I just got back from the 22nd Annual Environment Virginia Symposium, and, boy, is my frontal lobe tired. Hosted by the VMI Center for Leadership and Ethics, the theme of this year’s symposium was “Sustainable Solutions for Uncertain Times: Partnering for Economic and Environmental Success.” With plenary sessions on Global Warming and the Chesapeake Bay TMDL and the Virginia Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP), and tracks focused on these issues as well as Energy Efficiency and Innovation, Getting to Zero Waste, Restoring Ecosystems, Conservation of Natural & Historic Resources and Emerging Issues [in Environmental Sustainability], the program provided diverse information on a number of relevant and important topics. Thank you, VMI for a great conference, to the speakers for a wealth of information that will keep me blogging for years to come, and for the sponsors for their support.
As someone who has been discussion and following the creation and implementation of the Bay TMDL and state WIPS (here and here), and the new Stormwater Regulations (here), I was interested in detailed discussions presented on both topics. Of particular interest were discussions about the costs of these programs, and how they will be paid for. After a truly informative session outlining how Phase II of the WIP is expected to be developed, questions remained as to what the financial impact would be on localities, and how communities will pay for required sector reductions in pollutants.
and links.
Please see full publication below for more information.
