Watershed Implementation Plans (also referred to as WIPs) are the next step in our continued progression toward a restored Chesapeake Bay. These plans consider such things as ecological restoration and sustainability while allowing for greater transparency and accountability for improved performance.
West Virginia's WIP Development Team is responsible for creating these documents (WIPs) that documents how West Virginia will partner with federal and local governments to achieve and maintain water quality standards.
WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC MEETING ON PLAN TO IMPROVE CHESPAPEAKE BAY
Local stakeholders invited to provide input on WV Phase Three Watershed Improvement Plan
The West Virginia Potomac Tributary Team, a partnership consisting of local and state agencies which include but are not limited to, West Virginia's Department of Environmental Protection, Conservation Agency, Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry, and the Eastern Panhandle Planning and Development Council (Region 9), will be holding a public meeting to update stakeholders on the progress of our watershed improvement plan to clean up West Virginia's portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
The presentation will highlight the past work of stakeholders and the program partners to implement West Virginia's Phase Two Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP2). This document, developed in 2011, identified strategies to achieve our nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment reduction goals and responsibilities under the Chesapeake Bay Program. We are excited to say that both the health of the Potomac River, and the Bay are improving. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) evaluations of West Virginia’s efforts reflect that we are on track to meet our 2017 mid-point goals. This progress could not have been achieved without the hard work, dedication, and cooperation of our citizens, local governments, and volunteers.
While our progress has been noticed, we have been charged with developing a Phase Three Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP3) that will continue to set the course for success. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Model has recently been updated and substantially improved and all jurisdictions have been assigned revised nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment reduction goals that will need to be achieved by the year 2025. With these new goals in place, West Virginia is expected to draft its WIP3 by April 2019, and finalize it by August 2019. The WIP3 will detail the strategies used and commitments needed to be made to achieve our goals.
Please join us for a public meeting on July 30 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. at the Berkeley County Council Chambers in Martinsburg or July 31 from 6:00-7:00 p.m.at Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College in Moorefield.
We will present information on past progress, new goals, and ways to contribute to West Virginia's WIP3 development and invite public input. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Alana Hartman at alana.c.hartman@wv.gov or (304) 993-6814. Updates on West Virginia's Chesapeake Bay progress can be found at www.wvchesapeakebay.us.
As a next step after the Preliminary Agricultural Sector Meeting, Local District Phase III WIP Planning Meetings have been scheduled in the Potomac Valley Conservation District and the Eastern Panhandle Conservation District to discuss BMP progress, past goals, and future goals moving forward in more detail to come closer to developing specific Phase III WIP Agricultural BMP goals in addition to local BMP goals within the conservation districts.
Meeting details can be found below. If you are interested in attending and have not been contacted directly about these meetings, please call Suzy Campbell, WVCA Chesapeake Bay Program Manager at 304-539-2682 to RSVP, as space is limited.
Potomac Valley Conservation District- Local Phase 3 WIP Agricultural Planning Meeting
USDA Service Center
223 North Main St.
Moorefield, WV 26836
Wednesday August 8, 2018 from 6:00 pm – 7:30pm
On Thursday July 19, 2018, local government representatives within Berkeley County discussed and brainstormed priority strategies for the West Virginia Watershed Implementation Plan at a local planning meeting by the Eastern Panhandle Regional Planning and Development Council (Region 9).
When: July 19th @ 11:00am
Where: Blue Ridge Community and Technical College - Martinsburg, WV
On Thursday July 12, 2018, local government representatives within Morgan County discussed and brainstormed priority strategies for the West Virginia Watershed Implementation Plan at a local planning meeting by the Eastern Panhandle Regional Planning and Development Council (Region 9).
When: July 12th @ 11:00 am
Where: Blue Ridge CTC Morgan County Campus (The Pines) Room C-08;
109 War Memorial Dr, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
As a next step after the Preliminary Agricultural Sector Meeting, Local District Phase III WIP Planning Meetings have been scheduled in the Potomac Valley Conservation District and the Eastern Panhandle Conservation District to discuss BMP progress, past goals, and future goals moving forward in more detail to come closer to developing specific Phase III WIP Agricultural BMP goals in addition to local BMP goals within the conservation districts.
Meeting details can be found below. If you are interested in attending and have not been contacted directly about these meetings, please call Suzy Campbell, WVCA Chesapeake Bay Program Manager at 304-539-2682 to RSVP, as space is limited.
Eastern Panhandle Conservation District- Local Phase 3 WIP Agricultural Planning Meeting
USDA Service Center
151 Aikens Center
Martinsburg, WV 25404
Wednesday, June 13th from 4:00 pm – 5:30pm
In 2011, the West Virginia established a path to success in meeting its pollution reduction responsibilities in our local later ways, the Potomac River, and the Chesapeake Bay. Back then; the first step was to understand what was needed and what was possible. Region 9 assisted in hosting a series of local stakeholder meetings to determine strategies that would work for West Virginia and for the Chesapeake Bay. Now in 2018, local input will continue to be the foundation that our next Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan will be built upon
On June 1, 2018 Eastern Panhandle Planning and Development Council held a Chesapeake Bay Kick Off Meeting to update local government stakeholders on West Virginia’s progress within the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort and set the stage for what to expect during the next several months as the Eastern Panhandle Planning and Development Council (Region 9) will once again assist the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and other partners in receiving input to draft the Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP). Together, partners looked at what communities have already identified as their priorities and how they could help the State fulfill its responsibilities in the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort.
On Monday May 14, 2018 the Agricultural Sector held its first preliminary meeting in Moorefield, WV to discuss the Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan process with agricultural staff and partners in WV's Chesapeake Bay drainage area, the new Phase 6 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Model, our progress towards achieving our TMDL, and steps moving forward for setting new Phase III WIP goals. This was the first in a series of meetings to develop the agricultural section of the Phase III WIP.