Virginia has committed to $10 million in new funding to support future oyster restoration in the Chesapeake Bay.

This spending commitment marks the first time that capital funds, which are typically reserved for infrastructure projects, have been explicitly used to restore Virginia’s natural resources.

This $10 million investment will support efforts to create and restore oyster habitat in the Piankatank, Great Wicomico and York rivers, according to a release last week from Gov. Ralph Northam’s office.

“This investment is a recognition that our natural assets are just as important as roads and buildings,” Northam said. “The new funding stream that I proposed and the General Assembly adopted in our state budget will ensure that we can meet our restoration goals and achieve a clean and healthy bay for the benefit of our communities, our economy, and our ecosystems.”

With the signing of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, Virginia and its partners committed to restoring n...