As the Commonwealth faces sea level rise at an accelerating rate, we need to proactively plan for upland migration of wetlands to avoid losing them to inundation. Wetlands provide important water quality benefits, as well as habitat, shoreline erosion control, and flood buffering. In light of this risk of losing the significant water quality benefits provided by wetlands - and in order to help protect the investment of public funds in wetlands that now face a new threat of loss due to changing conditions - it would be helpful if additional points could be awarded to proposed projects that preserve land that a) is upland of wetlands that are projected to be inundated, and b) provides a path for upland migration because it is undeveloped and of acceptable slope to allow such migration.

Specifically, I suggest that on pp. 39-40 of the Grants Manual, the following be added [with many thanks to DCR and VIMS staff for their expertise and assistance in composing this language]:

7. Water Quality Benefit

Points may be given to a project that protects water quality by requiring permanent

vegetated riparian buffers exceeding a width of 35-feet along perennial waters and

wetlands. Points will also be awarded for forested buffers that maintain an evenly

dispersed minimal 50% forested canopy. Because protecting water quality is a long-

standing goal of the Commonwealth supported through many voluntary cost-share and tax-credit programs, these points are awarded to those projects that voluntarily provide greater water quality and habitat protections beyond the required 35-foot vegetated riparian buffer in perpetuity.

Wetlands provide invaluable protection for water quality, as well as habitat, shoreline stabilization, and flood resilience. In response to rising sea levels, tidal wetlands are naturally moving slowly inland. Man-made barriers including buildings, homes, and roads can prevent these tidal wetlands from migrating inland, resulting in loss of important marsh ecosystems. To help protect areas identified as potential future migration pathways for tidal wetlands, an additional two points will be awarded to those projects that intersect the Wetland Potential 2050 layer of the AdaptVA interactive map (https://cmap22.vims.edu/AdaptVA/AdaptVA_viewer.html); do not have bulkheads, riprap, buildings, paved roads or other infrastructure and impervious cover that would block upland migration of the adjacent wetlands; and prohibit construction or placement of buildings, paved roads, and other impervious surfaces in those areas. The landowner must agree to these protections that will be included in the final recorded legal documents to receive these two points.

Maximum 20 points

2 points if the project provides protections for migrating wetlands as stated above, PLUS

Riparian buffer points:

7 points if the buffer is forested (at least 50% forest canopy) and protected as such in perpetuity, PLUS

1’-2,000’ of water frontage that is buffered by a 50’-wide buffer = 3

 2,001-4,000’ of water frontage that is buffered by a 50’-wide buffer = 5

4,001-6,000’ of water frontage that is buffered by a 50’-wide buffer = 8

6,001’+ of water frontage that is buffered by a 50’-wide buffer = 10

OR

1’-2,000’ of water frontage that is buffered by a 100’-wide buffer = 5

2,001-4,000’ of water frontage that is buffered by a 100’-wide buffer = 8

4,001-6,000’ of water frontage that is buffered by a 100’-wide buffer = 10

6,001’+ of water frontage that is buffered by a 100’-wide buffer = 13