For Immediate Release:
Friday, Nov. 19, 2021

Media contact:
Lee Francis | Deputy Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
(434) 989-3197 | lfrancis@valcv.org

RICHMOND – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the landmark Build Back Better Act, which contains a $555 billion investment in clean energy and climate action – the largest in our nation’s history and one that puts us on a pathway to cutting carbon pollution in half by 2030 and meeting the urgency of the climate crisis.

In response to this historic announcement, Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, issued the following statement:

“Today’s vote in the House paves the way for the largest step we’ve ever taken as a country to address climate change, cut pollution, and expand clean energy. The members of Virginia’s House Delegation who supported the Build Back Better Act should be proud of the votes they cast today – this landmark effort will grow Virginia’s economy, protect vulnerable communities, and put us on the path we need to cut carbon pollution in half by 2030. The decision whether to respond accordingly to the largest environmental threat we’ve ever faced now rests with the Senate, and we thank U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine for helping us get to this point. We are confident they will continue to be on the right side of history.”

About us:
The Virginia League of Conservation Voters serves as the political voice of the state’s conservation community, working to make sure Virginia’s elected officials recognize that our natural heritage is an environmental and economic treasure for all. Virginia LCV works with conservation leaders across Virginia and strives for a conservation majority in state government. We secure good public policies on the state level and hold public officials accountable for their positions on environmental issues. For more information, visit www.valcv.org.

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For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021

Media contact:
Lee Francis | Deputy Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
(434) 989-3197 | lfrancis@valcv.org

Poll emphasizes that Virginia voters strongly favor action to cut pollution, expand clean energy

RICHMOND – Recent polling conducted by Global Strategies Group on behalf of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters finds that addressing climate change, expanding clean energy, and safeguarding our environment are important issues in mobilizing key swing voters in the 2021 elections – a key constituency in securing a victory this fall and maintaining our Conservation Majority in Virginia.

“This poll reinforces the fact that Virginia voters care about clean air and a healthy environment, and they expect their leaders to act instead of ignoring science,” said Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters. “We’ve already seen this play out in the 2017 and 2019 electoral cycles as we secured Virginia’s first-ever Conservation Majority, which delivered on key environmental priorities. It’s clear that voters want to see us continue this vital work.”

Among the poll’s critical findings:

• Virginia LCV-endorsed gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe leads his opponent Glenn Youngkin by 5 points in this race, with room to grow his lead in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.

• Sixty-three percent of voters statewide have a favorable view of actions that cut climate-disrupting carbon emissions; support for climate action is even higher among swing and motivation targets.

• Nearly 60 percent of voters support the landmark Virginia Clean Economy Act after hearing both arguments for and against this effort to push Virginia to 100 percent clean electricity, with support again being higher with important swing and motivation targets.

• After learning more about Virginia Republicans’ poor record on climate action and environmental protection, McAuliffe’s lead in this race doubled to 10 points over his rival, driven by a big uptick in voter-rich Northern Virginia.

There is substantial daylight between McAuliffe and Youngkin on issues of climate action and clean energy. While McAuliffe would stay the course on addressing climate change and creating more jobs in our fastest growing job sector – clean energy – Donald Trump-endorsed Youngkin is already on the record opposing Virginia’s efforts to expand clean energy and address climate change, championing instead a misguided push to continue the combustion of fossil fuels as part of our long-term energy mix, a position not all that surprising from a candidate whose private sector experience involved deep ties to the fossil fuel industry.

While serving as an executive of Carlyle Group, Youngkin’s firm invested in five of the nation’s 20 largest oil and gas producers, and he personally pitched investors on a $4 billion fund to further deepen Carlyle’s investments in the same energy sources already disrupting our climate.

It’s clear that if elected Governor, Youngkin would take Virginia in the wrong direction, standing in the way of cleaner air and a clean energy economy. This is why over the coming months, Virginia LCV will be hard at work helping elect conservation champions, while connecting with voters across the state, making the link between environmental protections, public health and a strong economy.

More information about Virginia LCV’s electoral and endorsement efforts is available at www.valcvpac.org.

About us:
The Virginia League of Conservation Voters serves as the political voice of the state’s conservation community, working to make sure Virginia’s elected officials recognize that our natural heritage is an environmental and economic treasure for all. Virginia LCV works with conservation leaders across Virginia and strives for a conservation majority in state government. We secure good public policies on the state level and hold public officials accountable for their positions on environmental issues. For more information, visit www.valcv.org.

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For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021

Contact:
Lee Francis | Deputy Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
(804) 225-1902 | lfrancis@valcv.org

RICHMOND – Today, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters released its 2021 General Assembly Conservation Scorecard, which ranks members of the legislature based on their votes on key environmental legislation.

The full 2021 Scorecard can be viewed and downloaded here and at-a-glance lawmaker scores are available here.

