Announcements 2023.3.22

[Walker, Jane]

SAVE THE DATE: 2023 VWMC CONFERENCE -- September 26, 2023 -- Henrico, VA -- Conference and registration information will be posted at https://vwmc.vwrrc.vt.edu/conferences/. Submit speaker suggestions to VW...@vt.edu.
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1.) Environment Virginia Symposium – March 28-30, 2023
2.) Request for Proposals (RFP): Addendum #2: Virginia Aquatic Resources Trust Fund – Submission Deadline: March 31, 2023
3.) Request for Proposals: Student Competitive Grants Program – March 31, 2023
4.) Request for Proposals: Coastal Resilience & Trees Fund – Submission Deadline: April 4, 2023
5.) SERCAP's 2023 Water Is Life! Celebratory Reception and Banquet -- April 6, 2023
6.) Blue Ridge Prism Events
   ++ Webinar: Identification of Invasive Plants – April 10, 2023
   ++ Webinar: Management & Control of Invasive Plants – April 12, 2023
   ++ Online Spring Meeting – April 19, 2023
7.) York River and Small Coastal Basins Symposium – Registration Deadline: April 14, 2023; Symposium: May 17, 2023
8.) Public Comment Period: Environmental Justice Guidance – Comment Deadline: May 1, 2023
9.) Smart Cities Connect Spring Conference and Expo – May 16-18, 2023
10.) Workshop: Teachers on the Estuary (TOTE) – June 20-22, 2023
11.) Chesapeake Classrooms – Multiple Dates: June 20, 2023-August 11, 2023
12.) Interactive Tool: Explore Your Watershed
13.) Hampton Roads Alliance for Environmental Education (HRAEE) Newsletter
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See recent announcements and learn more about the Virginia Water Monitoring Council (VWMC) at www.VirginiaWMC.org. Feel free to forward these announcements. When forwarding, please acknowledge the VWMC. If you have a water-related announcement of regional or statewide interest, send it to vw...@vt.edu and ask that it be distributed to the VWMC membership. If someone forwarded this message to you, you can join the VWMC for free by sending your name, water-monitoring affiliation (if applicable), and contact information (email address, mailing address, and phone number) to vw...@vt.edu. Thank you to the VWMC’s intern, Logan Flanagan, for developing today’s announcements. 

