For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, July 10, 2019

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

 

RICHMOND – Last night, the Alexandria City Council adopted a bold, forward-looking plan for climate action and sustainability, including commitments to cut greenhouse gases in half over the coming decade, accelerate the city’s transition to renewable energy, electrify its fleet of vehicles, and ensure that all new construction is carbon neutral by 2030.

In response to last night’s vote, Lee Francis, deputy director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, offered the following statement:

“Just a day after widespread flooding closed city streets and threatened public safety, the City of Alexandria took the bold steps necessary to ensure the city does its part to address the climate crisis that puts us all in harm’s way,” said Lee Francis, deputy director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters. “With us moving in the wrong direction at the federal level and with climate deniers at the legislature attempting to block progress at the state level – for now – it’s more important now than ever for localities to take the lead. We applaud Alexandria’s efforts and look forward to seeing the city continuing to lead the way on the environment.”

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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Climate obstruction, coal ash cleanup highlight fast-paced session

For Immediate Release:
Thursday, June 20, 2019

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 2019 General Assembly Conservation Scorecard, the only comprehensive tool for voters in Virginia to see whether their lawmakers are prioritizing the environment when they’re in Richmond.

The votes scored in this year’s scorecard cover a wide range of issues important to conservation causes in Virginia, everything from climate action, clean energy policy and protecting water quality, to transportation, land use, open space preservation and redistricting reform. Overall, this year’s legislator scores reflect votes cast on 20 bills in the House of Delegates and 15 pieces of legislation in the Senate.

In addition to the vote tallies, the Scorecard takes a deep dive into policy analysis and the politics that framed the 2019 session, including a look at the February controversies that engulfed Richmond and how they will impact Virginia LCV’s work going forward.

“We made serious gains for our environment in 2019, including the passage of landmark legislation eliminating the threat of toxic coal ash throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Unfortunately, we also saw big setbacks when it comes to addressing our largest environmental threat – climate change,” said Michael Town, executive director of Virginia LCV. “Virginians shouldn’t have to choose between clean water and clean air – we deserve both. With all 140 seat up for grabs this fall, we will be working in 2019 to ensure the next General Assembly takes the climate crisis seriously and acts to protect our environment for all Virginians.”

The Scorecard helps hold lawmakers accountable when they fail to vote on the right side of conservation, and also showcases the many delegates and state senators who have prioritized our environment and have the strong voting record to prove it.

Overall, 49 legislators (11 state senators and 38 delegates) earned a perfect 100 percent voting record, giving them the designation of “Legislative Hero” for 2019.

 

Virginia LCV 2019 Legislative Heroes

Senator George Barker

Senator Jennifer Boysko

Senator Creigh Deeds

Senator Barbara Favola

Senator Janet Howell

Senator Mamie Locke

Senator Dave Marsden

Senator Monty Mason

Senator Jennifer McClellan

Senator Jeremy McPike

Senator Dick Saslaw

 

Delegate Dawn Adams

Delegate Lashrecse Aird

Delegate Hala Ayala

Delegate Lamont Bagby

Delegate John Bell

Delegate Jeffrey Bourne

Delegate David Bulova

Delegate Betsy Carr

Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy

Delegate Lee Carter

Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler

Delegate Karrie Delaney

Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn

Delegate Wendy Gooditis

Delegate Elizabeth Guzman

Delegate Cliff Hayes

Delegate Charniele Herring

Delegate Patrick Hope

Delegate Chris Hurst

Delegate Jay Jones

Delegate Kaye Kory

Delegate Paul Krizek

Delegate Mark Levine

Delegate Alfonso Lopez

Delegate Michael Mullin

Delegate Kathleen Murphy

Delegate Cia Price

Delegate David Reid

Delegate Debra Rodman

Delegate Danica Roem

Delegate Mark Sickles

Delegate Mark Simon

Delegate Rip Sullivan

Delegate David Toscano

Delegate Kathy Tran

Delegate Schuyler VanValkenburg

Delegate Jeion Ward

Delegate Vivian Watts

 

Another 10 delegates and eight state senators earned scores between 75 and 99 percent, making them Legislative Leaders for 2019.

