JRA staff and board members with Delegate Betsy Carr, who read a resolution recognizing JRA’s 50 years of protecting the James River on the General Assembly Floor.
Each winter, the James River Association advocates at the Virginia General Assembly for policies and investments that protect the James River and the communities that depend on it. From advancing clean water funding to serving hundreds of blue catfish tacos at the Capital to raise awareness about invasive species, JRA worked throughout the session to keep the health of the James River front and center.
This year was extra special: the General Assembly passed a resolution recognizing JRA’s 50 years of protecting the James River, celebrating decades of progress made possible by our supporters and partners.
Over the course of the session, JRA met with 79 legislative offices, advocated on 27 bills, and members of our Action Network sent 576 emails to lawmakers. Half of the bills we engaged on passed, advancing protections for clean water, healthy ecosystems, and resilient communities across Virginia.
The General Assembly adjourned without finalizing the state budget. However, both the House and Senate budget bills include significant investments in clean water and river protection. JRA is continuing to advocate alongside fellow river conservation organizations to ensure these priorities remain in the final budget when lawmakers return for a special session on April 23.
Here are some highlights from this year’s session
1. Lawmakers Invest in Fixing Richmond’s Aging Sewer System
Virginia lawmakers included an additional $50 million in both the House and Senate budget bills to help accelerate upgrades to the Richmond Combined Sewer System, which all too often releases a mix of stormwater and sewage into the James River during heavy rains. Last year alone this amounted to 3.5 billion gallons of polluted water, an estimated 10% of which was untreated sewage. State funding will help with infrastructure upgrades that will reduce these overflows and protect water quality for everyone who lives, works, and recreates downstream. JRA worked closely with the City of Richmond and built a coalition of partners to advocate for the importance of accelerating this project for the health of the river and the communities that rely on it.
2. Protecting Clean Water Funding in the State Budget
The House and Senate budget bills restored and strengthened funding for Virginia’s most effective clean water programs, supporting solutions that prevent pollution from reaching rivers and streams. Key programs include funding for agricultural cost-share initiatives, stormwater grants, and wastewater treatment, which together form the backbone of Virginia’s strategy for reducing pollution in the James River and Chesapeake Bay while strengthening ecosystem health and flood resilience. These programs help:
- Homeowners reduce polluted runoff through practices like rain garden and conservation landscaping
- Farmers implementing conservation practices that keep nutrients and sediment out of waterways
- Local governments upgrade stormwater and wastewater infrastructure to better protect water quality
That said, key initiatives such as Trees for Clean Water did not make it into either budget, and some programs, most notably the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP), were funded below the levels required to meet needs.
3. Building Momentum to Protect Migratory Fish
JRA helped advance two core initiatives focused on protecting migratory fish in the James River.
Protecting Fish from Unpermitted Water Intakes: Many rivers in Virginia supply water for drinking, power, and industry. Concerningly, over 80% of these surface water withdrawals in Virginia are “grandfathered” and not subject to modern safeguards to prevent harm to aquatic life, putting young shad, herring, and sturgeon at serious risk. Through advocacy on HB1126, JRA helped secure a letter from the Rules Committee to the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources emphasizing the urgent need to protect fish from these unpermitted water intakes.
Supporting American Shad Recovery: Once abundant in the James River, American shad have nearly disappeared. Habitat loss, migration barriers, invasive species, pollution, and water withdrawals have pushed this iconic fish to the brink. JRA worked with Delegate Lindsey Dougherty to advance a budget amendment funding research and habitat assessments outlined in the 2023 shad recovery framework. These targeted investments will fill critical knowledge gaps and guide restoration projects to help bring American shad back to our river.
Together, these efforts show how strategic advocacy and legislative champions can create real momentum for river protection, even as some priorities remain works in progress.
4. Efforts Continue to Manage Invasive Catfish
Invasive catfish are spreading through Virginia’s rivers, threatening native fish like shad. To manage their population, lawmakers considered bills to create a Chesapeake Wild Harvest certification and a state position to expand marketing and production, guided by the Blue Catfish Work Group, which JRA was a part of in 2025. The bills passed the House but stalled in the Senate, though funding remains under consideration and was part of the House budget. To bring the issue to life, JRA served over 400 blue catfish tacos to legislators and staff at the Capitol, proving that managing invasive species can be good for the river and delicious.
5. Virginia Takes Steps to Address PFAS “Forever Chemicals” in Our Rivers
PFAS, often called “forever chemicals”, are in our water, soil, and wildlife, quietly threatening public health and river ecosystems. This year, the General Assembly took steps to address PFAS contamination.
JRA worked alongside conservation partners to advocate for bills that advanced requirements for wastewater treatment plants and industrial facilities to monitor and report PFAS discharges, and empowered local governments to test sewage sludge, and provide funding to explore alternatives for PFAS disposal.
Senator Aird also led efforts to phase out firefighting materials containing PFAS at the Richmond International Airport, helping prevent further contamination of White Oak Swamp, a tributary of the Chickahominy and James. While several of these measures were the result of legislative compromise and do not go as far as needed to fully address PFAS contamination, they lay important groundwork for stronger protections in the future.
6. Additional Bills Expanding Safeguards for Water, Wildlife, and Communities
JRA also supported several successful bills that advanced protections for water quality, transparency, and ecosystem health. These included efforts to:
- Establish a Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund
- Increase transparency around water use by data centers
- Strengthen policies protecting and replacing tree canopy during development
- Improve enforcement under Virginia’s erosion and sediment control program
These efforts reflect growing recognition that protecting Virginia’s rivers requires addressing a wide range of environmental challenges.
7. What Comes Next for Clean Water and River Protection
Not every priority crossed the finish line this session. While we made steps on the path of progress for issues like American shad recovery, water intakes, and invasive blue catfish, the outcomes ultimately fell short of what Virginia’s rivers need and will need continued advocacy.
Notably, we were disappointed by the lack of stronger investments in environmental literacy and watershed education, including increased funding for meaningful watershed educational experiences and the establishment of a fund to help school districts develop environmental literacy plans. While baseline funding for environmental education remains in the budget, we will continue to advocate with lawmakers about the importance of investing in the next generation of river stewards.
Other initiatives including the Virginia Great Outdoors Act, restoration programs such as Trees for Clean Water and Pay for Outcomes, fisheries climate adaptation planning, and a study to explore safer alternatives to road salt also did not move forward this session. In many cases, however, these conversations elevated the importance of protecting rivers, expanding outdoor access, and investing in long-term solutions for water quality and ecosystem health.
The 2026 legislative session demonstrated the impact of strong partnerships, collective voices and sustained advocacy. As budget negotiations continue, JRA will keep working with legislators and partners to ensure that the final budget maintains strong investments in clean water and river protection. The James River has come a long way but continued leadership and collaboration will be essential to ensure it remains healthy and vibrant for generations to come.