In This Issue:
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News from Resilient Virginia
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National and International News
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On June 30th, we hosted our 2022 Annual Meeting - the first hybrid event we have ever hosted! In Charlottesville, about 45 attendees met in-person at the Virginia Department of Forestry's Training Room. We were joined by 40 virtual attendees for a discussion on ways communities are addressing climate impacts. Our special guests included Mark Rupp from the Georgetown Climate Center and Matt Dalon from VA DCR. Our local government panel included Matt Meyers and John Morrill from Fairfax County, Gabe Dayley from Albemarle County, and Carol Davis from the Town of Blacksburg. We would like to thank our speakers, our sponsors and host, and those who attended!
You can review what each of these guest speakers presented from national and state perspectives, and the variety of Virginia local government initiatives that are addressing both greenhouse gas emissions and climate adaptation strategies to build resilience in their communities on the Annual Meeting webpage. In addition, Resilient Virginia Board of Directors Chair, Ellen Graap Loth, took the opportunity to thank our Annual Sponsors, donors and members and introduce our 2022-2023 Board of Directors. She provided a brief history of Resilient Virginia’s accomplishments over the past eight years and gave a preview of new initiatives that Resilient Virginia is undertaking in 2022 and beyond. Learn more about our recent activities and new initiatives here. |
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Take the Plunge to Support Resilience |
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One thing that is hard to ignore this summer is the increase of disaster events in Virginia.
- On June 16th, 3 tornadoes were confirmed in Louisa, Goochland, and Fluvana counties. Read more here and here.
- On June 22nd, a cluster of severe storms struck central and northern Virginia causing widespread damage and power outages. Read more here and here and here.
- On July 12th, flooding in Buchanan County damaged homes, downed trees, and caused extensive power outages. Read more.
- As of July 22nd, the Roanoke Valley and the Lynchburg area already reported this summer was within the top-10-hottest summers on record. Read more.
And these are just a few of the disasters that occurred this past month and a half in Virginia. We are also seeing real-time severe flooding disasters in neighboring Kentucky, while most of the U.S. is being challenged by a massive, life-threatening heat wave.
We believe #Virginia Can't Wait to move forward with resiliency planning and initiatives. And local community action to tackle these challenges has never been more important. We are dedicated to pushing resiliency initiatives forward in all Virginia communities, both rural and urban. Here are some ways you can support this important work.
Annual Sponsorship – Businesses that sign on as Annual Sponsors contribute essential support for our education and engagement programs, which reach a growing number of communities through our online workshops and events. And businesses gain recognition on our website and through our 4500+ newsletter distribution.
Membership – Memberships provide a critical component of support for continuing our initiatives, while receiving discounted or free admission to Resilient Virginia events.
Donations – Every donation is appreciated and donors can receive rewards for their contribution which also support local small businesses.
Finally, help us spread the word that # VirginiaCan’t Wait. Include our tagline in your newsletter or other communications with your network. Tag your social media images with #VirginiaCantWait. Follow us and share our social media posts. |
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We are pleased to announce the addition of Cox Communications to our list of Annual Sponsors. Thank you for taking the plunge to support resiliency!
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Environmental Justice in Lynchburg |
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One of our new endeavors is an environmental justice project we are launching this summer. Resilient Virginia is partnering with Leslie King Consulting and Sobis, Inc. to undertake the Lynchburg Rising project - a program developed to assist historically underserved people in flood-prone neighborhoods of Lynchburg, Va. Over the next year we will be inviting people to tell their stories about how flooding has impacted them and we will bring resources and workshops to four neighborhoods to help residents with flood issues. In addition to flooding resources, we will also be coordinating with Randolph College and University of Lynchburg‘s work on heat islands to help neighborhoods and people that experience problems when it is very hot during the summer months. You can learn more about Lynchburg Rising and see program updates on our website.
Lynchburg Rising is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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Preparing to Work in the Adaptation Field |
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Sara Moreno, Resilient Virginia summer intern and student at UVA, is working with our organization to update our web-based resiliency information resources. This work will assist Resilient Virginia in expanding and improving our Resource Hub, with reports, tools, and references related to the four component areas of resiliency – Infrastructure and Buildings, Community Actions, Economic Activities , and Ecosystem Services. Sara was invited to contribute this article to the newsletter in which she discusses how she is preparing for work in the adaptation field as a 4th year student.
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Help Shape the Direction of Our Fall 2022 Resiliency Academy |
As we plan out our Fall Resiliency Academy, we want to make sure we are providing the information and training that is most needed by communities in Virginia. In August, we will be sending out a survey on what topics you would like to hear about and who you would like to hear from. We would love to hear from as many people as possible so our Academy meets the needs of our communities!
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Albemarle County Publishes Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment |
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In June, Albemarle County published their Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment report. This research report, a year in the making, was funded by Piedmont Environmental Council, and developed by Resilient Virginia and Sobis Inc. The report analyzes primary hazards the county will face in the future, who and what will be most vulnerable to the hazards, and what risks will be most likely.
