🟦 Petition Update — January 28, 2026
Delegate Hillary Pugh Kent Presents “Dredge the Little Wicomico River” Budget Amendment to the Virginia House Appropriations Committee
Dear Dredge the Little Wicomico Jetty, VA! Advocates,
We have a major milestone to share in our campaign to dredge the Little Wicomico River and restore safe, reliable access for first responders, mariners, businesses, and all those who believe that Chesapeake Bay access for Virginia is a resource worth keeping.
Today, January 28, 2026, Delegate Hillary Pugh Kent officially presented the budget amendment to fund dredging of the Little Wicomico River to the Virginia House Appropriations Committee.
🎥 Watch the presentation here (Delegate Kent begins at 1:46:00):
https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00304/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2?fk=20337&viewMode=2
This amendment — filed as part of HB30, Item 376 #3h (Marine Resources Commission) — proposes dedicated funding in the FY2027 Virginia state budget to support removal of the sandy shoal material at the river’s entrance and jetty channel.
Why this matters:
🔹 Without dredging, vessel drafts remain severely limited, impacting emergency response, local marinas, charter services, watermen, and seafood operations, and limiting tidal flow to marine life
🔹 Dredging will help protect waterfront businesses, jobs, and the working waterfront throughout Northumberland County and the Northern Neck.
🔹 Presentation to the Appropriations Committee means our petition and stakeholders’ voices are now part of the formal state budget review process.
What happens next:
The House Appropriations Committee will review Delegate Kent’s amendment, hear testimony, and ultimately decide whether to include this funding in the biennial budget. We will continue pressing for support from lawmakers in both the House and Senate.
🙏 Thank you to everyone who signed the petition, wrote letters, shared economic impact statements from local businesses, and reached out to legislators. This significant step forward would not be possible without your advocacy.
As today shows, when a community keeps showing up and making its case, progress follows.
— Dredge the Little Wicomico River Jetty, VA!