Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Environmental Quality
 
Board
State Water Control Board
 
chapter
Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Designation and Management Regulations (formerly 4VAC50-90) [9 VAC 25 ‑ 830]
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4/25/24  8:52 am
Commenter: Meredith Lemke

Opposition to the Petition
 

I would like to express my strong and sincere opposition to this petition. This petition seeks to limit the protections of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act by imposing the legal determinations from the Sackett v. EPA ruling on Virginia. The result of this petition would be to reduce wetlands protections in Virginia, which would be an extremely damaging and short-sighted action. Wetlands are vital for reducing flood risks in tidal areas, for reducing erosion, for filtering pollutants out of runoff before they reach our waterways, and for providing important habitat for hundreds of native species. Reducing protections for wetlands in Virginia would not only damage wildlife, but also our communities by facilitating increased flood risks and allowing greater pollution of the Chesapeake Bay -- thus damaging both fisheries and recreation opportunities. 

CommentID: 222533