Youngkin kills commonsense, bipartisan efforts to protect our environment, secure a clean, affordable energy future

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Media Contact:
Lee Francis | Chief Program and Communications Officer
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
434-989-3197 | lfrancis@valcv.org

 

RICHMOND – Yesterday marked the deadline for Governor Youngkin to act on the legislation that made it to his desk from the 2025 General Assembly session. His nearly 160 vetoes included a number of commonsense, bipartisan measures to protect our environment, create good-paying clean energy jobs, and expand clean and affordable renewable energy.

Youngkin also handed down a number of toxic amendments with the goal of undermining our state’s clean energy goals. Lawmakers will reconvene in Richmond next Wednesday to take up this host of measures at the one-day veto session on April 2.

“Time after time, Governor Youngkin says one thing and does another,” said Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters. “He says he cares about cutting energy costs, then turns around and kills legislation to lower energy bills. He says he cares about jobs, and then vetoes bills to expand training for the clean energy industry and efforts to ensure these workers earn a living wage. Youngkin claims to have done more than any Governor to clean the Bay, but just killed legislation protecting our clean water from toxic forever chemicals. Virginians are sick and tired of the hypocrisy, and we’ll be doing everything we can between now and Election Day to elect leaders with the integrity and dedication to environmental protection that we deserve.”

Virginia Beach Delegate Michael Feggans carried legislation this year to expand the offshore wind workforce in an effort to support one of Hampton Roads’s fastest growing industries as the nation’s largest offshore wind farm nears completion off our coast.

“This veto is incredibly disappointing but not unexpected coming from a Governor that’s done everything he can to stand in the way of our clean energy future,” said Delegate Michael Feggans. “Because of Virginia’s clean energy goals, the Hampton Roads economy is seeing millions of dollars of investment and thousands of jobs. We should be doing more, not less, to support this thriving industry and to ensure the next generation of clean energy workers is ready to power our future. Youngkin’s veto unfortunately makes that goal that much harder.”

Senator Jeremy McPike (D-Prince William) carried a bill this year to protect Virginians from the harmful forever chemical PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which are known to lead to a number of harmful health outcomes, including cancer, liver and thyroid issues, high blood pressure and reproductive harm. This bill passed unanimously in the Senate and with broad bipartisan support in the House.

“In killing this legislation, Governor Youngkin is putting the interests of big corporate polluters above you and your family’s health,” said Senator Jeremy McPike. “We all deserve clean drinking water, and we must do everything we can to keep harmful forever chemicals out of our water supply. While I’m incredibly disappointed in the Governor’s actions, I will keep fighting to protect our waterways from toxic pollution.”

Senator Mamie Locke (D-Hampton) successfully carried legislation to find new ways to cut energy costs for low-income Virginians who often face disproportionately higher electric bills. This legislation also passed out of the Senate unanimously and saw broad bipartisan buy-in in the House.

“Governor Youngkin took away one of our best tools to cut energy costs when he illegally took Virginia out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and now he’s killed another pathway to help Virginians in need cut their electric bills,” said Senator Mamie Locke. “It’s clear that this Governor cares more about playing politics than actually doing anything to cut energy costs for everyday Virginians. Because of his actions, Virginians will continue to struggle and we’ll be further behind in achieving a clean and affordable energy future.”

Measures that Youngkin killed include:

  • HB 1616 (Feggans) – a bill to expand workforce training and professional development for the offshore wind industry.

  • HB 1791 (Sullivan) – would create the Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund to expand EV charging in rural and low-income areas.

  • HB 1935 (LeVere Bolling) and SB 777 (Locke) – establishes a Low-Income Energy Efficiency and Weatherization Task Force to develop pathways to cutting home energy costs for needy Virginians.

  • HB 2037 (Bulova) – would allow localities to require developments with large parking lots to include solar canopies.

  • HB 2356 (Mundon King) and SB 853 (Rouse) – requires clean energy companies to pay workers a prevailing wage and include apprenticeships.

  • SB 1319 (McPike) – would protect clean water from industrial PFAS contamination.

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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