Announcements 2025.12.2

[Walker, Jane]

1.) James River Closed: A Talk on the 1975 Kepone Environmental Disaster -- December 3, 2025
2.) Course: Footprints on the James (VCU ENVS 491 and BIOL 391) -- Virtual Information Sessions: December 3, 2025, January 21 and February 4, 2026; Expedition: May 18-June 18, 2026
3.) Chesapeake Research Consortium (CRC) Events
   ++ Deadline Extension for Call for Special Session Proposals: Chesapeake Community Research Symposium 2026 – Abstracts Due: December 5, 2025; Symposium: June 1-3, 2026
   ++ Call for Nominations: Chesapeake Guardian Award – Due: December 15, 2025
4.) Public Hearings and Comment Opportunities -- Various Dates, Starting December 5, 2025
5.) New River Conservancy Events
   ++ Holiday Open House & Live Stake Giveaway -- December 6, 2025
   ++ New River Symposium 2026 -- April 9-10, 2026
6.) Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Program Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs)
   ++ Webinars: How to Apply for a WIFIA Loan -- December 9, 2025; December 17, 2025
   ++ Monthly WIFIA Office Hours -- December 10, 2025; January 14, 2026; February 11, 2026; March 11, 2026; April 8, 2026
7.) Webinar Workshop: Turn That Patch Into a Plan -- December 9, 2025
8.) Young Professionals of the Chesapeake Mentorship Program -- Applications Due: December 12, 2026
9.) Funding Opportunity: American Farmland Trust’s Regenerate Virginia initiative -- Q&A Session: December 15, 2025; Applications Due: December 19, 2025
10.) Riverscapes Consortium 2026 Online Courses
   ++ Fluvial Geomorphology: Reading Riverscapes -- January 5, 2026-April 26, 2026
   ++ Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration (LTPBR) of Riverscapes - Introductory Short Courses
11.) 2026 Underground Injection Control (UIC) Conference -- February 10-12, 2026
12.) Report: “Littered Balloons in Virginia’s Coastal Environment: 2014 to 2024 Monitoring Results on Fisherman Island, Virginia” -- https://www.cleanvirginiawaterways.org/research-publications
13.) Water Center Jobs Board – https://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/jobs/
++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++
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 Julia Porter, VWMC intern, for developing and organizing this week’s set of VWMC announcements.
++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++
1.) James River Closed: A Talk on the 1975 Kepone Environmental Disaster -- December 3, 2025 (12-1pm) -- Richmond, VA -- This free lunchtime talk will explore how pesticide contamination from the Kepone disaster in 1975 reshaped public health, policy, and the James River’s future. Gregory Wilson, author of “Poison Powder: The Kepone Disaster in Virginia and Its Legacy,” will provide the talk, which will be followed by a book signing. For more information and to register, see https://lva-virginia.libcal.com/event/15624134. Hosted by the Virginia Library of Virginia. Co-sponsored by the James River Association and the Virginia Environmental Endowment.
++++++++++++++++++++
2.) Course: Footprints on the James (VCU ENVS 491 and BIOL 391) -- Virtual Information Sessions (6pm): December 3, 2025, January 21 and February 4, 2026; Expedition: May 18-June 18, 2026 -- This course allows college students to live outdoors and travel by canoe, bateau, raft, and sea kayak. Students will conduct hands-on field research techniques and explore the human history of the James River from indigenous settlements to the present day. The course is open to non-VCU students through the VCU Summer Studies. Attendance of at least one information session is required. For a flyer or more information and a link to fill out an interest form, contact Dr. Daniel Carr (car...@vcu.edu) or Dr. James Vonesh (jrvo...@vcu.edu). Offered by Virginia Commonwealth University’s Summer Studies program.
++++++++++++++++++++
3.) Chesapeake Research Consortium (CRC) Events
   ++  Deadline Extension for Call for Special Session Proposals: Chesapeake Community Research Symposium 2026 – Abstracts Due: December 5, 2025; Symposium: June 1-3, 2026 -- Annapolis, Md – Theme: “Chesapeake Bay Restoration: Managing Water Quality for Living Resources in a Changing Climate” -- https://ccmp2024.chesapeake.org/
   ++ Call for Nominations: Chesapeake Guardian Award – Due: December 15, 2025 -- The awardee will be recognized at the Chesapeake Community Research Symposium in June 2026.” -- https://ccmp2026.chesapeake.org/.
++++++++++++++++++++
4.) Public Hearings and Comment Opportunities
   ++ Public Hearing: Proposed Permit That Will Allow Impacts to Wetlands, Stream Channels, and Open Water in Pittsylvania County, Virginia -- Comments Due: December 5, 2025 -- Chatham, VA -- https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42515.