The 2021 General Assembly was like no other legislative session we’ve experienced. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic meant that Virginia LCV was doing its policy and advocacy work remotely – the House of Delegates met virtually for the entire session and the Senate of Virginia met in a socially distanced format at the Science Museum of Virginia with little interaction with advocates or the public.

Despite these challenges, 2021 was an incredibly productive year of policy-making, with Virginia’s Conservation Majority at the legislature delivering in back-to-back General Assembly sessions on dozens of environmental priorities.

“Over the past two years, Virginia’s gone from the back of the pack on climate action to one of the states leading in this fight. This doesn’t happen by accident – it happens because Virginia’s ‘Conservation Majority’ listened to their constituents and made protecting our environment a top-tier priority,” said Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters. “We are incredibly grateful for the leadership Virginia’s lawmakers have shown in recent years and look forward to paving the way for more progress to come.”

This year’s scores take into account lawmakers’ votes on 25 bills in the House of Delegates and 22 bills in the Senate of Virginia. Sustainable transportation policy, including the passage of a Clean Cars Standard and complementary legislation to advance vehicle electrification, took an especially prominent role this year as lawmakers worked to address Virginia’s largest source of climate disrupting carbon pollution – the gas- and diesel-powered cars, trucks and SUVs we drive every day.

Fifty-four lawmakers, nine Senators and 46 Delegates, scored a perfect 100-percent score in 2021, earning the designation of “Legislative Hero” for voting alongside Virginia LCV’s positions on top conservation priorities every time this year.

2021 Legislative Heroes

Sen. Jennifer Boysko
Sen. Creigh Deeds
Sen. Adam Ebbin
Sen. Barbara Favola
Sen. Ghazala Hashmi
Sen. Janet Howell
Sen. Mamie Locke
Sen. Jennifer McClellan
Sen. Jeremy McPike

Del. Dawn Adams
Del. Lashrecse Aird
Del. Alex Askew
Del. Hala Ayala
Del. Lamont Bagby
Del. Jeffrey Bourne
Del. David Bulova
Del. Betsy Carr
Del. Josh Cole
Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler
Del. Karrie Delaney
Del. Eileen Filler-Corn
Del. Wendy Gooditis
Del. Nancy Guy
Del. Elizabeth Guzman
Del. Cliff Hayes
Del. Dan Helmer
Del. Charniele Herring
Del. Patrick Hope
Del. Sally Hudson
Del. Chris Hurst
Del. Jay Jones
Del. Mark Keam
Del. Kaye Kory
Del. Paul Krizek
Del. Mark Levine
Del. Alfonso Lopez
Del. Delores McQuinn
Del. Martha Mugler
Del. Michael Mullin
Del. Candi Mundon King
Del. Kenneth Plum
Del. Marcia Price
Del. David Reid
Del. Danica Roem
Del. Ibraheem Samirah
Del. Marcus Simon
Del. Shelly Simonds
Del. Suhas Subramanyam
Del. Rip Sullivan
Del. Kathy Tran
Del. Roslyn Tyler
Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg
Del. Jeion Ward
Del. Vivian Watts
Del. Rodney Willett

Another 21 lawmakers, 12 Senators and nine Delegates, earned scores between 75 and 99 percent in 2021, earning the designation of “Legislative Leader” for their prioritization of key conservation issues.

2021 Legislative Leaders

Sen. George Barker
Sen. John Bell
Sen. John Edwards
Sen. Lynwood Lewis
Sen. Louise Lucas
Sen. Dave Marsden
Sen. Monty Mason
Sen. Joe Morrissey
Sen. Chap Petersen
Sen. Dick Saslaw
Sen. Lionell Spruill
Sen. Scott Surovell

Del. Lee Carter
Del. Steve Heretick
Del. Clint Jenkins
Del. Kathleen Murphy
Del. Sam Rasoul
Del. Don Scott
Del. Mark Sickles
Del. Luke Torian
Del. Angelia Williams Graves

About us:
The Virginia League of Conservation Voters serves as the political voice of the state’s conservation community, working to make sure Virginia’s elected officials recognize that our natural heritage is an environmental and economic treasure for all. Virginia LCV works with conservation leaders across Virginia and strives for a conservation majority in state government. We secure good public policies on the state level and hold public officials accountable for their positions on environmental issues. For more information, visit www.valcv.org.

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For Immediate Release:
Friday, June 5, 2020

Contact:
Lee Francis | Deputy Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
(804) 225-1902 | lfrancis@valcv.org

 

RICHMOND – The killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis last week has set off demonstrations and protests around the country and here in Virginia, raising the attention of the persisting problems of racism and injustice in America.

