EPA Deputy Administrator Fotouhi Wraps Two-Day Swing in Virginia, Joins Representative Kiggans to Announce Over $90 Million for Chesapeake Bay Program
WASHINGTON — Last week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi was joined by U.S. Representative Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02) to announce more than $90 million in funding for 83 projects in Smithfield, Va. The funding coming from Small Watershed Implementation and Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction grants and matching funds, will help to improve water quality and reduce nutrient and sediment pollution throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The pair got to see firsthand the impact the funding can have during a tour of the living shoreline at Windsor Castle Park, a key project providing a tangible example of how federal investments support practical, on-the-ground restoration and coastal resilience.
“My visit to Virginia was yet another example of why it’s so important to meet with state and local leaders and speak directly to them about how EPA can best support their communities,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Fotouhi. “Our announcement on Friday to provide tens of millions of dollars in additional funding to the Chesapeake Bay program proves how the Trump Administration is investing in improving water quality, reducing nutrients and sediment entering the watershed, and keeping our ecosystems healthy for generations to come.”
The announcement was part of a two-day swing in Virginia where he met with state and local leaders to discuss how the Trump EPA can continue advancing cooperative federalism with the state to protect human health and the environment. On Thursday, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi met with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Norfolk District following the completion of the Norfolk Harbor and Thimble Shoal Channel deepening project. Port-related activity like this supports more than 570,000 jobs and approximately $63 billion in Virginia gross state product annually. As the port continues to expand its infrastructure, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi and USACE focused on how efficient permitting and coordination among federal agencies can help ensure these projects continue.
Next, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi traveled to Virginia Beach to meet with Mayor Bobby Dyer and City Manager Patrick Duhaney. Mayor Dyer is a newly appointed member of EPA’s Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC), an advisory group comprised of state and local officials who help advance the agency's core mission while Powering the Great American Comeback. Their discussion focused on local infrastructure priorities and the federal-local partnership.
Deputy Administrator Fotouhi ended his trip with a visit at the Atlantic Wood Industries Superfund Site. This site is a 50-acre industrial waterfront property along the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River, where EPA has led a multi-phase cleanup addressing contaminated soil, groundwater and more than 30 acres of river sediment, including the dredging of approximately 360,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment. The visit highlighted progress of the cleanup and ongoing efforts to measure its impact on the health of the Elizabeth River ecosystem, including through tissue sampling of oysters and other aquatic species. The Trump EPA’s Superfund Solutions initiative aims to expedite cleanups at sites across the country so that they can return to productive reuse in their communities.