Secrets of the James

Plain Talk about Clean Water

by Gabe Silver, Environmental Educator

Water quality issues in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries such as the James have been hotly debated in the press. Due to the recent effort by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to give Chesapeake Bay states an effective framework to make real progress towards healthy waters for the future, a significant backlash has sprung up. Listening to certain public voices, one might believe that the federal government is coming to ruin local livelihoods by requiring that we keep our waters “too clean.” It’s unfortunate that so much of the dialogue on how we will share and protect the gift of clean water comes to fear-mongering and rumor-spreading. It’s important to remember a few principles and facts in times like these. Here are a few thoughts that may be useful when considering this issue:

1. Virginia’s Constitution states: “It shall be the Commonwealth’s policy to protect its atmosphere, lands, and waters from pollution, impairment, or destruction, for the benefit, enjoyment, and general welfare of the people of the Commonwealth.” (Article XI, Section 1). Enshrined in our Commonwealth’s constitution is the principle that I can’t pollute and destroy a resource that you also use. That would be a form of theft. This democratic principle isn’t something the Environmental Protection Agency invented; it came from the people and leaders of our state.

2. The status quo isn’t working, and the Bay clean-up that has been underway for 25 years has not achieved a healthy Bay ecosystem. When the status quo isn’t working, something needs to change. The EPA worked with extensive monitoring data, peer-reviewed science, and state-of-the-art models in an attempt to address this need for change. Then, after a period of public comment and negotiating with state governments, the EPA refined the goals for cleaning up each waterway. Virginia officials will be the ones responsible for making sure that the costs of meeting these goals are spread fairly among all affected economic sectors and geographic areas.

3. The goals for pollution reduction are attainable. No one is trying to eliminate all pollution from our rivers. Scientists, business leaders, and government officials can all agree that some pollution is an inevitable side-effect of economic activity, and that we need to have a healthy economy alongside a healthy environment. That’s why the new goals for reducing pollution in the James River allow for 23 million lbs. of nitrogen, 2.37 million lbs. of phosphorous, and 920.23 million lbs. of sediment pollution each year. Before you let anyone tell you that the James River will be getting “too clean,” reflect on these numbers. Imagine 130 large dump trucks lined up at a boat ramp (that’s a line about 9 football fields long) on the James River every day, dumping a payload of these pollutants straight into the river. That’s how much pollution is allowed under the new EPA goals. That’s how much pollution we can reasonably expect this river to take and still be healthy enough for wildlife and humans to use and enjoy.

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Top 10 Wildlife Romance on the James  

February brings us a day to celebrate love-Valentine’s Day. Believe it or not, the season of love is already upon the animal kingdom here on the James River. Eagles are mending nests and heron will have laid eggs before the month is out. Soon thereafter, many more animals will begin their reproductive efforts as well. Follow the links to learn more about how these creatures keep the species going.

1. Bald eagles
2. Atlantic sturgeon
3. Blue heron
4. American shad
5. Prothonotary warbler
6. Striped bass
7. Osprey
8. River otter
9. Wood duck
10. Kingfisher