SMITHFIELD, VA — Today, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) was joined by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi and the James River Association at Windsor Castle Park for a Chesapeake Bay funding announcement and a tour of the park’s living shoreline. The EPA, along with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), announced a total conservation impact of $92 million for the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Following the announcement, Congresswoman Kiggans and Deputy Administrator Fotouhi visited Windsor Castle Park’s living shorelines, protected coastal edges designed to prevent erosion near a public trail by using native plants and sand instead of concrete seawalls. The project was completed in 2021 in collaboration with the James River Association.

Congresswoman Kiggans said, “The Chesapeake Bay is one of the most beautiful natural treasures our Commonwealth has to offer, and one that should be preserved for future generations to enjoy. I’m grateful to the EPA and the NFWF for investing in the conservation and preservation of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This funding will support commonsense, on-the-ground projects that protect our waterways, strengthen our coastal communities, and preserve the natural resources that are so important to Virginia’s economy and way of life.”

“I’d like to thank the James River Association for its promotion of responsible environmental stewardship, as well as Deputy Administrator Fotouhi for coming to Virginia’s Second District to celebrate this important day. I look forward to continuing to work with the Deputy Administrator and the EPA on commonsense preservation efforts to protect Virginia’s native species and its communities,” Kiggans concluded.

The grant awards announced today by EPA and NFWF totaled more than $39 million. However, the 83 new awards will leverage an additional $53 million in non-federal matching contributions to generate a total conservation impact of $92 million.

“Through these grants, EPA is working collaboratively with our local partners to deliver practical restoration solutions that improve water quality, restore habitat, and support the vital Chesapeake Bay watershed. These improvements will have a significant impact of the more than 1,800 local communities that depend on the watershed to support their economies,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Fotouhi. “This type of funding has a proven track record of delivering tangible environmental results and is a shining example of taxpayer dollars being put to accomplishing EPA’s core mission.” 

The 83 grants were awarded through the Chesapeake Bay Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Grants and Small Watershed Grants programs, which are administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. 

As the representative of a coastal district, Congresswoman Kiggans serves on the House Committee on Natural Resources and remains committed to supporting legislation that protects our Chesapeake Bay, preserves Virginia’s wildlife and waterways, and strengthens the coastal communities that call them home.

Background:

Congresswoman Kiggans has secured federal funding through the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) and Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Community Project Funding process for water, wastewater, and sewer infrastructure projects that improve service reliability and help reduce the risk of pollutants entering local waterways, including:

• In FY26:
  • $1.25 million for the City of Suffolk for Hall Place Water and Sanitary Sewer Improvements Phase 1A to replace aging water and sewer infrastructure to improve service reliability and reduce sewer-overflow risks,
  • $1.3 million for the Northampton County Community Center Septic System to replace an outdated system with a modern wastewater treatment system meeting current environmental standards,
  • $1 million for the City of Suffolk, Cedar Hill Cemetery Sanitary Sewer Relocation to replace a failing sanitary sewer main to reduce overflow risks and protect local waterways within the Chesapeake Bay watershed,
  • $750,000 for the Hampton Roads Sanitation District to replace three aging wastewater pump stations to improve reliability and reduce the risk of sewage overflows into Onancock Creek,
  • And $750,000 for the Town of Parksley to replace the aging water-storage system to support safe and reliable drinking-water service.
• In FY24:
  • $1.25 million to the Hampton Roads Sanitation District for Eastern Shore sewer improvements to extend and upgrade regional sewer infrastructure,
  • And $1 million for the City of Suffolk to replace aging electrodialysis-reversal membranes to maintain drinking-water quality and regulatory compliance at the G. Robert House Jr. Water Treatment Plant.