The Commonwealth will soon begin the Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) to determine pollution control measures needed to fully restore the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers to ensure they are in place no later than 2025. A major component of this process is the engagement of localities, Soil & Water Conservation Districts, and many other stakeholders in order to provide them with the opportunity to refine and identify best management practices and programmatic actions, at regional scales, that will meet local area planning goals. The CSPDC will be working in conjunction with Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to develop the District’s implementation of the Phase III WIP based on coordination with localities within the District. The development of the plan will begin in June 2018 and wrap-up in December 2018.

The GO Virginia State Board met on June 12 and approved  Region 8‘s proposal to fund a Cyber Security Workforce and Jobs Program. GO Virginia funding in the amount of $200,000 and matched with $200,000 in local funds will be used to develop a self-paced hands-on cyber security training program at Blue Ridge Community College. The goal of the program is to train and credential 50 Tier I cyber security analysts over a 2-year period. Graduates of the program will be placed in jobs that have an average wage of $54,000.

The Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions (VAPDC) and the Virginia Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (VAMPO) will host a joint training conference on Friday, June 8, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The training conference will bring in state and federal speakers to discuss several planning topics including transportation and bike-ped planning, broadband opportunities, housing programs, and Title VI/Civil Rights training. To view a copy of the agenda and to register for the workshop, please click here .