Supported Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. Congressman Forbes voted for H.R. 1771 to provide funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) Chesapeake Bay Office. Congress established the authority for NOAA's participation in the restoration activities for the Chesapeake Bay in 1984. Since then, NOAA has been an important partner of Federal agencies and non-government entities in efforts to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. This bill passed the House by a vote of 338-78.

Met with the Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District Commander, Colonel Andrew Backus.  Congressman Forbes and Col Backus discussed the Appomattox River, the Chowan River Basin, and the ongoing bridge projects across the Fourth Congressional District.

Supported funding for energy and water projects. Congressman Forbes voted for the Conference Report on H.R. 3183, which funds the Department of Energy, urban and rural water projects, Army Corps of Engineer projects, and Department of Defense nuclear weapons and storage. The $34 billion cost is a 1% increase from last year’s funding level.  Congressman Forbes secured funding for the following projects:

- $100,000 for Deep Creek Bridge in Chesapeake. This project will begin the process of replacing the existing 2-lane Deep Creek AIW Bridge with a 5-lane, dual bascule bridge, thus providing a new structurally sound bridge and reducing traffic congestion along the corridor. AIW Deep Creek Bridge was built in 1934 and is functionally obsolete.

- $130,000 for Chowan River Basin Study. This project will investigate federal flood control projects in the Chowan River Basin. In many locations within the basin, six of the top 10 historical high water marks have occurred from 1998 forward, including the flood of record from Hurricane Floyd in 1999, October 2006 cold core upper level low, and Hurricane Isabel in 2003. Damages from these storm events have ranged from $10M to over $100M. Congressman Forbes first secured funding for this important study last year. 

- $523,000 for Appomattox River. This project will fund the maintenance dredge of the Appomattox River. The dredging of the Appomattox River will be of benefit to the region by: (1) restoring the Appomattox River to the free-flowing, fully navigable river that it was until the late 1970's; (2) reconnecting the City of Hopewell to the navigable portions of the Appomattox River; (3) serving as a catalyst for the commercial and residential revitalization; (4) enhancing local and regional tourism and recreational opportunities; and (5) improving the environmental condition of the Appomattox River.  This bill passed the House by a vote of 308-114.

Enhanced conservation easement efforts. Congressman Forbes cosponsored H.R. 1831, which would permanently allow tax deductions for charitable contributions by individuals and corporations of real property interests for conservation purposes. Conservation easements are a vital tool in the fight to preserve open spaces and farmland. They allow private landowners to permanently retire development rights to protect significant natural resources. Conservation easements are also critical resources to help protect clean water supplies, fight air pollution, and conserve wildlife habitats.

Supported conservation and restoration projects in the Chesapeake Bay. Congressman Forbes voted for H.R. 965, which provides funding for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network. This program awards grants to projects that conserve, restore, recreational, historical, or cultural resources in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The network also awards grants to projects that link Chesapeake Bay “gateway” sites with trails and scenic roads. This bill passed the House by a vote of 311-107.

Protected the public from beach pollution. Congressman Forbes supported H.R. 2093 to require states and local governments to test their beach waters for pollution and notify the public of any threats to human health.  This bill also creates a “rapid testing” program to report coastal water quality no more than six hours after a sample is collected.  The majority of beach closings in the United States are due to indications of the presence of high levels of harmful microorganisms found in untreated or partially treated sewage.  Children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are most likely to develop illnesses or infections after swimming in polluted water.  This bill passed the House by voice vote.

Increased funding for the vital study of the Chowan River Basin. Residents of the Chowan River Basin have struggled with unpredictable and sometimes devastating flooding for decades. Congressman Forbes announced that the federal government will invest an additional $100,000 to study flooding in the Chowan River Basin. Funding for the study was requested by Congressman Forbes and was included as a part of H.R. 3183, the Energy and Water Development appropriations bill which passed the House of Representatives on July 17, 2009. These funds are in addition the $96,000 Forbes secured as part of the 2009 fiscal year funding.  In total, Forbes has secured $196,000 of the $350,000 necessary to complete the study.

Supported increased conservation of regional habitats. Congressman Forbes voted for H.R. 2188 to provide assistance to support regional migratory bird conservation partnerships and implement plans for the protection and enhancement of migratory bird populations. Migratory birds are of great ecological and economic value to the Nation, contributing to biological diversity and advancing the well-being of human communities through pollination, seed dispersal, and other ecosystem services.  This bill passed the House unanimously. 

