Chesapeake Bay
- Chesapeake Bay gets a C+ in overall health, Va. and Md. leaders say work to protect it must continue
Heath Kelsey with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences presents the 2026 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Report Card in Woodbridge, Virginia.
- Crabber Flags Maintenance Issues with Plastic Turtle Excluders on Bay Pots
Commercial crabber Nathan Everett told a Chesapeake Subcommittee that plastic turtle excluders face unstudied fouling and shrinkage risks that could impair crab pot performance and add lasting debris.
- Diamondback Terrapin Faces Steep Declines as Virginia Weighs Crab Pot Protections
Subcommittee testimony details population losses and preventable drownings of a native Chesapeake Bay turtle listed as a species of greatest conservation need.
- TRAP Program turns lost fishing gear into lasting solutions as nationwide impact grows
After recovering more than 600,000 pounds of lost fishing traps in just two years, the Nationwide Fishing Trap, Removal Assessment and Prevention (TRAP) Program is announcing 11 new coastal clean up projects in seven states.
- Chesapeake Bay underwater grasses increase 7%, buoyed by gains in salty waters
Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), one of the Chesapeake Bay’s most important indicators of ecosystem health, increased by 7% to an estimated 89,395 acres in 2025.
- Birding and Myth-busting at a State Forest
By Conservation Education Coordinator Ellen Powell In May, DOF fielded a team of six to compete in the annual Virginia Birding Classic.
- EPA to give $90M for clean water and restoration projects in Chesapeake Bay watershed, 28 in Va.
A living shoreline project on the James River.
- Virginia Advances Bill to Market Invasive Blue Catfish and Protect Bay Seafood
A legislative proposal would create a dedicated marketing position to expand commercial demand for blue catfish and ease pressure on native Chesapeake Bay species.
- Governor Spanberger Announces First-Ever Director of Outdoor Recreation
DANVILLE, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger today announced Virginia’s first-ever Director of Outdoor Recreation — a position focused on growing the outdoor recreation economy, supporting communities that rely on tourism, and increasing economic development across the Commonwealth.
- Luria and Kiggans rematch in Va.’s 2nd Congressional District among most-watched races in nation
From left to right: U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Beach, Democrat Elaine Luria, and independents Bishop Staten and Matt Baker.
- Governor Spanberger Celebrates Virginia Wine Month, Invites Virginians to Support Local Growers
RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger today is celebrating the start of Virginia Wine Month and inviting Virginians to support the growers, winemakers, and small businesses that make the industry an important part of local economies and communities across the Commonwealth.
- Spanberger presents slate of data center regulation proposals, puts first directives in motion
Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed Executive Order 22 on Friday, Sept. 18 to kick off her data center regulation package.
- Chesapeake Bay Ospreys Endure Their Worst Breeding Season on Record
Researchers say osprey nests around the Chesapeake Bay produced fewer young than ever recorded, raising new questions about heat, drought, storms and food supplies.
- Chesapeake Bay ospreys see worst breeding season on record
Dr. Bryan Watts, a researcher at William & Mary checks an osprey nest for eggs on the Ware River.
- Robert Bloxom House Bill 52 on Beneficial Reuse of Dredged Material Passes Assembly
RICHMOND — In a unanimous display of bipartisan cooperation, the Virginia General Assembly passed House Bill 52 on March 10, 2026, establishing a statewide policy to prioritize the beneficial use of dredged material from waterways. Sponsored by Delegate Robert Bloxom Jr., the mea
- Senate Finance Committee Continues Katrina Callsen House Bill 127 on Right to Counsel at Bail Hearings
RICHMOND, Virginia – The Virginia General Assembly has delivered a strong bipartisan endorsement to House Bill 52, sponsored by Delegate Robert Bloxom, passing it unanimously in both chambers.
- What candidates have planned for Virginia’s coast could decide a key congressional race
This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. With Virginia’s Aug. 4 primaries in the rearview mirror, the ballot is set in one of the nation’s most competitive congressional districts. In the state’s second congressional district, Republican […]
- Menhaden management board advances addendum with potential cuts to Chesapeake Bay fishery limits
The regional board overseeing menhaden management along the Atlantic coast on Wednesday advanced a measure to implement new restrictions on Virginia’s only reduction fishery that harvests the oily forage fish within the Chesapeake Bay. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s draft addendum would reduce the Bay-specific menhaden catch limits for the fishery, Ocean Harvesters, which […]
- Virginia Study Finds Hyperscale Data Centers Would Fail Groundwater Permit Criteria East of I-95
A 2026 report from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality concludes that a typical hyperscale data center requiring approximately three million gallons of groundwater per day would fail current permit evaluation criteria in nearly all locations across the Coastal Plain east of Interstate 95. The analysis forms part of a broader examination of groundwater supply […]
- After years of effort, Chesapeake Bay-specific menhaden population study gets funding
With new state dollars granted by the General Assembly by way of a budget amendment from Gov. Abigail Spanberger, scientists and lawmakers plan to examine the menhaden population inside the Chesapeake Bay, the culmination of years of legislative efforts. The data will be essential to determine whether updated conservation standards and catch limits for the […]
- Budget amendment would give ratepayers estimated $3 monthly rebate from RGGI funds
An amendment to return 45% of funds earned through the regional carbon market to rate-paying residents, small business and churches is part of the two-year budget Virginia lawmakers passed Monday, which is now under review by Gov. Abigail Spanberger. The provision would require utilities that burn carbon energy sources in the state to purchase carbon […]
- Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs wetlands, PFAS and flooding bills
Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs an environmental bill into law in Stafford, VA on May 6, 2026. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury) On the banks of Aquia Creek in Stafford, Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Wednesday signed a slew of bills designed to protect Virginia’s clean water from harmful forever chemicals and aid communities as sea levels […]
- Chesapeake Bay sees increase in juvenile blue crabs, drop in adult females
For the last five years, populations of juvenile blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay had struggled to thrive. From 2010 to 2023, the population dropped about 50% as researchers tried to pinpoint the reason behind the decline. But new data from the winter dredge survey shows a significant rise in the young crustaceans that brings […]
- Conservation groups raise alarm as Potomac River named most endangered in the nation
A view of the U.S. Capitol from the Potomac River, March 30, 2026. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury) The Potomac River, otherwise known as “the nation’s river,” has been named the most endangered river in the country, following a massive sewage spill earlier this year and the ongoing buildout of thirsty data centers across the […]
- Virginia House Passes HB52 Unanimously to Boost Beneficial Use of Dredged Material for Coastal Protection
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia House of Delegates delivered overwhelming support for House Bill 52, passing the measure on a unanimous block vote of 98-0 on February 3, 2026. Sponsored by Delegate Robert Bloxom Jr. of the 100th District on the Eastern Shore, the legislation establishes a statewide policy to promote the beneficial reuse of […]
- Governor Glenn Youngkin Announces Blue Catfish Processing Grant Award to Hampton Seafood Processor
Grant will increase Amory Seafood’s purchasing, processing, and sales of local wild-caught blue catfish RICHMOND, VA – Governor Glenn Youngkin announced today that Amory Seafood has been awarded $247,000 through the Governor’s Blue Catfish Processing, Flash Freezing, and Infrastructure Grant Program.