As a resident in the Roanoke Valley that attends graduate school in the New River Valley, I quickly realized that there is a flooding problem in Southwest VA when I moved here. Staunton, Salem, Roanoke, etc. receive large amounts of rain without the proper draining systems to support the rise in rivers and lakes surrounding the area. This past summer, some homes received over 15 inches of rain with residents in the community comparing the flood damages to the 1985 flood. I am in favor of these guidelines focusing on mitigation, infrastructure repairs, and studies supporting the flood problems across VA.

I am concerned about a couple of things in the draft guidelines and access to information for citizens. I am concerned about not knowing the exact fund numbers after reading this draft and how will citizens calculate this every year (45% of RGGI carbon allowances)? I had to research the numbers and calculate the fund myself however citizens should easily be able to access those fund balances when commenting on draft guidelines and better understanding the new policy.

After the above note, I am concerned about the regulation committing "minimum amount grants" to localities. I am strongly in favor of localities receiving grant funds for flooding and coastal erosion because this is a serious issue however how will the DCR maintain these grant fund minimums in times of crisis? What if there are more applicants than anticipated - will the regulations change or will everyone receive large amounts of grant funds? I am interested in reviewing the budget more in depth once this develops. Thank you.