Secured funding for Great Dismal Swamp in Chesapeake and for historical preservation in Chesterfield County.  This bill would provide $150,000 for the construction of a new visitor’s center for the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, and $500,000 to repair and preserve five historical structures in Chesterfield County.

Voted against a 17% spending increase for the Department of the Interior and Environment. H.R. 2996 will provide a total spending level of $32 billion – a 17% increase compared to last year, which does not include $11 billion of additional emergency spending already spent this year. At a time when our nation is facing many economic challenges, Congressman Forbes could not support such large increases in spending priorities included in H.R. 2996, such as:

• $10.6 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is a 38% increase compared to last year. 
• $340 million for the Nation Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, which is a 10% increase compared to last year.

Met with advocates of new green jobs and energy initiatives in Chester, Virginia. Congressman Forbes visited The Sustainability Park, a 143-acre complex revived to create green jobs and renewable energy. Congressman Forbes spoke with innovators in the community who recognized him for his leadership role in the promotion of innovation and small business growth.

Met with Chesapeake homeowners who are among the homeowners in 16 states to say that Chinese drywall is making them sick and corroding their appliances. Testing by the EPA shows the Chinese drywall contains sulfur and other chemicals that are not found in typical wallboard. The Senate held a hearing on the issue this week and the EPA is slated to conduct testing in Virginia soon. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has not announced any results of their own to date. Congressman Forbes supports legislation requiring the CPSC to study drywall imported from China from 2004 through 2007.

Advancing "green" initiatives in collegiate curriculum. Congressman Forbes voted for H.R. 957, the Green Energy Education Act, which authorizes higher education curriculum development and graduate training in advanced energy and green building technologies. 

Voted for better management of our water resources. Congressman Forbes voted for H.R. 1145, the Implementation of a National Water Research and Development Initiative, which would allow for better management of one of the nation’s most valuable resources – water.  This bill would provide oversight, management and research for the nation’s water supplies coupled with the availability of safe drinking water.      

Supported recycling electronic waste.  Congressman Forbes voted on H.R. 1580, which would enable the Environmental Protection Agency to provide grants to reduce electronic waste such as outdated TV’s and computers.  This bill encourages creativity and innovation to find better solutions to reducing or eliminating electronic waste.  

Voted to support H.R. 1404 to establish a fund for emergency firefighting efforts on national parks and forests. Wildfires have become increasingly problematic for the Forest Service, as wildfire suppression efforts currently consume 48% of the agency's budget. In 2008, a wildfire lasting 121 days burned over 4,400 acres in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. 

Opposed H.R. 146, which would have put millions of acres of land into government regulation. The Omnibus Public Land Act would block millions of acres from new energy exploration and other business activity. The 1,248-page bill would cost over $10 billion and is composed of 172 individual bills, 75 of which were never previously considered in the House of Representatives. The federal government already owns over 650 million acres of land, much of which is experiencing severe maintenance backlogs or is in disarray. 

Voted in favor of H.R. 1262, requiring an updated restoration plan for the Chesapeake Bay. The provision included in the Water Quality Investment Act of 2009 requires the EPA to develop an updated management plan for restoring the Bay.  The overall measures approved funding for infrastructure projects dealing with sewage, water runoff, watershed restoration, and other water infrastructure projects.    

Opposed S. 22, which would have put millions of acres of land into government regulation. In doing so, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 would prevent Americans from exercising their right of property ownership and restrict access to the land for energy exploration. S. 22 would cost $6.4 billion and would block millions of acres from new oil and gas leasing, logging, mining, and all other business activity.  The federal government already owns over 650 million acres of land, much of which are experiencing severe maintenance backlogs or is in disarray.  This bill would force the taxpayer to fund the purchase of land that could be utilized in the private sector. This bill is more than 1,000 pages and is composed of 172 individual bills, 75 of which were never previously considered in the House of Representatives.

Voted in favor of H.R. 1907, the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program Act. This bill would authorize the acquisition of land from willing sellers to improve the conservation of coastal and estuarine areas and enhance their ecological health, in order to benefit both the economies and environments of coastal communities.

