 Lynnhaven River Now
1608 Pleasure House Rd. Suite 108
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
Fax: 757-383-6907
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Lynnhaven River NOW Public Policy Issues
Public Policy IssuesPublic Policy issues at the local, state and federal level can have an impact on the health of our local waterways. LRNow’s Board of Directors, Staff and Public Policy Committee follow issues that can impact the Lynnhaven River and the Chesapeake Bay and take a position when it is appropriate.We are currently following four issues that could impact our local waters:
Uranium Mining
A ban on uranium mining in Virginia has been in place since 1982. There are many questions surrounding the safety and wisdom of uranium mining and processes in Virginia. The area being proposed for uranium mining is in the watershed for Lake Gaston, the primary source of drinking water for the city of Virginia Beach. The Virginia Beach City Council has passed a resolution opposing lifting the ban on uranium mining in Virginia
Cypress Creek Coal Plant
Old Dominion Electrical Cooperative is proposing to construct the largest coal-fired power plant ever built in Virginia. The 1,500 megawatt Cypress Creek Power Station would be built near the center of the tiny town of Dendron, not far from Jamestown and Williamsburg in Surry County. The plant’s smokestacks would release pollutants across a wide area that includes Virginia Beach. The potential pollutants from the power plant include mercury, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, carbon dioxide and other volatile organic compounds. Lynnhaven River NOW opposes construction of the Cypress Creek Coal Plant. Lynnhaven River NOW position:
Bay TMDL and Virginia’s Watershed Implementation Plan
The Bay TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) is a pollution diet for the Chesapeake Bay. The pollutants targeted by the TMDL include phosphorus, nitrogen and sediments. Each of the seven Chesapeake Bay watershed states is required to produce a Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) to show how they are going to meet the pollution reduction goals required by the Bay TMDL. Phase I of the WIP has been approved by EPA and each locality, including Virginia Beach, has received their individual reduction goals.
Efforts in our federal Congress to dismantle the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act and the EPA’s authority to enforce environmental standards
The Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act are the cornerstone of environmental policy in the United States and have been in place since the 1970’s. Several bills and amendments have been introduced recently in Congress that would essentially gut the Clean Water Act and strip the EPA of its enforcement authority.
The Virginia Conservation Network 2011 Briefing Book contains information on a wide range of issues affecting our environmental health in Virginia. To view a copy click here.
Thank you for your interest in these issues and protecting our waterways. |
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