Legislative Success:
2021 - $40M was approved by the General Assembly for the repurposing of Portsmouth Marine Terminal for Offshore Wind use and funding allocated for the creation of the state Office of Offshore Wind.
2021 - The General Assembly appropriated $1.35M towards the first-ever International Trade Plan for Virginia. Funding the International Trade Plan advances the goal to increase international trade output by nearly 50% within the next 15 years. The plan is built on two distinct efforts: first, expand the reach and impact of trade development services to existing Virginia businesses in every region of the state, and second, enhance Virginia’s focus, capabilities, and resources to support existing trade-intensive businesses in expanding and to attract new export-intensive companies to the Commonwealth.
2018 - Wider, Deeper, Safer® - America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 fully authorizes the Norfolk Harbor Project with a 50/50 state/federal cost-share and the General Assembly authorizes $350M for dredging of the Thimble Shoals Channel to 56 feet and the Atlantic Ocean Channel to a depth of 59 feet, and for the widening of the Thimble Shoals Channel to 1,400 feet. These new depths will allow for two-way traffic and accommodating ultra-large container vessels.
2016 - Historic $350M bond package approved to add the capacity to handle an additional 400,000 containers through Norfolk International Terminals.
2014 - Appropriation of $6.2M made that year for the planning and preliminary engineering for dredging the Norfolk Harbor to a depth of 55 feet and the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River to depths up to 45 feet, and the strengthening of state laws pertaining to privatization of Virginia’s state-owned terminals.
For additional information: Legislative Highlights 2000-2016 | Historical Advocacy Milestones