Cosponsored H.R. 6771, the Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act. This bill would help ensure that funding for the Chesapeake Bay cleanup is being used as efficiently and effectively as possible. It would require the Office of Management and Budget to determine how much federal money is being spent on the cleanup each year – a precise number is not available today – and whether the funds are helping to restore the Bay and produce the desired results. If they are not, or if experts believe the money could be used more effectively elsewhere, the cleanup program should shift gears and use "adaptive management," which mandates a more cost-benefit approach to budget decisions. Other national cleanup projects such as the Great Lakes, the Everglades, and the California Delta, moved to this more disciplined, cost-benefit approach years ago and have made significant progress because of it.

Opposed H.R. 3667, the Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2008. The bill would require the Interior Department to study approximately 70 miles of the Missisquoi and Trout rivers, located in Vermont, to determine whether certain segments of the rivers should be designated as a part of the Wild and Scenic River System. Wild and Scenic Designation extends certain environmental protections, but also prohibits any future development. Congressman Forbes opposed the bill because if such designation were granted, it could infringe on the private property rights of landowners along the river.

Met with John Paul Woodley, Jr., Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, to discuss the Chowan River Basin flooding.  Following the severe flooding that has taken place in the Chowan River Basin, Congressman Forbes successfully worked to authorize a federal study to determine the cause of the flooding as part of the House Survey Resolution.  Now that the study is authorized, Congressman Forbes is continuing to work to secure federal funding for the study. Congressman Forbes and Assistant Secretary Woodley discussed the importance of identifying the root causes of the flooding and possible avenues to fund the study as soon as possible.  Assistant Secretary Woodley reiterated the Army Corps of Engineers’ commitment to the project and stated he would meet with the District Commander to examine what steps must be taken to move forward with the study.

Opposed H.R. 415, To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Taunton River in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers.   The bill would designate approximately 40 miles of the Taunton River in Massachusetts as a part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, which would prohibit dams or other federally approved projects on the river and increase regulatory restrictions on businesses located along the river.  In addition, the designated part of the Taunton River has been authorized by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the construction and operation of a new import liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility.  If the river is designated as Wild and Scenic, the LNG facility will be blocked from being built, restricting the supply of energy to the Northeast, and potentially impacting oil supply in other regions of the country.

Sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency asking for prompt and thorough action in response to the contamination of water in Chesapeake due to the use of fly ash to construct the Battlefield Golf Club at Centerville.  After learning that well tests conducted at the site, which was constructed from 1.5 million tons of fly ash, a by-product from coal-fired power plants, revealed elevated levels of harmful contaminants such as arsenic and lead, the City of Chesapeake requested that the EPA conduct a preliminary site assessment to determine whether the site should be considered as a potential Superfund site, which would direct federal funding toward environmental cleanup.  Congressman Forbes is closely monitoring this issue and has requested that EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson keep him informed of any developments in this case.

Supported H.R. 5541, the Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement (FLAME) Act, which establishes a special Federal emergency fund to help pay the costs of catastrophic emergency wild land fires separate from accounts used to pay for predicted levels of annual firefighting activities.

Supported H.R. 6184, America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act, which directs the Treasury Department to mint quarter dollars with designs of one national park or another site from each state of the United States and the District of Columbia beginning in 2010.

Cosponsored H.R. 6233, to reinstate the Interim Management Strategy governing off-road vehicle use in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.  A consent decree imposed by the U.S. District Court in late April restricted public access to the beaches of Cape Hatteras National Seashore.  This legislation would nullify the consent decree and allow the Interim Management Strategy to stay in place until the National Park Service completes the on-going negotiated rulemaking process and produces a final rule on off-road vehicle use.  This strategy governed off-road vehicle use on the Seashore from mid-2007 to the time the consent decree was filed in late April, and provided a balanced approach to protecting the birds, turtles and other resources, as well as providing the public with meaningful access to the beach. 

Supported H.Res. 1247, Supporting the goals and ideals of "American Eagle Day," and celebrating the recovery and restoration of the American bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States.

Voted in favor of H.R. 5540, the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act.  This bill continues the Chesapeake Bay Watertrails Network program and provides $5 million for Bay clean-up and restoration efforts.

Supported H.Res. 1114, which supports the goals and ideals of the Arbor Day Foundation and National Arbor Day.  The mission of the Foundation is to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees.  The Arbor Day Foundation has worked with the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service since 1990, helping to plant nearly 12 million trees in national forests damaged by fire, insects or other causes.

