Announcements 2025.8.28

[Walker, Jane]

1.) 2025 eeBLUE Aquaculture Literacy Mini-Grants Virtual Symposium – TODAY, August 28, 2025
2.) Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Events – Various Dates, Starting: August 29; 2025
3.) 13^th Annual Three Rivers Art Auction – August 31, 2025
4.) Virginia Sea Grant Fellowship Webinar – September 3, 2025
5.) Public Hearings and Comment Opportunities
   ++ Environmental Permit: Dominion Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center Project – Hearing: September 8, 2025; Comments Due: October 8, 2025
   ++ Environmental Permit: Withdrawal of water from the Rappahannock River – September 10, 2025; Comments Due: September 25, 2025
   ++ Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Regulation (9 VAC 25-875) – Hearing: September 23, 2025; Comments Due: October 10, 2025
   ++ Proposed Reissuance of Four Virginia Water Protection General Permits – Hearing: October 15, 2025; Comments due: October 24, 2025
6.) James River Association Events
   ++ Atlantic Sturgeon Watching Trips -- September 14, 20 & 21, 2025
7.) Chincoteague Bay Field Station 2025 Bioblitz – September 20, 2025
8.) Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Cleanup Studies and Implementation Plans
   ++ Cleanup Study: South Fork Rivanna River – September 23, 2025
   ++ Cleanup Study: Deep Run, Dover Creek, and Upham Brook Watersheds  (Henrico and Goochland Counties; City of Richmond) – Public Comments Due: September 25, 2025
9.) Rivanna River Basin Commission Annual Conference – September 24, 2025
10.) Friends of the Occoquan River Cleanup 2025 – October 4, 2025
11.) Save the Date: 2025 Virginia Buffer’s Summit & Celebration – October 21, 2025
12.) Virginia Conservation Network’s (VCN’s) “Our Common Agenda”
13.) Water Center Jobs Board – https://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/jobs/ 
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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 Julia Porter, VWMC intern, for developing and organizing this week’s set of VWMC announcements.
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1.) 2025 eeBLUE Aquaculture Literacy Mini-Grants Virtual Symposium – TODAY, August 28, 2025 (12-2pm) – This symposium will highlight the work of several grantees. Each grantee will give a short presentation about their work: what they did, their impact, and what's next. For more information and to register, see https://eepro.naaee.org/opportunity/2025-eeblue-aquaculture-literacy-mini-grants-virtual-symposium. Organized by the North American Association for Environmental Education, NOAA Office of Education, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the National Sea Grant Office.
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2.) Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Events
   ++ Chesapeake Watershed Forum – Registration: August 29; 2025 (9am-9pm or until registration cap is met); Forum: November 7-9, 2025 – Shepherdstown, WV -- Theme: “Shaping the Future of Conservation with Human-Centered Approaches” – https://www.allianceforthebay.org/event/chesapeake-watershed-forum/
   ++ The Taste: Celebrate the Chesapeake -- September 11, 2025 (6-8pm) – Richmond, VA -- This fundraiser will offer live music, food, awards, and fellowship. Proceeds support the work of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. --  https://www.allianceforthebay.org/get-involved/events/ 
   ++ 2025 Virginia Project Clean Stream Kick-off – September 13, 2025 (9am) – Richmond, VA – https://www.allianceforthebay.org/get-involved/events/
   ++ Blackwell Park Tree Planting – October 24, 2025 (9am-1pm) – Richmond, VA – Volunteers will help plant trees and shrubs throughout Blackwell Park.-- https://www.allianceforthebay.org/get-involved/events/
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3.) 13^th Annual Three Rivers Art Auction – August 31, 2025 (7-9pm) – Abingdon, VA – This auction will feature various art forms such as pottery, paintings, fishing lures, quilts, prints, photos, and more. Proceeds from the auction will assist with the Roundtable's work toward cleaner rivers in Southwest Virginia. For more information, see https://www.uppertnriver.org/. Organized by the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable.
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4.) Virginia Sea Grant Fellowship Webinar – September 3, 2025 (3pm) – Attendees will learn details about the fellowship, which addresses issues relevant to Virginia communities and of importance to coastal and marine resources. Contact Lisa Eddy, VASG Research and Education Coordinator at lme...@vaseagrant.org for a link to register for the webinar. Organized by Virginia Sea Grant.
