What stopped the Alexandria projects, finally, was statistics on stream bank testing. Science based analysis changed the way the Department of Environmental Quality does analysis. $2.5 million of Stormwater assistance funds were taken off the table when it became clear the original data was faulty. Alexandria was the only jurisdiction where people fought the restoration successfully. That said, the City of Alexandria was unhappy with the whistleblower, Rod Simmons, an Alexandria employee, whose efforts helped stop the projects.
In the end, PEER, “Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility,” an organization which offers legal defense for whistleblowers who bring attention to projects that degrade the environment, was able to defend Simmons.