Virginia’s “Coastal Zone”

Although only 29 percent of Virginia's land area lies within the “Coastal Zone”, more than 60 percent of Virginia's citizens call it home.  Virginia's 2010 population was 5,044,179.

Virginia's coastal zone includes:

• All of Virginia's Atlantic coast watershed.
• Parts of the Chesapeake Bay and Albemarle - Pamlico Sound watersheds.
• 29 counties, 17 cities and 42 incorporated towns in "Tidewater Virginia", as defined in the Code of Virginia 28.2-100.
• 5,000 miles of shoreline.
• Four tidal rivers reaching as far as 100 miles inland - the Potomac, Rappahannock, York, and James Rivers.
• All of the waters within and out to the three mile Territorial Sea boundary.

Download a copy of the Virginia Coastal Zone Map - (JPEG, 3.46 MB)  (Go to list of all counties, cities and towns in "Tidewater Virginia".)

Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program

The Virginia CZM Program is known, in the national coastal zone management arena, as a “networked program”.  Basically, this means that to manage Virginia's coastal resources, the program relies on a network of state agencies and local governments to administer the enforceable laws and regulations that protect our wetlands, dunes, subaqueous lands, fisheries, and air and water quality – within the Virginia “Coastal Zone.”  As with pieces in a puzzle, these laws and regulations fit together to form the Virginia CZM Program.

The Virginia Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program was established under Executive Order.  This Executive Order “directs all state agencies to carry out their legally established duties consistent with this Program and in a manner that promotes coordination among all government agencies.”

The Virginia CZM Program is a network of state agencies and local governments (and other agencies designated as responsible for assisting with the program):

• Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
• Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)
• Marine Resources Commission (MRC)
• Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF)
• Department of Health
• Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs
• Department of Forestry
• Department of Historic Resources
• Department of Mines, Minerals & Energy
• Department of Transportation
• Virginia Economic Development Partnership
• Virginia Institute of Marine Science

The above agencies administer the following enforceable laws, regulations and advisory policies that protect our coastal resources and geographic areas of particular concern:

• Tidal and Nontidal Wetlands
• Fisheries
• Subaqueous Lands
• Dunes and Beaches
• Point Source Air Pollution
• Point Source Water Pollution
• Nonpoint Source Water Pollution
• Shoreline Sanitation
• Coastal Lands
• spawning/nursery/feeding grounds
• coastal primary sand dunes
• barrier islands
• significant wildlife habitat areas
• significant public recreation areas
• significant sand and gravel resource deposits
• underwater historic resources
• highly erodible/high hazard areas
• waterfront development area

Detail on the laws, regulations, advisory policies and responsible agencies...

Federal Consistency

All "Federal Actions" within Virginia's coastal zone must be consistent with Virginia's Coastal Zone Management Program.  Please review the requirements on the Environmental Impact Review Program - Federal Consistency webpage.  If you still have questions, contact Ellie Irons.
Download Virginia CZM Program description brochure (pdf)

Updates to the Virginia CZM Program

Since 1986, the Virginia CZM Program has completed a number of Routine Program Changes.  Periodically, the program needs to be updated to reflect changes made to coastal law and regulation. This process of updating the program, if it is a significant change is known as a "Program Amendment." If it is a less significant change, it is known as a "Routine Program Change." Because the laws and regulations incorporated into the Virginia CZM Program are used for Federal Consistency determinations, this process is a crucial part of maintaining a strong program.  A list and more information about these changes will soon be downloable from this site.  In the interim, please contact Shep Moon, Virginia CZM Program Planner, for this information.

Reporting Virginia CZM Program Network Agency Activities to NOAA

Every 6 months, the Virginia CZM Program networked agencies provide the Virginia CZM Program Office at DEQ a summary report of their activities as they relate to managing the state’s coastal resources.  These reports are submitted to NOAA.

• Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program Semiannual Section B Report on Core Agency Implementation Activities - For the Period from April 1, 2011 - September 30, 2011
• Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program Semiannual Section B Report on Core Agency Implementation Activities - For the Period from October 1, 2010– March 31, 2011
• Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program Semiannual Section B Report on Core Agency Implementation Activities - For the Period from April 1, 2010 - September 30, 2010
• Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program Semiannual Section B Report on Core Agency Implementation Activities - For the Period from October 1, 2009– March 31, 2010
• Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program Semiannual Section B Report on Core Agency Implementation Activities - For the Period from April 1, 2009 – September 30, 2009
• Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program Semiannual Section B Report on Core Agency Implementation Activities - For the Period from October 1, 2008 – March 31, 2009
• Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program Semiannual Section B Report on Core Agency Implementation Activities - For the Period from April 1, 2008 – September 30, 2008
• Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program Semiannual Section B Report on Core Agency Implementation Activities - For the Period from October 1, 2007 – March 31, 2008
• Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program Semiannual Section B Report on Core Agency Implementation Activities - For the Period from April 1, 2007 - September 30, 2007
• Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program Semiannual Section B Report on Core Agency Implementation Activities - For the Period from October 1, 2006 – March 31, 2007

Federal Consistency

Having a federally approved coastal zone management program also authorizes Virginia to require that federal actions are consistent with the state's CZM Program's laws and enforceable policies. For more information about federal consistency, go to Environmental Impact Review.

Program Changes

Periodically, the Virginia CZM Program needs to be updated to reflect changes made to coastal law and regulation. This process of updating the program, if it is a significant change is known as a "Program Amendment." If it is a less significant change, it is known as a "Routine Program Change." Because the laws and regulations incorporated into the Virginia CZM Program are used for Federal Consistency determinations, this process is a crucial part of maintaining a strong program.  A list and more information about these changes will soon be downloable form this site.  In the interim, please contact Shep Moon, Virginia CZM Program Planner, for this information.

Virginia's coastal counties

Virginia's coastal cities

Virginia's coastal incorporated towns

• Accomac
• Ashland
• Belle Haven
• Bloxom
• Bowling Green
• Cape Charles
• Cheriton
• Chincoteague
• Claremont
• Colonial Beach
• Dendron
• Dumfries
• Eastville
• Exmore
• Hallword
• Haymarket
• Herndon
• Irvington
• Keller
• Kilmarnock
• Melfa
• Montross
• Nassawadox
• Occoquan
• Onancock
• Onley
• Painter
• Parksley
• Port Royal
• Quantico
• Saxis
• Smithfield
• Surry
• Tangier
• Tappahannock
• Urbanna
• Vienna
• Wachepreague
• Warsaw
• West Point
• White Stone
• Windsor

Go to the Coastal Planning District Commission Page for more information.

 

For comments or questions concerning this program's web pages, contact Virginia Witmer.

This website is provided by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program through a federal Coastal Zone Management Act grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Department of Commerce.