Virginia LCV 2019 Legislative Leaders

Senator Rosalyn Dance

Senator Adam Ebbin

Senator John Edwards

Senator Lynwood Lewis

Senator Louise Lucas

Senator Chap Petersen

Senator Lionell Spruill

Senator Scott Surovell

 

Delegate Steve Heretick

Delegate Matthew James

Delegate Mark Keam

Delegate Joseph Lindsey

Delegate Delores McQuinn

Delegate Ken Plum

Delegate Sam Rasoul

Delegate Luke Torian

Delegate Cheryl Turpin

Delegate Roslyn Tyler

 

In addition to these honors, Virginia LCV recognized four lawmakers for their individual leadership on the environment with 2019 Legislative Leadership Awards: Delegate Karrie Delaney, Delegate Charniele Herring, Delegate Lee Ware and Senator Jennifer McClellan.

At-a-glance legislator scores can be found here. The full 2019 Conservation Scorecard is accessible here.

About us:
Established in 2000, 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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Vote secures Virginia’s place as a leader in climate action

 

For Immediate Release:
Friday, April 19, 2019

 

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

 

RICHMOND – Today, the State Air Pollution Control Board voted in favor of a strong rule to cut carbon pollution from Virginia’s dirtiest power plants. Between 2020 and 2030, this important safeguard will result in a 30 percent reduction of harmful carbon. Passage of this rule also makes Virginia the first state to take this level of climate action in the Trump era and the only southern state with a rule on the books to cut carbon.

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

“It’s been three years in the making, but Virginia now has a strong rule to cut power plant pollution. Today’s vote is historic and takes us in the right direction in the fight to address climate change, protect public health, and to accelerate our transition to a clean energy economy.”

“We now reiterate our calls on Governor Northam to veto the harmful budget language passed by the House of Delegates that attempts to prevent this important rule from moving forward. Virginians elected Northam to do the right thing for clean air and climate action; he has that opportunity in front of him and we expect him to follow through.”

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, April 3, 2019

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

RICHMOND – Today, the Virginia General Assembly reconvened in Richmond for the one-day “Veto Session,” to consider all gubernatorial vetoes and amendments to bills passed during the regular 2019 legislative session.

On today’s docket were several measures that passed during the regular session aimed at curbing Virginia’s ability to address climate change, obstructionist tactics that come at a time when this crisis grows worse by the day. The legislature was expected to easily uphold the governor’s vetoes of legislation preventing Virginia from cutting harmful air pollution from the electricity and transportation sectors. However, the House voted to reject the governor’s amendments of harmful budget language attacking climate action and diverting revenues earned from cutting pollution away from important programs that safeguard communities.

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

“Climate change is too large and complex of a problem for one political party to solve by itself. Long-term solutions to this crisis demand both parties come to the table. Unfortunately, year after year, Republicans prefer to play political games rather than do the right thing to protect Virginia’s economy and their constituents’ public health and safety.

Today, by voting to obstruct climate action, the legislature voted to allow continued flooding of homes, streets and businesses along our coast and inland; to let dirty power plants continue polluting our air and threatening public health; and to stand in the way of our state’s clean energy future and the tens of thousands of family wage jobs that come with it. We now urge Governor Northam to act where the legislature failed by immediately vetoing the harmful and unnecessary budget language standing in the way of climate progress.

Virginians don’t elect leaders to engage in partisan fights; they send representatives to Richmond to find common ground, to solve our greatest problems, and to improve our lives. Voters across Virginia support climate action – they are watching and there will be consequences.”

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:
Friday, March 1, 2019

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

 

RICHMOND – Today, the State Water Control Board voted not to move forward with revoking permits it had issued allowing construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline in Southwest Virginia, after voting in December to begin that process following hundreds of environmental violations by the pipeline developer.

In response to today’s vote, Lee Francis, deputy director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, offered the following statement:

“The evidence is overwhelming that Mountain Valley Pipeline is a bad actor, that construction of this pipeline has hurt local waterways and our environment, and that the Water Control Board has the authority to put its foot down and stop further harm. In refusing to exercise that authority, state regulators have put clean water and people in the path of this pipeline further in harm’s way. This is truly a step in the wrong direction for our environment and for citizens’ health and safety.”

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, Feb. 27, 2019

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

 

RICHMOND – The Virginia League of Conservation Voters today released the Virginia congressional delegation’s scores in the League of Conservation Voters’ 2018 National Environmental Scorecard. The Scorecard is the primary yardstick for evaluating the environmental records of every member of Congress, and is available for download here, in Spanish here, and online at scorecard.lcv.org.

