WATERMEN MIGHT SUE STATE OVER DIRTY BAY
Watermen weighing lawsuit against state over failure to clean up Chesapeake Bay
April 11, 2008 – Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star
Dispossessed of their livelihood, a group of Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula watermen is mulling legal action against state agencies for failing to clean up the Chesapeake Bay. Virginia faces a 2010 deadline to improve the quality of waters that once produced a bounty of oysters, crabs and fish and supported a thriving seafood industry. By all measures, the improvement will not occur, leaving the state open to federal intervention. - BY FRANK DELANO

LIFE IN THE ‘BURBS: HEAVY COSTS FOR FAMILIES, CLIMATE
March, 31, 2008 – Morning Edition on National Public Radio
Millions of Americans have moved to the suburbs over the past 60 years. They gain a bigger house, but until recently, few were aware of the impact those choices had on the environment. NPR's Elizabeth Shogren has the first of two stories examining how American lifestyles affect climate change. - BY ELIZABETH SHOGREN

Own Stock in Dominion?  Send Sierra Club your Proxy for the May 9 Shareholders Meeting
Dominion keeps moving their annual shareholder meetings further away from their HQ here in VA. Last year the Sierra Club followed the Dominion to its shareholder meeting in Boston. This year, on May 9, Sierra club will followed them Chicago to voice opposition to dirty energy and the Wise County power plant. 
Take Action
If you own shares of Dominion and oppose the coal plant, please get your proxy and share it with the Wise County Coalition fighting the power plant. 
For More Information: Visit www.wiseenergyva.org  
Designate your proxy: Contact Kayti.wingfield@sierraclub.org

Sierra Club launches Power2Change Campaign
2008 is a critical year for Virginians and for all Americans. Will we continue to rely on dirty fossil fuels or will we begin to make the transition to clean renewable energy and more efficient use of electricity to address global warming.  Between now and Earth Day the Sierra Club’s Power2Change campaign will be gathering petitions urging all candidates for public office whether at the local, state or federal level to commit to a clean energy future.
For More Information: Visit www.sierraclub.org/power2change/   

Help Defeat Dominion’s Proposed Wise County Power Plant 
In response to over 1500 requests from citizens, Virginia's Citizen Air Pollution Control Board agreed last week that it-rather than the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)-will make the final decision on whether to grant Dominion the air pollution permit the company would need to build the plant.  This is extremely important, because the Board, unlike the DEQ, makes all its decisions in public and it has made clear that it will hold the permit to a high standard.
TAKE ACTION
Dominion will continue pushing for approval from the Board and we need to continue building opposition to this disastrous project.  Here are some of the most important things you can do to help:

• Citizens of Southwest Virginia will be delivering our Mile-Long Petition against the plant to Dominion's headquarters in Richmond at 1:00 on May 8-the day before Dominion's shareholders' meeting.  There will be a major rally, so please mark your calendar and plan to attend!
• We need your help to meet our 50,000 signature goal for the petition!  We are more than half-way there, but we need your help for this final push.  Go to The SIGN UP PAGE to order a petition packet now!
• Keep an eye out for future action alerts!  Governor Kaine will soon be appointing two additional members to the Air Pollution Control Board and we need to be sure that he appoints responsible members who will fairly review Dominion's permit, rather than insiders with ties to Dominion. 

More Information: http://www.cleanenergyva.org/

Albemarle-Chowan Watershed & Rivers Day
When: April 19 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Where: Blackwater Landing, Franklin, Virginia
Sponsored by the Albemarle-Chowan Watershed Roundtable, this free event includes a river day cleanup, youth fishing tournament, visiting exhibit booths and displays of local, state, and federal environmental agencies.
For more information: Contact South Centre Corridors at (804) 732-4375 or patrick.vincent@va.usda.gov. 

Creating a Green Future in the Commonwealth
When: Thursday, April 17 from Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Where: First Floor Conference Room, Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA
Karl Bren, president of GreenVisions Consulting and executive director of EarthCraft Virginia, a nonprofit that provides green building certification for single and multifamily homes, will discuss Creating a Green Future in the Commonwealth, the growing move toward environmentally responsible building and sustainable development.
For More Information: Click Here

Celebrate the State’s Environmentally Friendly Tourism Program – Virginia Green
When: April 18 at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, Promenade Room, Virginia Beach, VA
RSVP to jbrinson@virginia.org by April 15

Chesapeake Climate Action Network - Second Annual Spring Climate Rally
When: Tuesday, April 22, 7:00 PM
Where: The George Washington University Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st Street NW, Washington DC
For More Information: www.chesapeakeclimate.org/pages/page.cfm?page_id=262 