In response to last week’s events, and the many, many that have come before it, Virginia LCV and the Virginia LCV Education Fund issued the following joint statement:

The events of the last few weeks in Georgia, Kentucky, Minnesota and across this country have made it clear that until Black lives matter, we will never live up to the ideals put forth in our Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, that are supposed to apply to all, not just some of us.  The killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd are just three of the most recent names on a list of millions lost to centuries of systemic racism and racial violence against Black and brown people.

COVID-19, the growing unemployment in this country, racial violence and the climate crisis are making it all too brutally clear how communities of color in America fear for their lives and wellbeing every single day.  We see the trauma this creates in our friends, colleagues and partners.  We feel pain and outrage. We must transform our pain, our guilt, and our outrage into action.

The environmental movement, our organization included, has failed over its history to truly be a movement that represented all Americans.  Our movement has often ignored and enabled systems of racism and exclusion – how our communities grow, access to public amenities, the impact of pollution on disadvantaged communities, access to nature and natural spaces, and the prioritization of resources, just to name a few.  And just as importantly, we have not worked hard enough, sometimes not even tried, to racially diversify our institutions – from tokenizing our partnerships to the racial makeup of our donors and boards, staff, volunteers, and membership. These two facts have perpetuated one another throughout the years, and only recently has intentional work begun to change this truth.

We at Virginia LCV and the Virginia LCV Education Fund acknowledge our failings and commit to holding ourselves accountable to the hard work necessary to advance a more just and equitable environmental movement in Virginia.  If we are to be good stewards and protectors of our earth, and advocates for its protection, then we have a responsibility to each other to fight for racial justice.

We cannot ignore the “urgency of now” and the need to act considering the events of the last few weeks.  Virginia LCV and the Virginia LCV Education Fund stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter advocates as they peacefully protest the injustice of Black people at the hands of police and within our criminal justice system.  We recognize that until these issues are addressed, some of our neighbors cannot safely enjoy a jog in the street, a stroll in the park, or ensure their safety in their own homes. As such, we will:

• Continue to fight to address our climate crisis prioritizing the impacts on communities of color and economically disadvantaged communities.
• Continue raising the voices of citizens of color in Virginia by expanding access to the ballot box, fighting for a stronger, healthier, and more just democracy, and ensuring every eligible voter in the Commonwealth is registered to vote and shows up.
• Work to create a conservation voters movement that includes and reflects the priorities of communities of color and recognizes the long-time environmental leadership of Black, indigenous and people of color.
• Devote resources to identifying and rooting out discrimination within our movement and within our communities.
• Commit to fighting for intersectional environmental justice, which includes acknowledging the racial, economic, and social inequities that compound environmental injustices for people of color, particularly Black, Brown and indigenous communities.
• And, most importantly, listen to and follow the guidance of our partners and the groups who are on the frontlines of the fight for social justice and against racism in all its forms.

We implore you to join us and to support our partners on the front-line who are leading the fight in our communities today.  Here are a few organizations we believe are deserving and in need of your support:

Black LIves Matter

Virginia NAACP State Conference

Richmond Mutual Aid Disaster Relief Fund

Communities Against Police Brutality in Minneapolis 

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For Immediate Release:
Thursday, March 5, 2020

Contact:
Lee Francis | Deputy Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
(804) 225-1902 | lfrancis@valcv.org
 

RICHMOND – With just two days left in the 2020 General Assembly, the House of Delegates just voted to advance Senate Bill 851, the Virginia Clean Economy Act, the strongest piece of legislation Virginia’s ever seen to address the climate crisis and advance renewable energy in the Commonwealth. The Senate will now have to act, in order to secure final passage of the VCEA and set Virginia on the pathway to a carbon-free future.

In response to today’s vote, Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, issued the following statement:

“The General Assembly is running out of time to address the largest environmental crisis of our time. If the Senate fails to pass serious solutions to climate change, it could be years until we get another opportunity. By then, it will be too late. We urge the Senate to pass the Virginia Clean Economy Act for the good of our health, our future, and our climate.”

Background:
The Virginia Clean Economy Act is the most aggressive legislation we’ve seen yet to address climate change and accelerate our transition to renewable energy in Virginia. It will eliminate electricity sector carbon emissions by 2045, implement the state’s first-ever mandatory renewable portfolio standard, require investments in energy efficiency instead of costly infrastructure, and make it easier to install rooftop solar in Virginia.

The VCEA also prioritizes empowering disadvantaged communities when making electric generating decisions, protects low-income ratepayers and, for the first time ever, actually addresses the social cost of carbon, meaning the the General Assembly has considered the economic. external, and public health impacts that carbon has on local communities.

About us:
The Virginia League of Conservation Voters serves as the political voice of the state’s conservation community, working to make sure Virginia’s elected officials recognize that our natural heritage is an environmental and economic treasure for all. Virginia LCV works with conservation leaders across Virginia and strives for a conservation majority in state government. We secure good public policies on the state level and hold public officials accountable for their positions on environmental issues. For more information, visit www.valcv.org.