Kaine Continues Tour Of Commonwealth With Visits To Omega Protein And VIMS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine continued his two-week tour of the Commonwealth with stops in Reedville and Gloucester Point.

This morning, Kaine toured the Omega Protein Corporation in Reedville. Omega Protein produces nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, using fish from the Chesapeake Bay. Employing 230 employees in Reedville, Omega Protein's direct economic impact to the region is $88 million per year.

In the afternoon, Kaine visited the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) in Gloucester Point to discuss the institute’s work in areas such as Chesapeake Bay water health, blue crab and oyster restoration and the impacts of sea level rise in Virginia. As governor, Kaine made critical regulatory decisions to foster the blue crab and oyster populations.  

“Seeing VIMS' impressive research underscores that sea level rise is a today issue in this region, not a tomorrow issue,” said Kaine. "We are dealing with the effects of climate change every day in Virginia and in Congress - from rewriting the federal flood insurance program, to Hurricane Sandy relief, to people in Norfolk using apps on their phones to check whether their streets will flood today. I'm very grateful for the groundbreaking work done by VIMS, which will be invaluable as communities, states and the federal government plan for the future.”

In June, Kaine hosted a bipartisan conference in Norfolk that focused on how to better coordinate federal, state, and local efforts to find concrete solutions to combat sea level rise.

Tomorrow, Kaine will continue his tour of the Commonwealth with a visit to Louisa County High School in Mineral.

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