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5.) Public Hearings and Comment Opportunities
   ++ Environmental Permit: Dominion Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center Project – Hearing: September 8, 2025 (5pm; Chester, VA); Comments Due: October 8, 2025 – Re: draft permit to limit air pollution from a facility in Chesterfield County, Va. -- https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42140
   ++ Environmental Permit: Withdrawal of water from the Rappahannock River – September 10, 2025 (Information session: 5:30-6pm; Hearing: 6pm; Milford, VA); Comments Due: September 25, 2025 – Re: withdrawal of water from the Rappahannock River in Caroline County, Va. to serve as a public water supply for Caroline County, Town of Bowling Green, and the Town of Port Royal --  https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42143.
   ++ Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Regulation (9 VAC 25-875) – Hearing: September 23, 2025 (10am; Richmond, VA); Comments Due: October 10, 2025 – Re: change the statewide permit fee schedule in accordance with Chapter 2 of the 2024 Special Session I Acts of Assembly. --  https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42097
   ++ Proposed Reissuance of Four Virginia Water Protection General Permits – Hearing: October 15, 2025 (11am, Glen Allen, VA); Comments due: October 24, 2025 – Accepting comments on the following proposed regulations:
      == 9VAC25-660 for Impacts Less Than One-Half Acre;
      == 9VAC25-670 for Facilities and Activities of Utility and Public Service Companies Regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or the State Corporation Commission and Other Utility Line Activities;
      == 9VAC25-680 for Linear Transportation Projects; and
      == 9VAC25-690 for Impacts from Development and Certain Mining Activities. – https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42111.
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6.) James River Association Events
   ++ Atlantic Sturgeon Watching Trips -- September 14, 20 & 21, 2025 – Richmond, VA – https://thejamesriver.org/whats-happening/connect-with-the-james/#thegreatreturn
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7.) Chincoteague Bay Field Station 2025 Bioblitz – September 20, 2025 – Chincoteague, VA – This friendly competition will allow participants to learn about, identify, and distinguish species while teaching the importance of biodiversity and applying knowledge to local coastal ecosystems. For more information, see http://www.cbfieldstation.org/outreach--community-engagement.html . Organized by Chincoteague Bay Field Station.
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8.) Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Cleanup Studies and Implementation Plans – Learn more about TMDL studies under development across Virginia at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/water/water-quality/tmdl-development/tmdls-under-development. Learn more about Virginia’s cleanup implementation plans under development at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/water/water-quality/implementation/implementation-plans-under-development/.
   ++ Cleanup Study: South Fork Rivanna River – September 23, 2025 (3pm) – Crozet, VA – For more information, see https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42170.
   ++ Cleanup Study: Deep Run, Dover Creek, and Upham Brook Watersheds  (Henrico and Goochland Counties; City of Richmond) – Public Comments Due: September 25, 2025 -- These waterbodies are impaired for aquatic life (benthics). For more information, see https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42137.
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9.) Rivanna River Basin Commission Annual Conference – September 24, 2025 – Charlottesville, VA – This event will share information about water supply planning, sustainability, and the impacts of data centers, along with facilitating collaboration with land use, planning, and watershed experts. For more information, see https://rivannariverbasin.org/event/rrbc-annual-conference-2/. Organized by the Rivanna River Basin Commission.
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10.) Friends of the Occoquan River Cleanup 2025 – October 4, 2025 (9am-12pm) – Multiple Locations: Lake Ridge Marina; Town of Occoquan; Occoquan Regional Park; Fountainhead Regional Park; Bull Run Marina -- Preregistration recommended. Refreshments provided. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own filled water bottles to reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles. In case of inclement weather, check the FOTO website (www.friendsoftheoccoquan.org) or Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/www.Friendsoftheoccoquan.org/) for updates. Organized by Friends of the Occoquan (FOTO) River.
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11.) Save the Date: 2025 Virginia Buffer’s Summit & Celebration – October 21, 2025 (9am-4pm) – Richmond, VA – Attendees will hear from experts, participate in hands-on activities, and connect with others to learn and experience the importance of riparian forest buffers. For more information, see https://jamesriverconsortium.org/news-events/annual-buffer-summit/. Hosted by the Upper & Middle James Riparian Consortium.
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12.) Virginia Conservation Network’s (VCN’s) “Our Common Agenda” – This collection of papers was written by, vetted through, and voted on by VCN’s 170+ Network partners. This briefing book explains the Commonwealth’s environmental policy background and potential opportunities. Download a PDF copy or preorder a hardcopy at https://vcnva.org/our-common-agenda/. Published by the VCN.
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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).
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The VWMC announcements are provided with support from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Virginia Water Resources Research Center at Virginia Tech. 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.