Mason outlines legislative priorities for the 2027 Virginia General Assembly Session

Accomack County officials are outlining their priorities for the upcoming state legislative session, with water and wastewater treatment, Route 175 improvements, and dredging and shoreline protection topping the list. They will meet with Delegate Rob Bloxom and Senator Bill DeSteph Thursday August 27 to discuss the county’s legislative priorities for the 2027 legislative session.

At Wednesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, County Administrator Mike Mason told the Board that the first priority is improving water and wastewater services in Northern Accomack.

A third-party needs assessment is now underway to determine the area’s treatment needs and recommend potential solutions.

At the same time, Accomack County is talking with NASA and the Hampton Roads Sanitation District about the possibility of HRSD taking over operation of the NASA wastewater treatment plant.

County officials say that could eventually allow the facility to serve wastewater treatment needs outside NASA property. However, they say transferring or using federal property for non-federal purposes would be complicated and is considered a long-term option.

The county has set aside more than six million dollars to help get a solution started, but officials say the eventual cost is likely to be much higher. State funding could help speed up both short- and long-term solutions.

The second major priority is improvements to Route 175.

Accomack has submitted three SMART SCALE applications since 2020 seeking improvements to the road — and all three have been rejected.

The county has repeatedly reduced the size and cost of the proposed project based on VDOT recommendations.

The most recent application called for an undivided three-lane roadway with wider eight-foot shoulders along three miles of Chincoteague Road between T’s Corner and Atlantic Road.

County officials say the project scored well on safety and economic development, and received support from state legislators, NASA, Virginia Space, the Town of Chincoteague and the regional planning commission.

But cost remained a major obstacle.

The county says VDOT is again recommending a smaller project for the next application. Officials warn that continually reducing the scope could eventually produce a project that receives funding but fails to address the area’s transportation needs.

Accomack is asking state legislators to help find a solution to what the county describes as a disadvantage rural communities face under the SMART SCALE program.

The third top priority is funding for waterway dredging and shoreline erosion.

County officials say regular dredging is essential for safe navigation and the economic health of waterfront communities, and they want additional state funding for the Virginia Waterway Maintenance Grant Program.

The county is also seeking funding to address erosion, particularly at the southern end of Chincoteague Island, where officials say nearly 400 feet of shoreline has been lost over the past 23 years.

Other priorities include making state funding for teacher recruitment and retention recurring beyond the current budget, expanding efforts to develop attainable housing, and reviewing regulations affecting small child day-care centers.

Accomack officials say recurring state funding is needed to keep local teacher salaries competitive with neighboring school divisions.

On housing, the county is asking the state to help encourage developers to build more attainable housing in areas identified as appropriate for residential development.

And the county wants the state to review regulations for child-care centers serving fewer than 20 children.

Among the proposals are allowing smaller centers to operate with fewer than two toilets and two sinks when child-toilet ratios are met, and allowing a single staff member to be on site when fewer than eight children are present.

County officials say those changes could reduce the financial burden on small child-care providers while maintaining required safety standards.