Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Grant Program

We are asking legislators to support a budget amendment to restore this budget in the 2009 and 2010 Commonwealth’s budget*.  Below is some information about how to become involved with this issue and getting this grant program restored.

 If you have any questions about these items or other ideas for action on your part, please contact Stacey Brown at 804-615-5036 or via e-mail.

Action Items

1.)    Review and understand the white paper and talking points regarding the Citizen Monitoring Grant Program and its elimination from the state budget.  Download the white paper or talking points!

2.)    If you don’t know who your Delegate or Senator are go to:  http://legis.state.va.us/ or http://www.dbava.com/vamap.html

3.)    Contact your representative via a letter or telephone call to provide them with information about this issue. 

a.      In your conversation, make it personal!  Tell your representative that you are a one of their constituents and that you also serve as a volunteer water monitor.  Tell them what stream you monitor and why this program is important to you! 

b.      If you need a sample letter or a telephone script, please contact Stacey Brown.  One will be posted to the VCWQ website.

c.      If you write a letter, go ahead and send a copy to the Governor and your local newspaper.

4.)    VCWQ will be meeting with specific representatives within the General Assembly in the months of December and January.  If you have any time and are interested in participating in a face-to-face meeting, please contact Stacey Brown.

5.)  If you belong to any other organization that lobbies the General Assembly, provide that organization with the white paper and ask them if they could keep this issue on their radar screen.  Examples of organizations that might participate in lobbying activities are the Virginia Conservation Network and the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

*  The Governor’s budget will not be released until December 17.  There are indications that the program will be eliminated from his proposed budget for 2009 and 2010.

Key Legislative Contacts

Please note, these are not the only legislators to contact (the best ones to contact are the ones who represent your district), but if they do represent your district, a message to these individuals would go a long way!

House Appropriations – Commerce, Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee

Cox, M. Kirkland

Abbitt, Watkins M., Jr.
Dance, Rosalyn R.
Hogan, Clarke N.
Landes, R. Steven
Morgan, Harvey B.
Phillips, Clarence E.

Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

Hawkins (Chairman),  Chichester,  Ticer,  Whipple,  Hanger,  Watkins,  Reynolds,  Puckett,  Ruff,  Blevins,  Deeds,  Cuccinelli,  Obenshain,  Locke,  McDougle

Senate Finance - Sub-Committee: Economic Development/Natural Resources

Stosch (Chairman), Hawkins, Saslaw, Quayle, Hanger, Watkins