The Virginia Association of Nonprofits Hosts Town Halls 
Dates and Locations: 4/23 - Virginia Beach & 5/6 - Charlottesville
The 2008 Town Hall meetings will follow up on the 2006 meetings that identified three non-profit priorities: service delivery effectiveness, advocacy and grassroots activity, and public awareness and support.  Town Hall feedback will be used by VANNO to address the needs of Virginia's nonprofit sector and by NCNA during the National Congress in Washington, DC, Jun 1-4, 2008.  Town Hall participants can register to attend the National Congress at a discount. 
For More Information: contact Deborah Barfield Williamson, VANNO Executive Director at (804) 565-9871 or info@vanno.org

Virginia Municipal League hosts Green Government Regional Forums
Dates and Locations: 4/15 in Virginia Beach | 4/17 in Fairfax County | 4/22 in Abingdon | 4/29 in Lynchburg
These four regional gatherings - designed for local elected officials and professional staff alike and open to the public - will provide practical help for local governments to begin or to advance their energy saving and sustainability efforts. The forums will discuss many of the policies and actions described in the Green Government Challenge that can lead to becoming a VML-certified "Green Government."
For More Information: http://www.gogreenva.org/?/regional_forums

Audubon Society of Northern Virginia presents Birdathon 2008 – From Dawn to Dusk
Team up with friends and family, get into the woods, count bird species during the height of spring migration, and raise funds for the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV).  Anyone, from amateur to expert, is encouraged to participate.
Five Simple Steps:
1. Form a BIRDATHON team and pick a date between April 25 and May 11, 2008.
2. Notify the ASNV office of your BIRDATHON teammates and date.  ASNV will send a BIRDATHON packet so that you may start asking friends and associates to pledge money for each species identified on your count.
3. Conduct your BIRDATHON in your favorite green spaces in Northern Virginia.  Compete with other teams for most species found and most money raised for ASNV. 
4. Collect pledge donations and turn in the money to ASNV.
5. Thank those who contributed to your BIRDATHON, using our template or your own acknowledgements.
For More Information: Call 703-256-6895 or e-mail info@audubonva.org

The State of High Performance Schools in Virginia: Indoor Air Quality, Green Design, and Energy Efficient Operations
When: May 8 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Where: 211 Emmet Street South, Charlottesville, VA
Plan now to to attend this full-day workshop. Topics Include:
•Green design and renovation that address indoor air quality and other high performance goals
•ENERGY STAR's Indoor Air Quality for Schools Program
•LEED™ for Schools national overview and Virginia initiatives
•Building retrofit case studies using performance contracting
•ENERGY STAR tools for assessing energy usage
•High performance schools from the construction contractor perspective
For More Information: Visit www.vsbn.org

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Seeks Clean the Bay Day Partners
Date: June 7, 2008
As a cleanup site host, your organization will be asked to register and oversee volunteers during the cleanup, ensure that the litter collected is disposed of properly, and report the results of the cleanup to CBF.  The Chesapeake Bay Foundation will provide promotional materials, recruiting and planning support, and recognition materials. This is a wonderful opportunity to engage your membership/visitors and to become part of one of the largest, one-day, environmental improvement events in Virginia.  This is a unique opportunity to introduce citizens to the Bay and its many treasures.
For More Information on Clean the Bay Day, or how you can host a site, please visit cbf.org/clean or contact Amy Lutz-Sexton by phone at 757-622-1964 or via email at ALutz-Sexton@cbf.org.

Join the Virginia Wilderness Committee for Clean Up Days

• April 26 - George Washington National Forest Clean-Up Day
  VWC will gather at 9:00 am at the Briery Branch Reservoir dam, and will work on collecting trash in that area. Bring your work gloves and drop by any time to work a few minutes, a few hours, or all day!
• May 16 - Buck Mountain Trail work day
  Meet at Hearthstone Lake at 9:30 AM and bring gloves, food, and tools for clipping vegetation back from the trail.

For More Information: Contact Carol Lena Miller at cldrmiller@msn.com

2009 MULTISTATE CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM
Deadline: May 2, 2008
Grant Information: www.fishwildlife.org/multistate_grants.html
The MSCGP is intended to address regional or national level priorities of state fish and wildlife agencies. Organizations eligible to apply include: a state or group of states, a non-governmental organization, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for the purpose of conducting the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. Projects must benefit Projects must also benefit sport fish, wild birds and/or wild mammals.
For More Information: Contact Christina Zarrella, MSCGP Coordinator at czarrella@fishwildlife.org

FARM FOUNDATION - FUNDING FOR CONFERENCES TARGETING RURAL ISSUES
DEADLINE: Applications may be submitted at any time
The Farm Foundation provides support to private and public organizations to present multi-state or national conferences and workshops that address economic and policy issues critical to agriculture and people in rural communities. The Foundation seeks project proposals that specifically address one of the following priority areas: Consumer Issues, Environmental Quality and Natural Resources Issues, Globalization, New Technologies, Role of Agricultural Institutions, or Rural Community Viability.
For More Information: Visit www.farmfoundation.org/guidelines.htm