Chesapeake Bay Clean-up Investments in Hampton Roads

Governor Tim Kaine announced recently the issuance by the Virginia Resources Authority (VRA) of Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund Bonds to finance $186 million in wastewater treatment and sewer system infrastructure and upgrades statewide. VRA's total investment in nutrient removal for the Chesapeake Bay for FY 2007-09 in all programs now exceeds $810 million.

“The Commonwealth has dedicated more than $1 billion to cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay since the start of my term,” Governor Kaine said.

The Series 2009 bonds will support improvements to 13 wastewater treatment plants and associated infrastructure including those owned and operated by the Hampton Roads Sanitation District and the City of Newport News. The majority of the projects will provide system upgrades to reduce nutrient pollution being discharged into the tributaries that feed the Chesapeake Bay. Ultimately, the upgrades will enhance marine life and the overall health of the Bay.

Virginia, along with Maryland, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are all signatories to the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement, which calls for each state to reduce by 40% the level of nutrients going into the Chesapeake Bay by 2010.

“A cleaner Chesapeake Bay and cleaner rivers will enhance the quality of life where Virginians live, work and play,” said Sheryl Bailey, Executive Director of the Virginia Resources Authority.

Hampton Roads Sanitation District – (three projects) --

1. The loan will fund upgrades at Nansemond Treatment Plant which will provide nutrient removal to meet the Commonwealth’s 2010 Chesapeake Bay regulations. This project is expected to receive funding from the Water Quality Improvement Fund and FY 2009 CWRLF funds.
2. The loan will also fund upgrades at James River Treatment Plant which will provide nutrient removal to meet the Commonwealth’s 2010 Chesapeake Bay regulations. This is an innovative treatment process, one of the first of its kind in the state.
3. And finally, the loan will provide for the design and installation of flow meters and pressure sensors at sites throughout Hampton Roads. This is part of the regional consent order to reduce sanitary sewer overflows.

Contact:
Bruce W. Husselbee, PE, Director of Engineering
757-460-7012
bhusselbee@hrsd.com

City of Newport News – The loan will provide for sanitary sewer upgrades and rehabilitation, as well as pump station renovation.

Contact:
Steve Williams, Senior Engineer
757-269-2493
swilliams@nngov.com

Clean the Bay Day

by Sharon Smith, Clean the Bay Day Coordinator, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Come join the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for three hours in June to make your local waterway cleaner and healthier.

Clean the Bay Day is Saturday, June 6, from 9 am to noon.* And we need YOU! *Details vary by location; confirm information on our website: http://www.cbf.org/clean

The Chesapeake Bay and its rivers and streams needs volunteers to pick up litter around shorelines and waterways. Last year, with the help of our organizing partners, 7,000 volunteers removed 120 tons of debris from 434 miles of shoreline throughout the state!

We challenge and invite you to become part of the solution, join this powerful effort, and show that an unhealthy Bay is unacceptable!

By boat or on foot, gather your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and groups for a fun day and a worthwhile way to Save the Bay.

Dozens of sites are available. Please sign up today for Clean the Bay Day (no later than June 3) to be assigned a cleanup site near your neighborhood. There are three easy ways to register:

1. Visit http://www.cbf.org/clean
2. Call 800-SAVEBAY
3. Email ctbd@cbf.org

Governor Kaine speaks at Blue Planet Forum

Governor Tim Kaine will be guest speaker at the next Blue Planet Forum lecture, sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), Nauticus, NOAA, and Old Dominion University, on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. For more information or to RSVP to attend, click here or call the CBF office at 622-1964.

Gov. Kaine is a fervent supporter of the Chesapeake Bay on a national level, calling for more federal attention, money and regulatory clout for the Bay. He has encouraged President Obama to press Congress to take actions in support of the Bay, including the creation of a "Clean Water Trust Fund."

Gov. Kaine has also urged President Obama to declare the Bay "a national treasure," a status that would elevate the cleanup's importance in Congress and in public debate.

Also, on Friday, April 10th at noon, tune in to hear CBF's own Christy Everett and others on WHRV's 89.5 HearSay with Cathy Lewis for a discussion about the ecological and economic health of the Chesapeake Bay and other major Hampton Roads waterways. Or click here to stream it.