“Virginia’s House delegation looks very different today than it did in 2018 and for good reason: you can’t continuously vote against clean air, clean water and climate action and expect to keep your job in Congress – Virginia voters simply demand more,” said Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters. “We applaud all of the environmental champions who pushed back against the Trump administration’s reckless, anti-environmental agenda and voted against the worst assaults on conservation. With a pro-climate congressional delegation now in place in Virginia, we look forward to the 2019 Scorecard telling a very different story.”

The 2018 Scorecard measures votes cast during the second session of the 115th Congress. In Virginia, four House members earned a score of 80 percent or greater and both U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine earned perfect scores of 100 percent, while six House members received subpar scores of 10 percent or less.

The average House score for Virginia was 36 percent and the average score across Virginia’s congressional delegation as a whole was 68 percent.

The full delegation’s scores for 2018 are:

United States Senate

Name	Party	2018 Score	Lifetime Score
Tim Kaine	D	100	95
Mark Warner	D	100	87

 

 

 

 

United States House of Representatives

Name	Party	District	2018 Score	Lifetime Score
Rob Wittman	R	1	6	11
Scott Taylor	R	2	9	7
Bobby Scott	D	3	94	91
Don McEachin	D	4	86	87
Tom Garrett	R	5	9	6
Bob Goodlatte	R	6	0	6
Dave Brat	R	7	0	1
Don Beyer	D	8	86	96
Morgan Griffith	R	9	3	5
Barbara Comstock	R	10	14	7
Gerry Connolly	D	11	94	97

The 2018 National Environmental Scorecard reveals that, once again, the extreme pro-polluter Republican leadership drove their caucuses to an abysmal average score of 8 percent in both chambers of Congress. In stark contrast, Senate Democrats and the Independents who caucus with them earned an average score of 95 percent, and House Democrats earned an average score of 90 percent.

“After eight years of the most anti-environmental U.S. House ever and two years of relentless attacks on the environment from the Trump administration, the tectonic shift to a pro-environment majority in the people’s House comes not a moment too soon. We could not be more excited to work with the new pro-environment House majority to protect our air, water, lands, and wildlife, combat the climate crisis, and hold the Trump administration accountable,” said LCV Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld.

The 2018 Scorecard includes 35 House votes that span the chamber’s assaults on clean air and water, lands and wildlife protections, investments in clean energy and so much more. In the Senate, the majority of the 14 votes scored are confirmation votes on Trump’s anti-environmental nominees.

LCV has published a National Environmental Scorecard every Congress since 1970. The Scorecard represents the consensus of experts from about 20 respected environmental and conservation organizations who selected the key votes on which members of Congress should be scored.

LCV scores votes on the most important issues of the year, including energy, climate change, public health, public lands and wildlife conservation, and spending for environmental programs. The votes included in the Scorecard presented members of Congress with a real choice and help distinguish which legislators are working for environmental protection. More information on individual votes and the Scorecard archive can be found at scorecard.lcv.org.

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For Immediate Release:
Friday, Feb. 15, 2019

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

 

RICHMOND – Today, the House of Delegates voted 93-2 in support of Senate Bill 1355, which will require Dominion Energy to clean up the 28 million tons of toxic coal ash waste stored at four power plants in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Senate on Thursday passed the identical House Bill 2786 in a vote of 38-2.

In response to today’s final passage of SB 1355, Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, offered the following statement:

“Today’s vote is a huge victory for clean water. After years of debate and study, lawmakers came up with a final coal ash solution that protects our water from heavy metals and carcinogens and ensures we no longer have to live with a toxic threat on the banks of our rivers.

We sincerely thank the patrons of this legislation – Senators Scott Surovell, who has championed this issue year after year at the General Assembly, Rosalyn Dance, Amanda Chase and Frank Wagner, and Delegates Jennifer Carroll Foy, Riley Ingram, Terry Kilgore, Tony Wilt and Danny Marshall – for their leadership in addressing one of Virginia’s largest and most complex environmental issues.

This type of bipartisan, landmark legislation is rare and shows that despite political differences, Virginia lawmakers can still come together to do the right thing for the commonwealth’s environment, public health, and wellbeing.”

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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