Virginia’s proposed state budget is missing millions of dollars for Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts at a time when the Obama administration is ramping up cleanup efforts.
The budget has a $108 million hole needed to fulfill more than 50 agreements with localities and utilities, according to The Virginian-Pilot.
Some state officials are calling for Gov. Bob McDonnell to revise the budget to include the funding, but its unclear if he’ll adjust the budget deal negotiated in the General Assembly.
The lack of funding comes at a time when the Environmental Protection Agency has been pushed to the forefront of a multi-state effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay. Virginia has been critical of the federal government Bay cleanup role in the past, and a recent lawsuit has challenged the agency’s authority to set restoration goals for states.
