Early work has now begun on the South Fork Rivanna Optimum Environmental Expenditure (OEE) Model. The Model will provide a quantitative process to compare the cost of pollution reduction gained through natural infrastructure (conservation practices) vs. the cost of pollution reduction gained through built infrastructure (dredging, etc.). This project will help provide one of the [...]

The Capital
Richmond, Virginia
Wednesday, December 1
The Rappahannock River Basin Commission has taken another step forward in its multi-year program to implement market-based solutions to restore water quality in the Rappahannock River and Chesapeake Bay. At their quarterly meeting, in a unanimous vote (with one abstention), the Commission has decided to move forward with the testing of [...]

A capacity crowd of approximately 130 persons attended the 2009 Rappahannock Symposium at Mary Washington University in Fredericksburg. Particularly noteworthy was the diversity of attendees, with approximately 30% from the for-profit private sector. Complete findings from the Symposium will be available from the Rappahannock River Basin Commission in the coming weeks. One-half of the day [...]

In this 40 minute lively interview, Rappahannock River Basin Commission Coordinator Eldon James discusses the Commission’s new initiative to use an economic development platform to restore the Rappahannock River and the Chesapeake Bay with Conserv Executive Director Michael Collins. Details about the agenda for the December 9 Symposium, Incentivizing Restoration through a Chesapeake Bay Economy, [...]

The Steering Committee of the Rappahannock River Basin Commission’s 2009 Symposium has finalized the agenda for the December 9 event:

Incentivizing Restoration through a Chesapeake Bay Economy
A Symposium Hosted by the
Rappahannock River Basin Commission (RRBC)
December 9, 2009
University of Mary Washington
Stafford Campus, 121 University Boulevard, Fredericksburg, 22406
This groundbreaking economic development-environmental policy conference will begin with a series [...]

Imagine a day in the not too distant future when the government and private sector work in concert to achieve Chesapeake Bay restoration. Imagine watershed-based marketplaces found in every major river basin transacting products and services, every one of which, contributes to bringing the Bay back to life. Imagine communities, businesses, and landowners interacting [...]

An Invitation signed by more than a dozen “conveners” of the proposed Rappahannock Exchange, and Chairman of the Rappahannock River Basin Commission, Emmett Hanger, will be released this coming Monday. The event is scheduled for December 9 at the University of Mary Washington, Stafford Campus. The event is also open to the public. A “Prospectus” [...]

The fifth in a series on the Pillars of A New Bioregional Economy to restore ecosystem health of the Rappahannock River and the Chesapeake Bay…

In August of this year, we ran a commentary titled A New Currency for An Ecological Age and noted that valuation of the ecosystem services we believe are needed to restore [...]

The early operational framework that has been developed for the Rappahannock Exchange, a proposed bioregional marketplace to be located in Central Virginia, to stretch from the Chesapeake Bay to the Blue Ridge Mountains, features the use of an “Environmental Business Indicator”. Exactly how the indicator will be deployed won’t be known until the Ecosystem Services [...]

The Rappahannock River Basin Symposium Steering Committee welcomes the assistance of Jacquelyn Holley Pogue with design and facilitation of the symposium. Jacqueline has been a university teacher, psychotherapist, partner in a nation wide consulting firm, facilitator/mediator for organizations, consultant to corporations and mentor for  executives, in addition to her role as founder of coalitions and a  community organizer providing [...]

Just released from the Rappahannock River Basin Commission:
2009 Rappahannock River Basin Symposium
Creating a Bay-friendly Economy
The Rappahannock River Basin Commission, in conjunction with The Virginia Department of Forestry, Conserv, and other partners, will host the 2009 Rappahannock River Symposium called Creating a Bay-friendly Economy. The symposium will be a highly [...]

Yesterday, at the Chesapeake Bay Reathorization Hearing, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, amid impressive, heartfelt, bipartisan testimonies and commentaries of folks around the Bay, including Tom Perriello, Secretary Preston Bryant, and Gerry Connolly, were the words of Rob Wittman, and from EPA, Chuck Fox, sowing the seeds of a 21st century Bay-friendly economy:
Excerpt from [...]

Graves Mountain Lodge, Syria, Virginia…
Eldon James, staff member to the Commission, proposed the following framework for the launch of the Rapahannock Exchange Initiative. 
The Rappahannock River Basin Commission, working with Conserv, the Virginia Department of Forestry, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Virginia Ecosystem Services Interagency Team, will sponsor a fall [...]

Tomorrow, Conserv will post the briefing presented today to the Rappahannock River Basin Commission on the kickoff symposium for the Rappahannock Exchange on December 9 in Fredericksburg.

Today, the Rappahannock Exchange Symposium/Ecosystem Services Council Kick-off Steering Committee set Wednesday, December 9 for the day-long meeting. The agenda for this historic gathering, to be held at a soon-to-be announced location in Fredericksburg, may include:

Goals of a 21st-century marketplace
Mini-briefings on emering Chesapeake Bay and greenhouse gas reduction - friendly market demand opportunities including:

Carbon footprinting [...]

As Conserv’s relationship with the Rappahannock River Basin deepens, I thought it would be a good idea to explore one of my favorite tributaries of the river a little more deeply. With the high waters of early summer, I took the opportunity to kayak the upper Robinson, from Criglersville to Rt. 29. It was a [...]

Yesterday, environmental history was made at the Old Beale Memorial Church in Tappahannock, the oldest documented courthouse in Virginia. Surrounded by Flemish bond brickwork with salt-glazed headers and compass-headed windows, the Rappahannock River Basin Commission took the first step toward moving Virginia into the ranks of the leaders of the worldwide ecosystem services movement.
In a [...]

Conserv and the Rappahannock River Basin Commission, working with other agencies and organizations, will soon make an announcement about a major event to be held later this year.

When I was still Director of Community Development for the Town of Orange, it was appropriate for me to attend meetings of the Rappahannock River Basin Commission (about 1/2 of the Town is in the Rappahannock River Basin, the other half being in the York River Basin). The last meeting I attended, a year or [...]