmouth To Address Flood Resilience, Alison Wrynn, Sarah Simonetti

Virginia Coastal Policy Center

Sea level rise, recurrent flooding, and increasingly severe storms are ever-present threats to coastal Virginia. As climate change becomes the “new normal”, creative solutions are needed to adapt to these stark realities.

In response to these climate-related challenges, Governor Ralph Northam issued Executive Order 24, “Increasing Virginia’s Resilience to Sea Level Rise and Natural Hazards,” on November 2, 2018. The Executive Order designated the Secretary of Natural Resources as the Chief Resilience Officer of the Commonwealth, and set forth various actions intended to increase statewide resilience to natural hazards and extreme weather. Later that same month, Portsmouth released its 2018 …

The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act: Proposed Modifications To Improve Resilience To Sea Level Rise, Christopher Antoine

Virginia Coastal Policy Center

There are a number of ways to increase resiliency to sea level rise, and localities should consider all of the potential methods available to them, as not all methods are feasible in every locality. This paper will examine how the CBPA [Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, the "Act"] currently works to protect water quality and its current capability to help localities improve resilience. It will also consider some potential changes to the CBPA and other programs that may increase the Act’s ability to promote community resilience to sea level rise through rational development while maintaining the water quality benefits that the …

Hampton Roads Intergovernmental Pilot Project: Memo And Legal Primer, Roy Hoagland, Joe Durant, Jeremy Forrest, Kelly Lackey, Deborah Loomis, Benjamin Mcfarlane, Mark Nevitt, Adam Olson, Miguel Padilla, J. Duncan Pitchford, Henry Pollard, Mark Popovich, Lynne Rhode

Virginia Coastal Policy Center

The Hampton Roads area is experiencing the highest rates of sea-level rise along the U.S. East Coast. It is second only to New Orleans, Louisiana as the largest population center at risk from sea level rise in the country. And it is anticipated that Virginia will experience between 2.3 to 5.2 feet of sea level rise by the end of the century. This unprecedented challenge requires a comprehensive and effective planning response.

The mission of the Hampton Roads Sea Level Rise Pilot Project (“Pilot Project”) is to develop a regional whole of government and whole of community approach to sea …