NORFOLK, VA – Standing on the docks of Norfolk International Terminal with longshoremen, welders, and Southwest Virginia workforce trainees, Republican gubernatorial candidate River Bytheway today unveiled his “Virginia Works” infrastructure plan: a three-part initiative to secure Virginia’s position as America’s top trade gateway, speed up clean-energy and broadband projects, and finally stop the tide of recurring flooding in Hampton Roads and beyond. “Our port is the economic engine of Virginia, and when it grows, families from Abingdon to Virginia Beach win,” Bytheway declared. “Today I’m putting forward a fully funded plan that keeps good-paying jobs here, brings displaced coal country workers into new careers, cuts red tape for solar and broadband, and protects our neighborhoods from flooding.” The three major announcements include: - Full Funding for Virginia’s Port of Tomorrow Bytheway pledged to provide the remaining $1.4 billion needed to complete the Norfolk International Terminal optimization and the new Craney Island Marine Terminal—keeping Virginia the busiest and most efficient port on the East Coast. The plan will be paired with a top-tier workforce partnership that guarantees displaced Southwest Virginia miners and factory workers paid training and priority hiring for welding, logistics, crane operation, and maritime technology jobs on the coast. - “90-Day Virginia” Permitting Reform Bytheway will cut state-level permitting times in half for solar farms, battery storage, data centers, and rural broadband projects by launching a one-stop online portal and imposing a strict 90-day approval clock. “This is about green jobs, lower electric bills, and making sure every child in across the Commonwealth can log on to do their homework,” Bytheway said. - Flood-Proof Virginia Grant Program A new 50/50 state-local matching program, funded entirely from existing rainy-day reserves and insurance premium tax revenue, to fix recurring flooding in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Alexandria, Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom, and other hard-hit communities. Every project will be required to incorporate natural solutions—living shorelines, restored wetlands, and oyster reefs—wherever feasible, delivering both resilience and environmental benefits. “These aren’t partisan ideas; they’re Virginia ideas,” Bytheway continued. “Democrats and Republicans both want good jobs, lower flooding risk, and faster internet. I’m the only candidate in this race who has a realistic plan to deliver all three.”