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Batten donates $100M to expand W&M marine, coastal research
Jane Batten, the matriarch of a Hampton Roads family known for its philanthropy, has pledged $100 million to William & Mary to boost coastal and marine science research towards finding global solutions for flooding and sea-level rise, the Williamsburg university announced Wednesday. The newly named Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences will expand the […]
Rising alarm
Over the years, scientists have warned about sea-level rise, especially in Norfolk, which has the highest rate on the East Coast. “Norfolk is very flat. When you see a small increase in water levels, a wide part of land floods in response,” says Molly Mitchell, a researcher at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, which […]
Gazing into the future
The waterways and shorelines that make up Hampton Roads harbor a historic reputation as ideal hosts for commerce, trade, shipbuilding, military installations and government research. Its beaches and historical sites attract millions of visitors, and the region is home to farms, businesses and universities. We know the past and present, but what about the future […]
Four Va. businesses to receive flood solutions funding
Four Virginia-based small businesses focused on coastal resiliency and flooding will receive funding to develop their products, Norfolk-based nonprofit RISE Resilience Innovations announced Thursday. Divided between rural and urban projects, there were eight winning projects, with the other four based in North Carolina. More than 70 projects were submitted. The urban winners will receive up [&hell[...]
Youngkin chooses natural resources secretary
Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday that former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler is his pick for state secretary of natural resources. At the same time, Youngkin chose Michael Rolband as director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. “Virginia needs a diverse energy portfolio in place to fuel our economic growth, continued preservation of [&he[...]
30 Va. projects awarded $24.5M in flood prep grants
The Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund has awarded $24.5 million in grants for 30 projects statewide, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. “The Community Flood Preparedness Fund will provide an estimated $75 million a year to improve the resilience of our commonwealth, including targeted funding for Virginia’s most vulnerable and underserved communities,” Northam said in a [&he[...]
Dewberry selected to develop Va. coastal resilience plan
Updated March 19 Fairfax-based engineering and planning firm Dewberry has been awarded a $2.6 million contract by the state to develop Virginia’s first Coastal Resilience Master Plan, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. Dewberry, joined by Louisiana-based The Water Institute of the Gulf and Virginia subcontractors GKY & Associates, Vision Planning and Consulting, and The Miles [&helli[...]
ODU hires executive director of coastal institute
Old Dominion University announced Thursday that Jessica Whitehead has been named the first Joan P. Brock endowed executive director of its Institute for Coastal Adaptation and Resilience (ICAR), launched in 2019. Her first day was Thursday. Whitehead comes from the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency, where she served as the office’s first chief […]
Norfolk nonprofit awards $2M to small businesses to battle sea level rise
Norfolk-based nonprofit organization RISE announced Monday that up to $2 million will be allocated among five small businesses to advance the design of products to help coastal communities adapt to sea level rise and flooding. “Once again, RISE demonstrates the value of their unique model in providing economic development opportunities as solutions for Virginia to […]
$112M flood resilience project breaks ground in Norfolk
Gov. Ralph Northam and Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Cooper Alexander broke ground Friday on the Ohio Creek Watershed project, aimed at protecting two Norfolk neighborhoods from flooding due to sea-level rise. The project will include the new Resilience Park, which will connect the historic Grandy Village and Chesterfield Heights neighborhoods, as well as a flood berm, […]
