MOUNT HOLLY

From Jamestown along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay to the Appalachian Trail that stretches the length of the Shenandoah Mountains, Virginia is blessed with natural and historic treasures that compete with Yellowstone and Gettysburg for their significance in American history, culture, and landscapes.

As former secretaries of natural resources in the Warner and Kaine administrations, we have had the honor and privilege of working with the citizens of the commonwealth in the protection and conservation of these treasured resources.

Today, as we look to the future of Virginia and the need for ongoing work to ensure that Virginians have clean water and clear air, scenic vistas, and access to open spaces, we ask ourselves--and we ask you--what is the single most important thing we can do in 2012 to protect these resources?

To us, the answer is clear: Elect Tim Kaine to the United States Senate.

Gov. Kaine's record on the importance of preserving and restoring our natural and historic resources is exemplary. As governor, he:

Set and accomplished a goal of preserving 400,000 acres of open space.

In a bipartisan manner completed the necessary funding package for sewage treatment plant pollution controls, an action essential to saving the Chesapeake Bay.

Worked in partnership with the state of Maryland to achieve an historic rebound of the bay's iconic blue crab population.

In contrast, George Allen as governor put the protection of our natural and historic resources at the bottom of his "to do" list. Conservationists across Virginia well remember how his philosophy and actions stymied efforts to clean our water and clear our air. His record, both as governor and U.S. senator, earned him a first place on the National League of Conservation Voters' "2012 Dirty Dozen List."

During our terms as Virginia's secretary of natural resources, and our earlier terms in the Virginia House of Delegates, we promoted initiatives to protect and preserve our natural, cultural, and historic resources through bipartisan cooperation.

Gov. Kaine shares our commitment to bipartisan cooperation and the environment. He will work diligently with his colleagues in both political parties to improve and protect the natural and historic resources of Virginia and the nation.

He will make a difference in the U.S. Senate because he genuinely cares about the opinions of all.

Virginians who care about healthy rivers and a healthy bay, protected historic sites, open spaces, clear skies, and clean air should vote for Tim Kaine to be our next United States senator.

W. Tayloe Murphy Jr. of Westmoreland County and L. Preston Bryant Jr. of Richmond are former secretaries of natural resources for Virginia.