Bills clear first hurdles in House, Senate committees

 

For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020

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

 

RICHMOND – Today, legislation advanced that transfers the management of menhaden where it belongs to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and brings Virginia’s quota in compliance with federal catch limits. Legislative action comes amidst a federally imposed moratorium on menhaden fishing in Virginia waters after Reedville-based Omega Protein was found to have exceeded allowable catch limits in 2019.

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

“We applaud the House and Senate committees for advancing this important measure, and thank Governor Northam for his leadership in working to protect the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and the jobs that depend on healthy fisheries. The General Assembly never had any place regulating a single fish species – menhaden – and this legislation ensures that we’re making fishery decisions based on science, not politics. We look forward to getting this legislation passed and to the Governor’s desk, and beginning a new era of responsible menhaden management in Virginia.”

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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Spending plan prioritizes clean water, conservation, climate action, and environmental justice

For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019

Contact:

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

RICHMOND – Today, Governor Northam offered a first glimpse of his natural resources budget with $733 million of proposed funding for the environment. This funding would go to help Virginia meet its goals in the ongoing Bay cleanup, protect more land resources, expand clean energy, ensure environmental justice, and strengthen the commonwealth’s environmental enforcement capability.

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

“Since his election two years ago, Governor Northam has advocated for more robust funding to protect our environment. The proposal this administration just released is the most funding we’ve ever seen to protect clean water, clean air, open spaces, and vulnerable communities.

We applaud Northam for following through on his commitments and look forward to working with the new Conservation Majority at the General Assembly to secure the strongest budget yet for conservation, climate action, environmental justice, and clean energy in 2020.”

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.

Ads in Richmond, Hampton Roads districts focus on holding corporate polluters accountable, protecting our health

 

For Immediate Release:
Friday, Oct. 25, 2019

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

 

RICHMOND – With just 11 days to go before voters cast ballots in pivotal statehouse elections across the Commonwealth, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters PAC today announced it had taken out a near-six-figure radio buy in three battleground districts to help ensure the election of a Conservation Majority in 2019.

The $97,000 ad buy will support Virginia LCV-endorsed candidates Sheila Bynum-Coleman for HD-66 (ad here), Alex Askew for HD-85 (ad here), and Clinton Jenkins for HD-76 (ad here). Ads will be on the air through Election Day.

“During their time in office, Rocky Holcomb, Kirk Cox and Chris Jones have put corporate polluters and their interests first while putting our air, water, and health at risk,” said Michael Town, executive director of Virginia LCV. “With Sheila, Clinton and Alex in office, we can protect clean air and water for all Virginians while acting to address the climate crisis and advancing a clean energy economy that will create jobs and opportunity across the state.”

The ads target an African-American audience and will run across multiple radio stations in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach and metro-Richmond media markets.

The overall aim is to let these voters know what’s at stake for clean air, clean water, and their health on Nov. 5 and to draw a stark contrast between our endorsed candidates and their opponents when it comes to holding polluters accountable and protecting our environment.

The recent radio buy is part of an extensive $1.5 million electoral investment – the most Virginia LCV PAC has ever spent on legislative races – which also includes targeted mail and digital programs in 11 House and Senate districts in Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads.

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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Environmental group more than doubles number of priority House Districts; electoral efforts in 2019 reach $1.5M

 

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019

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

RICHMOND – With a Conservation Majority at stake heading toward Election Day and two weeks to go, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters today announced it had expanded the number of priority districts where the organization is investing big to ensure the next General Assembly puts Virginia’s environment first.

In making decisions to prioritize the races of Shelly Simonds (HD-94), Clinton Jenkins (HD-76), Alex Askew (HD-85), and Rodney Willett (HD-73), Virginia LCV more than doubled the number of priority House districts from the initial program rolled out in early September.

“Election Day will be pivotal for Virginia’s future – our environment, our health, and our economy – and our expanded program reflects this urgency,” said Michael Town, executive director of Virginia LCV. “We must elect candidates in November who will act to address the climate crisis and protect our environment and health instead of catering to corporate polluters – we simply can’t afford further inaction and obstruction at the General Assembly.”

Overall, Virginia is investing approximately $1.5 million in this year’s election cycle – in programmatic investments and direct candidate contributions – with the intent to secure “Conservation Majorities” in both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly. This greatly outpaces what Virginia LCV spent in the 2015 state legislative races.