Supported H.Con.Res. 300, a resolution recognizing the necessity for the United States to maintain its significant leadership role in improving the health and promoting the resiliency of coral reef ecosystems.  This resolution recognizes the importance of improving the health and promoting the resiliency of coral reef ecosystems by strengthening awareness about ecological, economic, social, and cultural values of coral reefs.

Supported H.Res. 1117, declaring the support of the House of Representatives for the goals and ideals of Earth Day and for developing the scientific and technological capabilities to achieve those goals. 

Opposed H.R. 2016, the National Landscape Conservation System Act. H.R. 2016 would establish into law the National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) and would direct the Department of the Interior to manage the NLCS “in a manner that protects the values” of the lands designated as a part of the system, most of which are in western states. This legislation would increase restrictions on land use for recreation and energy development and would delegate authority to unelected bureaucrats to enforce “values” undefined by Congress on a vast, resource-rich part of the country.  The bill also caused concerns in that it would decrease law enforcement’s ability to enforce border areas.

Supported H.Res. 868, which recognizes the 100th anniversary of the declaration of Muir Woods National Monument by President Theodore Roosevelt.  Muir Woods National Monument is a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), one of the largest urban national parks in the world. GGNRA was established in 1972 and contains 75,398 acres extend from Tomales Bay in Marin County to San Mateo County in the south, encompassing 59 miles of shoreline - one of the nation’s largest coastal preserves.  To learn more about Muir Woods National Monument, click here.

Supported H.R. 1834, the National Ocean Exploration Program Act.  This bill would authorize $460 million to establish two new ocean exploration programs: the National Ocean Exploration Program (NOEP) and the National Undersea Research Program (NURP). Under these programs, scientists would perform underseas research and scientific exploration of marine resources in little known areas of the marine environment.  These researchers would focus on deep ocean regions, and conduct voyages to locate and document shipwrecks and other submerged archeology sites. 

Cosponsored H.R. 3981, the Preserve America and Save America’s Treasures Act. The Preserve America Initiative promotes the preservation of America’s heritage by advancing the protection, enhancement, and contemporary use of historic properties. Preserve America enables Americans to gain greater shared knowledge about the nation’s past, strengthens regional identities, increases local participation in preserving the country’s cultural and natural heritage assets, and enhances the economic vitality of communities. Save America’s Treasures is dedicated to the preservation and celebration of America’s historic legacy and works to recognize and rescue the symbols of American tradition that define our nation. Save America’s Treasures has preserved several symbols such as the Star Spangled Banner, the homes of notable Americans such as Montpelier (James Madison), and enduring collections such as the Charters of Freedom. Several localities in the 4^th District have successfully applied for and received funding under the Save America’s Treasures program. The Suffolk Museum of African-American history has received funding under the Save America’s Treasures program for the purpose of renovating and restoring the Phoenix Bank of Nansemond. Saint Luke’s Church, in Smithfield, Virginia received a Save America’s Treasures grant to restore the landmark gothic style church, the earliest surviving Gothic style building in the United States.

Joined the International Conservation Caucus. The International Conservation Caucus (ICC) was founded in September 2003 with a commitment to helping the United States lead public and private international partnerships that provide stewardship of natural resources for habitat and bio-diversity protection, poverty reduction, economic development and regional security.

Voted in favor of H.Con.Res. 122, which supports the goal and mission of America Recycles Day. American Recycles Day encourages all Americans to participate in promoting the social, environmental, and economic benefits of recycling and buying recycled-content products. November 15, 2007, marks the 10th anniversary of America Recycles Day, which is dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and buy recycled products. To learn more about American Recycles Day, click here.

Supported H.R. 1011, the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act of 2007. H.R. 1011 would designate additional National Forest System lands in Virginia as wilderness or a wilderness study areas and designate the Kimberling Creek Potential Wilderness Area for eventual incorporation in the Kimberling Creek Wilderness. The bill would also establish the Seng Mountain and Bear Creek Scenic Areas and provide for the development of trail plans for the wilderness and scenic areas.

