Subcommittee moves substitute to include wetland migration analysis in Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan

Delegate Talgette Lopez presented a substitute to House Bill 237, asking DCR to include identification of areas where marshes may migrate in response to sea-level rise as part of the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan. Lopez said the change will improve DCR's information for conservation investments and local planning.

Jay Ford of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation cited the master plan's findings: "According to Virginia's coastal resilience master plan, by 2080, we're facing as many as 89% of our tidal wetlands being inundated as a result of sea level rise," and argued that identifying migration areas is the most important step to allow wetlands to persist. Other organizations including the Virginia Conservation Network and the Southern Environmental Law Center associated themselves with support. After a brief procedural snafu on electronic roll calls, the substitute was reported by voice vote and the committee recorded the motion as passing (committee reported vote 8-0).