Photo Credit – Rex Springston/Times Dispatch
Though local stormwater programs have been debated for many years, a July 1, 2014 deadline for the implementation of new stormwater management programs to be administered by Virginia localities is the target of proposed legislation in the 2014 session of the General Assembly. Groups including the Virginia Association of Counties who represents Virginia’s 95 counties by unanimous vote of its membership in November voted to support a one-year delay, to July 2015.
While localities argue that the timeframe to implement these new programs has been too tight to meet the 2014 deadline, groups including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation say that the time is now to act and that “We do not need to delay any more.” Both sides of the arguement recognize that stormwater programs should include a sustainable funding model. Relying solely on fees charged for new development exposes localities to revenue swings due to the “boom and bust” nature of construction in addition to concerns that these fees may not cover the entire cost of such programs.
Read more at TimesDispatch.com and watch a short video by Times Dispatch photographer/videographer Rex Springston by selecting the link below.
