Drafting The Commonwealth’s Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan

1. Drafting TheCommonwealth’s Phase III Watershed ImplementationPlan VIRGINIA’S PATH FOR RESTORING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND ITSTRIBUTARIES ANN F. JENNINGS, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF NATURALRESOURCES

3. Virginia’s 2018 Water QualityAssessment Integrated Report(IR) • The Deep Channel sub-use remains fully attained in segmentCB5MH • Two mainstem Bay Segments (CB5MH and CB6MH) and the oligohaline portion of the Potomac embayments (POTOH) are now meeting the 30-day mean criterion (for the Open Watersubuse) • The Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River is now attaining the 30-Day Mean criterion for the Deep Water sub-use • The 2018IR will be the first time we can report over half (55%) of the overall sum of segment-specific SAV acreage goals wasachieved

4. Chesapeake Bay and Tidal Tributaries - Highlights • Improvements seen in the several Bay segments, James andRappahannock • Hypoxia continues to be an issue in portions of theBay

5. Chesapeake Bay andTidal Tributaries -Highlights • 55% of SAV restoration goal met (target is 77,463acres) • Full attainment of SAV use found in parts of each major tidal tributary, except Eastern Shore

6. Governor Ralph S.Northam April 4, 2018, Environment Virginia,VMI “Our DEQ experts tell us that at our current Bay restoration pace, we will fall millions of pounds short of our goals to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus.So my Administration is committed to preparing a new cleanup plan that incorporates input from local decision makers, prioritizes nature-based solutions, and tackles the impact of climate change on our clean watergoals.”

7. VIRGINIA’S PHASE III WATERSHED IMPLEMENTATION PLANGOALS • Restore the ChesapeakeBay. • Achieve state basin planning targets for the Potomac, Rappahannock, York, and James Rivers and the EasternShore. • Achieve our goals no later than December 31,2025. • Tackle additional pollution expected fromgrowth. • Tackle the impacts of climatechange. • Meet the Environmental Protection Agency’sexpectations. • Continue to engage partners, including local governments, planning district/regional commissions, and soil and water conservationdistricts. • Develop a plan that is practical and costeffective. • Maximize the potential forco-benefits.

8. EPA Expectations for the Phase IIIWatershed Implementation Plans (June 20,2018) • By 2025, implement best management practices to reach planning targets for nitrogen and phosphorusreductions • Develop programmatic and numeric implementation commitments • Engage local, regional and federalpartners • Incorporateco-benefits • Establish local area planninggoals

9. Virginia Secretary of NaturalResources Chesapeake Bay Stakeholders AdvisoryGroup Soil and WaterConservation DistrictAreas: Adjust template bmp inputdecks Identify funding and policyneeds Planning DistrictCommissions: Adjust template bmp inputdecks Identify funding and policyneeds Convene all sectorstakeholders Virginia Interagency Chesapeake Bay TMDLTeam

10. Key Recommendations for theAgriculture Sector • Establish equineworkgroup • Remove participant caps; morepractice • caps • Bundlepractices • Increase taxcredits • Cover cropsadjustments • Animal waste caps and lifespans • Stream protection -flexibility • Forestry -flexibility • Nutrient management -document • Greatest agricultural BMP needs inBay • watershed: • Animal wastefacilities • Grass and forestedbuffers • Covercrops • Nutrient management (alltypes) • Poultry littertransport • Livestock stream exclusion • Move towards regionalized BMP priorities by • fy2021

11. Virginia Secretary of NaturalResources Chesapeake Bay Stakeholders AdvisoryGroup Soil and WaterConservation DistrictAreas: Adjust template bmp inputdecks Identify funding and policyneeds Planning DistrictCommissions: Adjust template bmp inputdecks Identify funding and policyneeds Convene all sectorstakeholders Virginia Interagency Chesapeake Bay TMDLTeam

12. PDCObservations • Dedicated, knowledgeable localstakeholders • Best takeaways and recommendations came from locality-specificmeetings • Each locality has different challenges to improving water quality as well as other priorities andpressures • Greater understanding of existing local efforts and roles of keystakeholders • Identified opportunities for greater collaboration andplanning

13. Top PDC Recommendations –BMPs Stream & Shoreline Restoration UrbanTree Plantings Septic Systems Stormwater BMPs Growth Policies Nutrient Management

14. Top PDC Recommendations –Programmatic Actions Local Regional Planning & Coordination Staff Capacity Program Co-Benefits &Synergies BMP Research& Crediting BMP Tracking& Reporting Funding

15. Building to the PlanningTargets NewState Initiatives PDC and SWCD InputDecks and ProgrammaticActions Enhance Existing State and Local Programs

16. The Draft Phase III WIP– Overview of New StateInitiatives Agriculture Wastewater DevelopedLands Septic Systems MultipleSectors

17. The Draft Phase III WIP– Overview of New StateInitiatives Agriculture Wastewater DevelopedLands Septic Systems MultipleSectors • Update and Fully Fund the Virginia Agricultural BMP CostShare Program; Cost Share and TechnicalAssistance • Enhance Funding Opportunities through the Agricultural BMP Loan Program and TaxCredits • Pilot Long-Term Marketing Plan for the Resource ManagementPlan • Program; • Enhance Coordination Among State and Federal Agencies Assisting Farmers • Seek 85 % Implementation of NMPs on Cropland Through Cost Share, Improved Documentation and Reporting, and Increased NMP Certifications • Seek Livestock Stream Exclusion on PerennialStreams • Promote Adequate Land Area for Horses Consistent withVCE Recommendations and Provide CostShare • Increase Grass and Forest Buffers through CREP, VEE, and othersources

18. The Draft Phase III WIP– Overview of New StateInitiatives Agriculture Wastewater DevelopedLands Septic Systems MultipleSectors • Achieve Additional Reductions from Significant Municipal WWTPs.

19. The Draft Phase III WIP– Overview of New StateInitiatives Agriculture Wastewater DevelopedLands Septic Systems MultipleSectors • Enhance Reporting of BMPImplementation • Fund VCAP; Fund SLAF; Define SLAFNeeds • Establish Long-Term Partnership withPDCs • Expand Healthy Virginia LawnsProgram • Pilot Urban NMP for VirginiaYouth • Enhance the VDACS Certified FertilizerApplicator • Program • Promote Proper Use of LawnFertilizer • Enhance DOF Presence in Urban Centers with Focus on Canopy Goals, Riparian Plantings and CommunityEngagement

20. The Draft Phase III WIP– Overview of New StateInitiatives Agriculture Wastewater DevelopedLands Septic Systems MultipleSectors • Request Reporting of Sewer Connections by WastewaterUtilities • Establish WastewaterInfrastructure • WorkGroup • Pilot Shifting Oversight of Septic Maintenance from Local Governments to Virginia Department ofHealth • Designate VDH as a State Certifying Authority and Provide State Tax Exemptions • Extend Nitrogen Limits to Large Conventional Onsite SepticSystems

21. The Draft Phase III WIP– Public CommentProcess • Multiple BriefingsScheduled: • SWCD Area Spring Meetings;VA Assoc. of SWCDs; Soil & Water ConservationBoard • Rappahannock RiverBasin Commission • Watershed RoundtableMeetings • Virginia ForestrySummit • Associations: VWMC & CVW, VWEA , VWWAA • Posting to multiple websites including DEQ andSNR. • Comments accepted by email and USPS from early April through June 7th. • Two webinars -- May 13 (9 a.m. and 6p.m.) • Final Phase III WIP will beposted no later than August 9th on DEQ and SNR websites.

22. Drafting theCommonwealth’s Phase III Watershed ImplementationPlan