Gov. Mark R. Warner signed eight pieces of environmental legislation into law this week, setting aside over $100 million for land and water protection, including the improvement of the Chesapeake Bay.
Warner spokesperson Ellen Qualls said the amount is the most that any legislature has set aside for environmental funding in the Commonwealth's history.
Qualls said the effort was bipartisan, but the process of finalizing the various bills was long and arduous.
"You have to bring together not only Republicans and Democrats, but business groups and environmentalists," Qualls said.
She added that the Chesapeake Bay is a serious historic issue for the state because its ecological problems affect a large population.
"The health of the Chesapeake Bay is not only in all of our interests, in the surrounding Bay states, from a quality of life standpoint, from an ecological standpoint, but it is also an economic engine for our coastal community," she said.
Senator John Watkins (R-Midlothian) authored several environmental compliance bills as well as a bill to create a nutrient trading program.
"This has probably been one of the most significant years from the standpoint of legislative and budgetary actions for the environment," Watkins said.
The programs created by these bills would give credits to companies with upgraded equipment. The companies could then sell credits to others and make a profit, Watkins said.
Watkins added that the Environmental Excellence bill also allows companies to be recognized for ecologically-friendly actions.
"It's an important recognition of how the Virginia government feels about environmental quality," he said.
Watkins said he is pleased with the Commonwealth's recognition of environmental challenges.
Senator Frederick Quayle (R- Chesapeake) authored the bill which created the Water Quality Improvement Restricted Use Fund. He said funding is one of the Commonwealth's greatest challenges in improving environmental policy.
Though pleased with the bill's passage, Quayle said the Commonwealth's goal of cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay in the next five years is somewhat unrealistic.
"Obviously, it's not going to be done by then, but everybody hopes that by 2010 we will have made a substantial beginning," he said.
Warner's deadline for all other budget decisions is Tuesday at midnight, Qualls said.
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