Take Action by May 3rd – Chesapeake Bay Foundation Email Supporting Tree Preservation

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The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is mounting a very important campaign that would benefit tree preservation in the County, especially for stormwater control during development and in Resource Protections Areas designated along all of Arlington’s streams. The CBF has provided a model email that you can send to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) demanding stronger regulations across the State that give Arlington and other counties more authority to preserve trees. To learn more, send an email, and/or get updates on these regulations go to this site. Please participate right away and share this site with as many other advocates as possible. This is a way to implement the call to action in the February 12th post on this site explaining the Regulation Process.

The CBF’s email includes powerful wording that targets tree and vegetation protections:

“I request that the regulations do more to promote the use of trees for water quality and other natural resources benefits. Trees enable water to infiltrate into the soil, reducing localized flooding. They capture stormwater runoff, improving water quality. They also stabilize steep-slope shorelines, reducing erosion and loss of property. Therefore, DEQ should revise its proposal to include an outright prohibition on the removal of mature trees within the RPA for sight lines or vistas. In addition, please allow localities to incentivize the preservation of trees and provide them the authority to enforce tree preservation provisions.”

The CBF provides additional information below:

The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, known as the “Bay Act” and overseen by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), recognizes that local governments have the primary responsibility for land use planning and development decisions that have a direct impact on water quality. Sea levels are rising, and local governments will need to update their Bay Act ordinances to adapt to rising waters. Join us in urging DEQ to include strong, nature-based solutions in the proposed regulatory amendments to the Bay Act.
It’s paramount that the new regulations on coastal resilience and adaptation to sea-level rise and climate change reflect the original intent of the Bay Act to protect water quality. We need to ensure that nature-based solutions—including maintaining vegetated buffers and building living shorelines—are prioritized in the updated Bay Act regulations. These solutions help protect property from storm surges and recurrent flooding while also providing habitat and improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
This is the first update to the Bay Act in many years, and it’s critical that Virginia get it right. Join us in speaking up for stronger Bay Act regulations before the May 3 public comment deadline.

Public Comment Opportunity – Trees and New Chesapeake Bay Regulations