Raise Your Voice
Help strengthen the voice for the river by joining our Action Network. We’ll keep you up to date on the latest river policy issues and connect you to your elected officials so you can let them know that water quality is important to you.
Act Now
At James River Association we’re committed to securing clean water and a bright future for the James River and all the communities that rely on it, but we need your help!
Essential State Budget Items for a Healthy James River:
- Funding for an American shad recovery plan, an iconic fish species on the brink of collapse in the James River.
- Funding for the Virginia Agricultural Cost-Share Program to help farmers protect their local streams through conservation practices.
- Funding for the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund to help communities reduce runoff pollution and prevent flooding.
- Funding to stop combined sewer overflows from sending untreated sewage into our waterways.
- Full funding for land conservation and multi-use trails, including farmland, battlefields, BIPOC and tribal land preservation.
- Full funding for trees, to expand urban tree canopy, support the Trees for Clean Water Program, and restore critical funding to the New Kent State Nursery.
- Funding for environmental education and providing Chesapeake Bay meaningful watershed experiential learning for Virginia’s youth.
- Funding for monitoring PFAS, or forever chemicals, to track contamination hotspots across Virginia’s water sources.
- Funding for Wildlife Corridors, that establish safe pathways for fish and wildlife to access habitat, and bypass hazards or barriers like roads.
- Funding for James River Park System Master Plan implementation, to create new infrastructure that supports ecotourism and environmental education
The 2021 State of the James Report graded the James’ health at a B- with marked improvements in the amount of practices installed statewide to control nutrient and sediment pollution. But the report also underscored several notable threats facing our river. Climate change presents many challenges, including heavier and more frequent rainfall, that will increasingly impact the overall health of the James River. American shad fell to an alarming 0% in the report, a dangerous sign for the iconic fish species so integral to the history and culture of the region. Virginia needs a solid plan to restore American shad, and we need investments in protection and restoration actions that promote resilience. Virginia must prioritize investments to reach a fully healthy James River, to make our communities more resilient to flooding and climate change, and to better understand risks from emerging contaminants like PFAS, or forever chemicals.
Become a RiverRep
Want to do more? Join RiverReps — passionate individuals ready to speak up on the issues impacting the James River. RiverReps are trained in how to most effectively share their message for clean water, kept in the loop on our advocacy strategy each legislative session, and asked to take three advocacy actions per year.
The James River Association strives to provide a voice for the River on important policy issues. Through advocacy at the citizen, local, state and federal levels, the James River Association works to ensure the health of the James River. Learn more about our advocacy efforts.
Advocacy News
Clean Water Legislation Spotlight
The 2023 General Assembly session is now over, and legislation is on its way to the Governor's desk as we write these words. The final state budget is still to come, but the hustle and bustle of the General Assembly has wound down. Now is a great time to give an...
2023 James River Agenda
Across the Commonwealth and across the aisle, Virginians value clean water and healthy rivers. The James River supports thriving industries, from family farms and working forests to local tourism and outdoor recreation businesses, and it delivers clean drinking water...
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