ADVOCACY
Friends of the Rappahannock works at the local, state, and federal level to ensure the maximum protections for the Rappahannock River.
This includes a wide range of programs, issues, and campaigns that takes us across the watershed and beyond.
-
Review and comment of local ordinances, comprehensive plans, general development plans, permits, and more.
-
Active presence at the Virginia General Assembly fighting for continued funding for clean water programs, agricultural and stormwater best management practice funding, living shoreline program development, fishery protection, and a variety of other issues.
-
Federal advocacy to maintain a strong Chesapeake Bay Program and associated agency funding at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and more. Federal advocacy to protect the Clean Water Act and other federal regulations that impact the Rappahannock River.
-
Membership and participation in regional advocacy partnerships with the Virginia Conservation Network (VCN) and Choose Clean Water Coalition (CCWC).
-
Annual leader at Virginia Conservation Lobby Day and Bay Day on the Hill.
Click Here for the full 2018 Environmental Policy Briefing Book published by our partners at the Virginia Conservation Network.
Rappahannock Advocacy Blog
Pursuing Scenic River Designation for the Lower Rappahannock River
2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the Virginia Scenic Rivers Act. In 1970, the Virginia General Assembly enacted legislation authorizing the establishment of a Virginia Scenic Rivers System. The legislation charged the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)...
Fracking Ban Passes General Assembly
MARCH 17, 2020 -The Virginia General Assembly is set to ban hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking, in the eastern part of the state. This legislation received extensive support and now protects the communities and natural resources of the lower Rappahannock...
Friends of the Rappahannock advocates for funding to assist localities affected by recurrent flooding
Areas along the Rappahannock River and its tributaries are realizing higher frequencies of recurrent flooding as sea levels rise and shorelines are inundated from higher tides on bluebird days. Flooding causes an average of $13 million in damage every year in...
General Assembly 2020
Join us as a strong voice for the Rappahannock River at the state level. The 2020 General Assembly session starts January 8th. We are prioritizing these issues and will regularly update this page. We will include info on bill progress and how you can make...
Governor’s Proposed Budget Includes Major Funding for Water Quality and Commitment to Chesapeake Bay Restoration
Governor Ralph Northam just announced his proposed budget which is slated to include major investments in conservation and water quality protections. The governor’s funding strategy would accelerate Virginia’s progress towards its 2025 targets for pollution reductions...
Lame-duck Congress must protect farms, waterways
The final two months of this lame-duck Congress needs to focus on protecting our nation’s farms. Friends of the Rappahannock and countless partners are asking our legislators to get numerous pieces of legislation passed, including a new farm bill. The Agriculture...
Breaking News: Violations at Fones Cliffs now under review by Attorney General’s office
Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR) is pleased to share the news that the Virginia Office of the Attorney General is joining the discussion on enforcement of violations by Fones Cliffs’ developer, Virginia True Corporation. FOR staff is standing by to assist the...
Giving Farmers the Tools They Need to Protect our Rivers and Streams: OUR COMMON AGENDA
Agriculture is Virginia’s largest industry by many metrics — economic impact, jobs, and area. There are approximately 46,000 farms covering 8.2 million acres (32%) of Virginia. Agriculture is also the largest source of nutrient and sediment pollution...
Supporting a Healthy Menhaden Population to Ensure Viability of Local and Regional Economies: OUR COMMON AGENDA
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) manages Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) along with numerous other coastal migratory species through an Interstate Fisheries Management Program. In November 2017, ASMFC adopted Amendment 3 to...
Protecting Water, Health, and Communities from Fracking: OUR COMMON AGENDA
Virginians have always treasured and relied on our waters to provide fresh drinking water, support healthy ecosystems, and sustain our economy — from the productive, historic Chesapeake Bay; its mountain headwaters; and the Clinch and Powell Rivers (which...