HB 357

Abstract

Department of Environmental Quality; protectionof existing tidal and nontidal wetlands; wetland restoration andcreation; work group; report. Directs the Department of EnvironmentalQuality to establish a work group to develop (i) strategies for protectingthe existing tidal and nontidal wetlands of the Commonwealth and(ii) plans for wetland restoration and creation to address lossesand adverse impacts from human activities and climate change. Thebill specifies that such work group shall include certain relevantstakeholders and will focus on (a) evaluating existing approachesto wetland conservation strategies in the Commonwealth and otherstates, (b) identifying wetlands adaption areas where tidal wetlandscan persist in the landscape, and (c) exploring the circumstancesin which climate can impact the wetlands' health and survival. Thebill requires the work group to report its findings and recommendationsto the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservationand Natural Resources and House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeakeand Natural Resources by December 1, 2024.