Supported H.R. 767, the Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response Act. H.R. 767 would authorize the Secretary of Interior, working through the Fish and Wildlife Service, to create the Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, & Immediate Response (REPAIR) Grant Program in order to offer grants to control invasive, non-native fish and wildlife species. The bill would also authorize the Department of the Interior to provide financial assistance for one year to state or local agencies or non-governmental entities to immediately respond to outbreaks of non-native invasive species. Finally, the bill would require the Secretary to create and manage a cooperative volunteer program, which would enable individual volunteers and civic organizations to monitor and control harmful non-native species.

Supported H. Res. 725, recognizing the 35th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, which recommits to restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters and expresses a dedication to working toward a sustainable, long-term solution to address the nation's decaying water infrastructure. The bill would encourage the public and all levels of government to renew the commitment to restoring and protecting the nation's rivers, lakes, streams, marine waters, and wetlands for future generations.

Supported H. Res. 549, recognizing the importance of America's Waterway Watch program, which affirms the importance of increasing maritime domain awareness, and encourages those who engage in recreational waterway activities to be aware and report suspicious activities to appropriate authorities.

Joined members of the Virginia Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on behalf of the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) to inquire why EPA has recommended that HRSD be removed from a joint initiative to mitigate sanitary sewer overflows in the region. Since 2005, the HRSD and the twelve Member localities, in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), have been working to finalize a regional consent order to address the problem.

Worked to secure authorization of the Chowan River Basin study through a survey resolution. Individuals and businesses in the Chowan River Basin have struggled for years with unpredictable and often devastating flooding in their communities. The Chowan River Basin study would allow the Army Corps of Engineers to take a critical look at the protection of water resources with an emphasis on flood control, environmental restoration, erosion control, and navigation. The study would also look at reducing future flood damages throughout the basin. The potential for severe flooding has grown since Hurricanes Dennis, Floyd, Isabel, and most recently, the devastating floods during October of 2006. Authorization is the first step in a two-part process to secure federal funding. The formal process first consists of the enactment of an authorization measure that creates or continues an agency or program; and second, the enactment of appropriations to provide funds for the authorized agency or program.

Voted in favor of H.Res. 401, which supports the goals and ideals of National Trails Day, America's largest celebration of trails and the outdoors. Now in its 15th year, National Trails Day is celebrated the first Saturday in June in all 50 states.

Voted in favor of H.Res. 341, which supports the goals and ideals of "American Eagle Day" and celebrates the recovery and restoration of the American bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States since June 20, 1782.

Voted in favor of H.Res. 402, legislation supporting , May 20-26, 2007. This resolution supports the work of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), specifically the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center, and other appropriate federal agencies, to educate people in the United States about hurricane.  

Voted in favor of H.R. 1495, the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (WRDA), legislation dedicated exclusively to authorizing the activities of the Army Corps of Engineers, which studies water issues and is charged with the construction and maintenance of water resource facilities across the country. The bill included authorization for two important projects for the Fourth District: $37.2 million for the replacement of the Deep Creek Bridge in Chesapeake, and a federal study of the Chowan River Basin. Authorization is the first step in a two-part process to secure federal funding.

Cosponsored H.R. 1766, Chesapeake's Healthy and Environmentally Sound Stewardship of Energy and Agriculture Act of 2007. This legislation increases funding to help the region's farmers control excess runoff that contributes to polluted waters across the Chesapeake Bay. This legislation also proposes changes in current law, including efforts to curb the current high level of chemicals, including nitrogen, phosphorus, fertilizers, manure and other substances from local farms.

Joined the Congressional Wildlife Caucus. The purpose of the Caucus is to raise awareness of the national refuge system, to support adequate budgets for refuge systems, and to support priority activities such as hunting, fishing, wildlife photography, wildlife observation, environmental education and interpretation. There are three National Wildlife Refuges in Virginia's Fourth District: The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (Suffolk and Chesapeake), the Nansemond National Wildlife Refuge (Suffolk) and the Presquile National Wildlife Refuge (Hopewell).

Cosponsored H.Res. 16, recognizing Virginia's James River as "America's Founding River." This resolution would recognize the James River as an important piece of American history and a fundamental part of the success of the Jamestown settlement. Jamestown, founded in 1607 on the James River, is recognized as the first permanent settlement in the founding of the United States and celebrates its 400th anniversary this year.

Voted in favor H.R. 700, the Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007. This legislation directs grant funding to local communities for technology development in water use. Communities will develop alternative water sources and increase their ability to use water more effectively and efficiently. The goal of these projects is to retain and increase the clean water supply by encouraging innovation in water use and conservation