Veteran environmental legislator David Bulova selected as Virginia’s next resources secretary

Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger moved Thursday to elevate one of the General Assembly’s most seasoned environmental lawmakers, selecting Del. David Bulova, D-Fairfax, to lead Virginia’s natural and historic resources portfolio when she takes office next month.

Spanberger said Bulova’s decades in environmental planning and his legislative work on water quality, Chesapeake Bay cleanup and conservation policy make him well suited to steer the administration’s efforts on climate resilience, preservation and land stewardship. In announcing the choice, she framed the appointment as central to her agenda.

“From the wonders of the Shenandoah Valley to the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia’s natural resources, public lands, and historic sites define our commonwealth,” Spanberger said. 

In his role as Virginia’s next secretary of natural and historic resources, Bulova will “bring decades of experience to our efforts to strengthen our commonwealth’s conservation, resilience, and preservation efforts.”

A 19-year House veteran whose district includes the city of Fairfax and parts of Fairfax County, Bulova, 56, said he was “deeply honored” and said his long record on clean water and conservation have prepared him for the role.

“Preserving and restoring Virginia’s environment is a life-long passion for me,” he said. He added that Spanberger “shares that passion, as evidenced by her work on the House Agriculture Committee, and understands what it takes to safeguard our natural resources for future generations.”

Bulova also emphasized the economic stakes, saying the governor-elect “understands that a healthy environment and a strong economy go hand-in-hand.”

A project manager at international engineering and environmental consulting firm WSP USA, Bulova brings more than 30 years of professional experience in water resources policy, Chesapeake Bay restoration, stormwater compliance, strategic planning and stormwater finance. 

Before joining WSP, he served as the Northern Virginia Regional Commission’s director of environmental services.

Inside the General Assembly, Bulova chairs the House General Laws Committee, the Commerce, Agriculture, and Natural Resources subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, and the Chesapeake subcommittee of the Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources Committee. 

He also sits on the Chesapeake Bay Commission — where he has twice served as chair — and the State Water Commission. From 2004 to 2006, he served as an elected member of the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District.

Spanberger’s decision signals she intends to lean on that legislative and technical experience as her administration confronts climate pressures, rising seas, aging water systems, and growing public expectations for clean rivers, healthier forests and more resilient infrastructure.

Over his nearly two decades in the House, Bulova has been a familiar broker among environmental groups, local governments, manufacturers and utilities. 

He has shepherded funding for agricultural best management practices, spearheaded investments to upgrade wastewater treatment plants, and backed initiatives to combat invasive species. He also worked on a pay-for-outcomes pollution-reduction pilot program for the Chesapeake Bay.

During the 2025 session, Bulova partnered with environmental organizations, water utilities and manufacturers on bipartisan legislation to curb PFAS contamination in one of Virginia’s major drinking water sources — a win that environmentalists credited to his willingness to convene groups that often clash over regulatory issues.

In 2019, the nonprofit VIRGINIAforever honored him with its Bridge Builder award for contributions to natural resources stewardship.

As with other districts where Democratic incumbents have been chosen for roles in Spanberger’s administration, Bulova’s departure from the House will set off a special election to fill the vacancy in strongly Democratic House District 11 before lawmakers convene in mid-January. 

The timing could further compress an already tight calendar as incoming leadership organizes committees and prepares for the new session.

Advocates say Bulova’s background — spanning technical water policy, local government experience and legislative know-how — positions him to navigate one of the state’s broadest and most complex secretariats, which oversees the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Marine Resources Commission and several historic preservation agencies.

Bulova referenced that responsibility in his statement, citing the promise embedded in the state constitution “to protect its atmosphere, lands, and waters from pollution, impairment, or destruction, for the benefit, enjoyment, and general welfare of the people of the commonwealth.”

Bulova is a graduate of William & Mary and holds a master’s degree in public administration from Virginia Tech. A 1997 graduate of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, he and his wife, Gretchen, reside in Fairfax County and have three children. 

Outside of work, the family enjoys hiking in Virginia’s parks, a pastime he often cites as a reminder of what the state stands to lose without strong protections.

Spanberger takes office in January, when Bulova is expected to step down from his House seat to join her cabinet.

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