Investments in target districts are going toward layered communication of direct mail and digital advertisements to voters. The goal is to raise the stakes in each race for voters who care about our environment, about keeping people safe from pollution, and about fighting against the climate crisis.

To-date, mail and digital programs have reached hundreds of thousands of voters with pieces like these: Senate District 12, Senate District 7, House District 21, House District 85, and House District 51.

Top Priority Districts Now Include:

Alex Askew – House District 85
Hala Ayala – House District 51
Kelly Convirs-Fowler – House District 21
Wendy Gooditis – House District 10
Clint Jenkins – House District 76
Shelly Simonds – House District 94
Rodney Willett – House District 73

John Bell – Senate District 13
Ghazala Hashmi – Senate District 10
Debra Rodman – Senate District 12
Cheryl Turpin – Senate District 7

Virginia LCV has also moved to endorse the following candidates since announcing an initial slate in September:

Senate of Virginia

John Edwards – Senate District 21
Lynwood Lewis – Senate District 6
Monty Mason ­– Senate District 1
Chap Petersen – Senate District 34

Virginia House of Delegates

Lashrecse Aird – House District 63
Jennifer Carroll Foy – House District 2
Lee Carter – House District 50
Sally Hudson – House District 57
Kaye Kory – House District 38
Paul Krizek – House District 44
Martha Mugler – House District 91

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.

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019

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

 

RICHMOND – Today, Governor Northam released an Executive Order directing his agencies to develop a plan getting Virginia to 30 percent renewable energy by 2030 and 100 percent carbon-free electricity by mid-century. Additionally, the directive calls for increasing renewable energy usage by state agencies and the executive branch and directs the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to develop a pathway to clean energy jobs for underprivileged communities.

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

“Voters are sick and tired of our legislature pandering to corporate polluters and blocking necessary action to address climate change and build a clean energy economy. Governor Northam’s Executive Order is a leap in the right direction. Next, we need to elect a legislature that won’t stand in the way of Virginia’s clean energy future and will help put a strong and just plan into action as a first order of business.

While we support the initiatives laid out in this order, we look forward to seeing more details in the final plan of action, especially in ensuring that Virginia creates a clean energy economy that’s inclusive and creates opportunities for every Virginian as we work to secure a carbon-free future.”

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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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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Paid for by the Virginia League of Conservation Voters. Not authorized by a candidate.

 

For Immediate Release:
Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019

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

 

RICHMOND – Today, Dominion Energy announced its plans to begin efforts to provide school districts in their service territory with emission-free electric buses. The news comes as Virginia’s largest electric monopoly continues to be on the wrong side of news headlines over its beleaguered Atlantic Coast Pipeline and corrupt business model.

In response, Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, issued the following statement.

“Virginia’s children deserve to ride to school without breathing in toxic exhaust fumes, and we support Dominion’s efforts to address that problem. But we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that this is the same electric monopoly that burns coal and other harmful fossil fuels that send hundreds of kids to the emergency room and put children’s health at risk every year, while continuing to threaten our coastal communities and our climate on a daily basis.

Overall, it’s not surprising that Dominion is looking to make positive news. Their misguided, flawed, and environmentally reckless multi-billion-dollar Atlantic Coast Pipeline continues to face setback after setback, as they are now desperately working to get the Trump Administration to save it from failure.

Today’s announcement was also suspiciously timed with a report from the State Corporation Commission that found Dominion had earned nearly $280 million more from captive ratepayers than they should have under Virginia law in 2018.

We can only hope that Dominion’s efforts to clean up school buses are earnest and not the latest in a series of ploys to profit more at Virginians’ expense.”

 

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:
Monday, Aug. 19, 2019

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

 

RICHMOND – Today, the Secretary of Natural Resources released his final report in response to Executive Order 6 calling for ways to strengthen and improve the Department of Environmental Quality when it comes to transparency, environmental enforcement, permitting, and environmental justice.

In response to this report, Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, offered the following statement:

“This report is definitely progress, but as it makes perfectly clear, there is a lot of work ahead of us to see this vision through and to rebuild and retool DEQ into a stronger, more effective and impactful agency.

Many of the ambitious goals laid out here will require legislative action. This begins first and foremost with restoring funding for DEQ, which has seen its budget, staff size, and enforcement capability shrink significantly in recent years.

We are committed to breaking the current logjam at the General Assembly and electing lawmakers who will let DEQ do its job, put environmental protection and equity first, and hold polluters accountable.”

 

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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