   ++ Summary of Comments Public Hearing (Virginia Air Pollution Control Prevention of Significant Deterioration Permit No 50396) -- December 10, 2025 (5pm) -- Chester, VA -- This hearing will obtain input on the Summary of Public Comments and the Department’s Responses from individuals who previously commented.  Learn more at https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42720.
   ++ Public Hearing & Information Briefing: Glen Lyn Landfill: Closure of Landfill Units and Coal Combustion Residual (CCR) Units -- December 18, 2025 (Information Briefing: 6pm; Hearing: 7pm); Comments Due: December 29, 2025 -- https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42640
   ++ Stakeholder Input and Informal Comment Period: New Statewide Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) --  Comments Due: December 19, 2025 --  https://townhall.virginia.gov/l/ViewNotice.cfm?GNID=3260
++++++++++++++++++++
5.) New River Conservancy Events -- For more information, see https://newriverconservancy.org/events/.
   ++ Holiday Open House & Live Stake Giveaway -- December 6, 2025 (10am-2pm) -- Draper, VA -- Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with staff at the VA office and pick up cuttings from dormant trees that can grow into new plants. To pre-order live stakes (register), visit https://newriverconservancy.org/event/2587/.
   ++ New River Symposium 2026 -- April 9-10, 2026 -- Boone, NC -- Theme: “Resilience in the New River Watershed” -- This event is open to anyone with interest in the New River, and will highlight themes of resilience and the intersections with ecology, community and economy.
++++++++++++++++++++
6.) Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Program FY 2025 Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs) -- This program provides long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance to accelerate critical water infrastructure projects.
   ++ Webinars: How to Apply for a WIFIA Loan -- December 9, 2025 (1-2pm) and December 17, 2025 (2-3pm)
   ++ Monthly WIFIA Office Hours (3-4pm) -- December 10, 2025; January 14, 2026; February 11, 2026; March 11, 2026; April 8, 2026
++++++++++++++++++++
7.) Webinar Workshop: Turn That Patch Into a Plan -- December 9, 2025 (6pm) – Zoe Evans (Plan it Wild) and Heather Evans (Design Your Wild) will guide participants through the process of creating a cohesive yard plan that supports both your lifestyle and biodiversity. The workshop will be recorded and available to watch later. Learn more and register at https://wildones.org/. Hosted by Wild Ones and Plan it Wild.
++++++++++++++++++++
8.) Young Professionals of the Chesapeake Mentorship Program -- Applications Due: December 12, 2026 -- This program is for young professionals working in the environmental field in the Chesapeake region. It provides mentorship and customized trainings to young professionals. For more information and to apply, see https://www.choosecleanwater.org/ypc. Organized by the Choose Clean Water Coalition.
++++++++++++++++++++
9.) Funding Opportunity: American Farmland Trust’s Regenerate Virginia initiative -- Q&A Session: December 15, 2025 (7 pm); Applications Due: December 19, 2025 – Offering two grant opportunities — Healthy Soils and Farm Vitality — to advance regenerative practices and farm longevity. Farmers may apply for both opportunities, but only one grant will be awarded per farm. Learn more at https://farmland.org/mid-atlantic-grants.
++++++++++++++++++++
10.) Riverscapes Consortium 2026 Online Courses -- For more information, see https://www.riverscapes.net/events. Offered by the Riverscapes Consortium.
   ++ Fluvial Geomorphology: Reading Riverscapes -- January 5, 2026-April 26, 2026 -- This is an online, asynchronous, semester-long course that will cover the fundamentals of fluvial geomorphology through the lens of reading landscapes and riverscapes.
   ++ Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration (LTPBR) of Riverscapes - Introductory Short Courses -- These classes are for new-to-LTPBR people who may have taken an introductory workshop and want to go a little deeper on the what and why. Various courses and dates. 
++++++++++++++++++++
11.) 2026 Underground Injection Control (UIC) Conference -- February 10-12, 2026 -- Fort Worth, TX -- This event will explore the latest regulations, technologies, and best practices in underground injection control while offering networking opportunities. For more information, see https://www.gwpc.org/. Early-bird registration rates available until December 30, 2025. Organized by the Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC).
++++++++++++++++++++
12.) Report: “Littered Balloons in Virginia’s Coastal Environment: 2014 to 2024 Monitoring Results on Fisherman Island, Virginia” -- https://www.cleanvirginiawaterways.org/research-publications -- Provides an overview of the sources, prevalence, and impacts of balloons and ribbons in the environment, and focuses on data collected on Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge (FINWR) in Virginia from 2014 through 2024. Published by Clean Virginia Waterways.
++++++++++++++++++++
13.) Water Center Jobs Board – View a listing of current job opportunities and employment resources on the Jobs Board at https://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/jobs/. Developed by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center (Water Center).
++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++
The VWMC announcements are provided with support from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Virginia Water Resources Research Center. 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.