For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Contact:
Lee Francis | Deputy Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
(434) 989-3197 | lfrancis@valcv.org
RICHMOND – Today, during the reconvened “veto” session, the State Senate rejected Governor Youngkin’s amendments to Senate Bill 1231, which attempted to undermine the Virginia Clean Economy Act and our clean energy future in a number of harmful ways – some of which the Senate had already rejected in other legislation. The House of Delegates took no action on the House companion bill, HB 2026.
Youngkin’s amendments would have added nuclear and hydrogen to Virginia’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, kept fossil fuel plants running past their retirement date outlined under the VCEA, delayed our clean energy targets, and given special carve-outs to a singular electric cooperative, allowing them to financially benefit from Renewable Energy Credits under the VCEA without having to comply with any of its requirements.
In response to today’s vote, Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, issued the following statement:
“Virginians overwhelmingly support affordable clean energy and climate action, yet Governor Youngkin continues going out of his way to keep our state tied to volatile and dirty fossil fuels. We are grateful that the Senate defeated today’s harmful amendments to Senate Bill 1231 – the last of the Youngkin-led attacks on climate action from this year’s legislative session – voting instead to keep Virginia on the path to climate action, while rejecting Youngkin’s regressive vision for our Commonwealth. We simply cannot waste time when it comes to cutting pollution and addressing the climate crisis and it’s well past time for Governor Youngkin to stop playing political games with our energy 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.
###