For Immediate Release:
Friday, Aug. 21, 2020
Contact:
Lee Francis | Deputy Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
(434) 989-3197 | lfrancis@valcv.org
RICHMOND – Today, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters released its 2020 General Assembly Conservation Scorecard, which ranks all 140 members of the legislature based on their votes on key environmental legislation.
The full 2020 Scorecard can be viewed and downloaded here.
This year’s Scorecard covers what was by far the most productive legislative session for Virginia’s environment in the history of our Commonwealth. Thanks to the new “Conservation Majority” that came into power in 2020, legislative champions came to Richmond ready to tackle some of our greatest environmental threats after years of obstruction at the General Assembly. Virginia LCV supported more than 100 pieces of legislation in 2020, with the vast majority of these bills passing and becoming law.
“This year has been truly monumental for Virginia’s environment. Elections have consequences and, in this case, that means cleaner air and water in the Commonwealth,” said Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters. “While we made incredible progress this year, 2020 has clearly demonstrated the huge challenges ahead of us, as we recover from a public health and economic crisis, while confronting the systemic racism that plagues our society. A clean environment only matters when it is accessible to and benefits all Virginians, and we are committed to doing our part to make this a reality.”
This year’s legislator scores take into account 25 votes in the House of Delegates and 22 votes in the Senate of Virginia. These run the gamut from passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, a blueprint to 100-percent clean electricity by mid-century, to bans on fracking and offshore drilling, efforts to clean and protect the Chesapeake Bay, and important environmental justice protections that help bring more equity into decision-making while protecting and empowering vulnerable communities.
Fifty-nine lawmakers, 10 Senators and 49 Delegates, scored a perfect 100-percent score in 2020, earning the designation of “Legislative Hero” for voting alongside Virginia LCV’s position on top conservation priorities every time this year.
2020 Legislative Heroes
Sen. John Bell
Sen. Jennifer Boysko
Sen. Creigh Deeds
Sen. Adam Ebbin
Sen. John Edwards
Sen. Janet Howell
Sen. Mamie Locke
Sen. Jennifer McClellan
Sen. Jeremy McPike
Sen. Scott Surovell
Del. Lashrecse Aird
Del. Alex Askew
Del. Hala Ayala
Del. Lamont Bagby
Del. Jeffrey Bourne
Del. David Bulova
Del. Betsy Carr
Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy
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. Steve Heretick
Del. Charniele Herring
Del. Patrick Hope
Del. Sally Hudson
Del. Clinton Jenkins
Del. Jay Jones
Del. Mark Keam
Del. Kaye Kory
Del. Paul Krizek
Del. Mark Levine
Del. Joseph Lindsey
Del. Alfonso Lopez
Del. Delores McQuinn
Del. Martha Mugler
Del. Michael Mullin
Del. Kathleen Murphy
Del. Kenneth Plum
Del. Marcia Price
Del. David Reid
Del. Danica Roem
Del. Ibraheem Samirah
Del. Don Scott
Del. Mark Sickles
Del. Marcus Simon
Del. Shelly Simonds
Del. Suhas Subramanyam
Del. Rip Sullivan
Del. Luke Torian
Del. Kathy Tran
Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg
Del. Jeion Ward
Del. Vivian Watts
Del. Rodney Willett
Another 17 lawmakers, 11 Senators and six Delegates, earned scores between 75 and 99 percent in 2020, earning the designation of “Legislative Leader” for their prioritization of key conservation issues.
2020 Legislative Leaders
Sen. George Barker
Sen. Barbara Favola
Sen. Ghazala Hashmi
Sen. Lynwood Lewis
Sen. Louise Lucas
Sen. Dave Marsden
Sen. Monty Mason
Sen. Joe Morrissey
Sen. Chap Petersen
Sen. Dick Saslaw
Sen. Lionell Spruill
Del. Dawn Adams
Del. Lee Carter
Del. Joshua Cole
Del. Chris Hurst
Del. Sam Rasoul
Del. Roslyn Tyler
Virginia LCV also recognized nine lawmakers for their individual leadership this year on different environmental issues. These went to Senators Jennifer McClellan and Jill Vogel, and Delegates Lamont Bagby, Eileen Filler-Corn, Elizabeth Guzman, Jay Jones, Terry Kilgore, Suhas Subramanyam and Rip Sullivan.
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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