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...
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...
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...
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 reaching local...
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 the Fishery...
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 host some of...
The health of Virginia’s rivers and streams is paramount to a strong economy and environment. The Commonwealth is blessed with natural aquatic wonders such as the James River and the Chesapeake Bay and has a storied history of responsible water conservation....
The eastern brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) — the official freshwater fish of Virginia — is valued by conservationists and sportsmen alike for its beauty and as an indicator of high water quality. Once widespread, the native brook trout has been lost from 38% of...
The native oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is one of the Chesapeake Bay’s keystone species and of great ecological, economical, and historical importance in the Commonwealth. Fortunately, during the 2018 legislative session, the Virginia General Assembly authorized an...
Virginians rely on local waterways in a variety of ways: clean drinking water, seafood production, and recreational tourism. Virginia is the largest seafood producer on the East Coast and the third largest in the United States — this is an example of an industry that...