Albemarle County is already working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through its Climate Action Plan and, using this new report, will embark on resilience planning. Look for updates and information on community engagement and education activities by the county at its climate program website. |
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RGGI Delivers Benefits to Address Flooding and Reduce Costs for Low-income Families
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In the first year of participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), Virginia netted $228 million through auction proceeds. Half of this money went to low-income energy efficiency and weatherization programs and about 45% has been dedicated to Virginia's Community Flood Preparedness Fund, which has made tens of millions of dollars available to local governments and tribes to build capacity, plan, and implement flood resilience projects. These funds have been especially helpful to low-income and rural communities who do not have the capacity to address energy and flooding issues. RGGI funds have helped Virginia invest in solutions that will make the Commonwealth more resilient now and in the future.
These articles from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) discuss how RGGI funds have helped Virginia address our flooding crisis and the benefits of staying in the program. Virginia must stay in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to successfully address its flood crisis Why RGGI is a Good Deal for Virginians
Learn more about how these funds are directly affecting low-income households in Virginia here. |
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Was it really 'all hands on deck' for rural Virginia? |
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The State Capitol. Photo by Markus Schmidt. |
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In this opinion piece on Cardinal News, Dwayne Yancey takes a look at how Southwest and Southside Virginia did in this year's General Assembly. |
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Randolph Solar Granted Land Use Permit
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Earlier this month, Charlotte County voted to issue a conditional use permit for the Randolph Solar Project. Upon completion, this solar generation facility would become the largest in Virginia and one of the largest in the U.S. east of the Mississippi River.
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Biden-Harris Administration Launches $225 Million Program to Lower Utility Bills Through More Efficient Building Codes |
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On July 21st, the U.S. Department of Energy announced their Notice of Intent to provide $225 million for local and state governments to expand the implementation of latest building energy codes and support the development of buildings that use less energy. This should generate as much as $138 billion in savings for homes and businesses. |
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NOAA tool now brings disaster risk, vulnerability down to community level |
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NOAA's Billion-Dollar Disasters Mapping Tool has been updated to include census-tract data which provides the user with "community-level awareness of hazard risk, exposure, and vulnerability across more than 100 combinations of weather and climate hazards." In addition, the tool now incorporates socioeconomic vulnerability information using the CDC Social Vulnerability Index. |
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Federal Rule Would Require States to Track, Curb Carbon Emissions |
Earlier in July, the Department of Transportation announced a new rule that requires states and large metro areas to measure the amount of greenhouse gas emissions being released from people driving on major roads and highways.
"The regulation would establish a national framework to track progress on climate goals by state, which the department said would help it make more informed investment decisions with funds created by the bipartisan infrastructure law."
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Can the Global Goal on Adaptation Be Locally Led? |
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Adaptation is a global issue but since communities experience impacts of climate change in unique ways, a one-size-fits-all solution cannot be designed for use across the globe. Therefore, adaptation must be locally informed to build community resilience. This article discusses how Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) can be linked with the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) to help ensure frontline communities are being heard. |
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Climate and Hazard Mitigation Planning (CHaMP) Tool |
The Climate and Hazard Mitigation Planning (CHaMP) tool supports communities in the development of climate-informed infrastructure plans and Hazard Mitigation Plans by providing community- and region-specific historical and projected climate and hazard information. The CHaMP tool was funded by the NOAA Climate Program Office and co-produced by the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) and the Carolina, Great Lakes, and Mid-Atlantic Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (CISA, GLISA, and MARISA) Programs. |
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NOAA's Climate at a Glance tool offers near-real-time analysis of monthly temperature and precipitation data, from 1895 to the present. Users can view data from the city level to the national level to study climate variability and change. |
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Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Funding in Virginia 2022 |
Does your community need funding for hazard mitigation projects? BRIC provides states, local communities, tribes, and territories funding for hazard mitigation projects - supporting them through capability- and capacity-building; encouraging and enabling innovation; promoting partnerships; enabling large projects; maintaining flexibility; and providing consistency. Applications are due November 10, 2022 at 5pm EST. For updates, you can sign up for email notifications from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. |
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Solar Funding Opportunity: Advancing Equity Through Workforce Partnerships |
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced the Advancing Equity Through Workforce Partnership funding opportunity. This $10 million award will support the development of collaborative workforce programs that will facilitate the rapid deployment of solar energy technologies while supporting an inclusive workforce. A letter of intent is due September 13, 2022; concept paper is due September 20, 2022; and the final application is due December 6, 2022. |
An informational webinar will be held on August 4th. |
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CePACs and Their Value Capture Viability in the U.S. for Infrastructure Funding |
This paper examines the potential application of Certificates of Potential Additional Construction (CePACs) and their value capture viability in the U.S. for local infrastructure funding. |
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Resilient Events Calendar |
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Continue your support throughout the year by using one or both of these online shopping sites that contribute to Resilient Virginia:
- Smile.Amazon.com — If Amazon is your online shopping choice, go to Smile.Amazon.com and designate Resilient Virginia and we will receive a donation with every purchase.
- GoodShop.com — Find lots of discounts and many participating stores for office supplies, general shopping, and special event gifts.
Feel free to send your suggestions for stories, as well as comments on existing stories. Contact: osso@resilientvirginia.org |
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