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1.) Environment Virginia Symposium – March 28-30, 2023 – Lexington, VA – Sessions will discuss PFAS monitoring, Potomac Aquifer recharge with the SWIFT program, environmental justice, agricultural BMPs, and much more. To view the full list of breakout sessions, learn more, and register, see https://vmieva.cventevents.com/event/8fbfb5ec-4950-4cbf-8097-151a02e98e1a/summary. Hosted by the Virginia Military Institute Center for Leadership and Ethics.
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2.) Request for Proposals (RFP): Addendum #2: Virginia Aquatic Resources Trust Fund – Submission Deadline: March 31, 2023 – The RFP is solicited to contractors that can design, build, or fully delivery stream and wetland mitigation projects in the listed river basins. The new addendum adds a portion of the Chowan River basin for nontidal wetlands in addition to the wetland and stream needs in the Shenandoah River, Middle James River, Lower James River, Chesapeake Bay, and Potomac River basins. To view the full RFP and addendums, learn more, and apply, go to https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/virginia/stories-in-virginia/virginia-aquatic-resources-trust-fund/. Offered by the Nature Conservancy.
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3.) Request for Proposals: Student Competitive Grants Program – March 31, 2023 (5pm) – Applicants must be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate or graduate student at a Virginia institution of higher education and be the primary participant in the research. Proposals are considered in all areas of water resources. Review criteria include intellectual merit, innovation, the broader impacts on Virginians, and alignment with state or regional water resources challenges. To learn more, see https://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/grant-opportunities/competitive-grants/ or contact Dr. Kevin McGuire at kevin....@vt.edu or 540-231-6017. Provided by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center.
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4.) Request for Proposals: Coastal Resilience & Trees Fund – Submission Deadline: April 4, 2023 (11:59pm) – Seeking projects that will increase resilience to flooding, sea level rise, and extreme weather events in Virginia’s coastal communities. Eligible applicants include civic groups, volunteer groups, educational institutions, tribal organizations, local and regional governments, private citizens, and small businesses. To learn more and to apply, see https://wetlandswatch.org/coastal-resilience-trees-fund. For any questions, email gra...@wetlandswatch.org. Funded by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and Wetlands Watch.
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5.) SERCAP's 2023 Water Is Life! Celebratory Reception and Banquet -- April 6, 2023 (5-9pm) -- Roanoke, VA -- This year’s keynote speaker will be Nathan Ohle, President & CEO of the International Economic Development Council. Also, raffling seven baskets/buckets, one from each of SERCAP's seven states, filled with local food, locally made products and crafts, and more.  Learn more and purchase tickets for the raffle and/or banquet at https://sercap.org/connect/water-is-life-event. Organized by the Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc. (SERCAP).
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6.) Blue Ridge Prism Events – Learn more about these events and register at https://blueridgeprism.org/prism-register/
   ++ Webinar: Identification of Invasive Plants – April 10, 2023 (1-3pm) – This webinar will introduce participants to invasive plants and assist in identification.
   ++ Webinar: Management & Control of Invasive Plants – April 12, 2023 (1-3pm) – This webinar will discuss how to best manage invasive plants during the warmer seasons of spring and summer.
   ++ Online Spring Meeting – April 19, 2023 (11:30am-1pm) – In this webinar, Dr. David Coyle will discuss the invasive Callery pear tree, how it was introduced, and effective management strategies.
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7.) York River and Small Coastal Basins Symposium – Registration Deadline: April 14, 2023; Symposium: May 17, 2023 – Gloucester Point, VA – Theme: “Collaborative Science Driving Broader Impacts” – This conference celebrates the York, Mobjack, and Piankatank watersheds. To learn more information and register, see https://www.vims.edu/cbnerr/coastal_training/upcoming_workshops/2023-york-river-and-small-coastal-basins-symposium.php. For more information, contact Cirse Gonzalez at cagon...@vims.edu. Hosted by the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia (CBNERR-VA) and the York River and Small Coastal Basin Roundtable.
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8.) Public Comment Period: Environmental Justice Guidance – Comment Deadline: May 1, 2023 – The Virginia DEQ released a draft of the guidance for informal public comment. The draft guidance can be found at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/get-involved/environmental-justice. To view the full announcement, see https://townhall.virginia.gov/l/ViewNotice.cfm?GNID=2565. Submit informal comments via email to ejcom...@deq.virginia.gov.
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9.) Smart Cities Connect Spring Conference and Expo – May 16-18, 2023 – Denver, CO – Participants will learn how data can inform community engagement and social equity, how cities can take advantage of infrastructure funding, and how to optimize traffic infrastructure and data collection. For a more detailed schedule of the program, see https://spring.smartcitiesconnect.org/program/index.html#detail. The early bird deadline ends April 1, 2023. To register for the expo, see https://spring.smartcitiesconnect.org/register.html. Organized by Smart Cities Connect.
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10.) Workshop: Teachers on the Estuary (TOTE) – June 20-22, 2023 (9am-4pm) – Gloucester Point, VA – This workshop is intended for secondary science teachers and will discuss how to incorporate estuarine research and environmental science into the classroom. To register, see https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfQ6JyakHW8HXKTqAxj7eyCTavJEEUlu6slks_UAfGMt5oI9g/viewform. Offered in partnership with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and NOAA.
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11.) Chesapeake Classrooms – Multiple Dates: June 20, 2023-August 11, 2023 – Offering classroom experiences throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed to help equip teachers with skills, knowledge, and experience to incorporate environmental education into their curriculum. Courses cover topics such as ecology, watershed management, and water quality. To learn more and register, see https://www.cbf.org/join-us/education-program/professional-learning/chesapeake-classrooms-summer-courses/. Offered by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
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12.) Interactive Tool: Explore Your Watershed – Use this map to explore watersheds within the Chesapeake Bay watershed -- their populations, Indigenous lands, protected and public access areas, land cover, and pollution load and sources. To use the tool, see https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/f81faecc67a744358440b6685a28fde0/. Developed by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
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13.) Hampton Roads Alliance for Environmental Education (HRAEE) Newsletter – This monthly electronic newsletter includes information about environmental events in the Hampton Roads area and focuses on environmental education resources for teachers and parents. To receive the newsletter, email rdun...@odu.edu.
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The VWMC announcements are provided with support from a grant from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  Funding is also provided from generous VWMC members. Thank you to our sponsors!

You too can sponsor the VWMC announcements.  Tax-deductible contributions can be made to the VWMC to support information updates and other VWMC activities.  Make checks payable to: “The Virginia Tech Foundation” and on the memo portion of the check include “VWMC Fund #872802.” Mail contributions to the Virginia Water Resources Research Center (0444, Attn: Jane Walker) at 210 Cheatham Hall, Virginia Tech; 310 West Campus Drive; Blacksburg, VA 24061.