Conservation Policy Updates: Week 4 of General Assembly
It’s (Almost) Crossover!
Sunday, February 5th is “crossover” at the Virginia General Assembly – the day that bills introduced in one chamber must pass in their original chamber and “cross over” to be voted on by the other. No new bills will be introduced or considered after crossover. It’s important to note that if bills remain in committee and have not been passed by the full chamber floor by Sunday evening, then they will be considered dead and no further action can be taken on the bill.
Data Centers: An Emerging Environmental Issue
Data centers consume massive amounts of resources, and we don’t fully know just how bad the consequences will be. Photo by Hugh Kenny, Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC).
Make sure to read “Bill of the Day: Data Centers’ Impact on the Environment” to see a full list of all the data center bills that went through this year’s General Assembly and learn more about how data centers consume massive amounts of resources.
Virginia is home to the largest concentration of data centers in the world, hosting 70% of global internet traffic. The data center industry is growing very large and very fast, but the Commonwealth does not currently have any regulatory oversight of data center development. Because of this, data center reform is wanted by many Virginia environmental advocates.
SJ240, a bill to study the impact of data centers, passed the Senate Rules committee this morning in front of a packed room of local advocates. It’s now headed to the Senate floor. SB1078, which would have prevented data centers from being built next to national and state parks, was killed this morning.
Data Center Bill
(Senator Petersen) Directs the Department of Energy to study the effects of the huge and rapidly-growing data center industry on Virginia’s environment, economy, energy resources, and ability to meet carbon-reduction goals. Companion to HJR522.
To see a full list of all the data center bills, see “Bill of the Day: Data Centers’ Impact on the Environment.”
The Ban on Cyanide Contamination in Drinking Water is Passing through House Committees
Gold mining pit. Photo courtesy of VaLCV.
Cyanide spills in mining are common and result in ruined drinking water, the destruction of ecosystems, and massive fish kills.
A gold mining impact study found that the use of cyanide in metals mining is particularly dangerous to our soil and water health. Legislators are now considering banning this dangerous chemical to avoid contamination of Virginia’s ground and surface water.
Banning Cyanide in Metals Mining Bill
(Del. Simonds) Prohibits the use of cyanide in industrial mineral mining operations.
Curbing Invasive Plants & Promoting Natives
Wisteria is a common invasive species. Photo by Hollee Freeman.
The Cinderella story of the 2023 General Assembly session is of the fight to curb invasive species and promote native plants throughout the Commonwealth. After similar bills faced a quick defeat in the 2022 session, new-and-improved bills have come back stronger than ever and are, so far, sailing through the House.
HB1998 and HB2096 seek to raise awareness of problematic invasive plant species and more. Supporting native landscapes provides many economic and ecological benefits, including:
- Supporting beneficial wildlife
- Reducing landscape maintenance costs
- Mitigating stormwater runoff and flooding
- Displacing problematic invasive species’ populations
Invasive Plants Bills
(Del. Krizek) Directs the Administration to develop a strategic action plan for state agencies to prioritize the use of native plants on state properties.
(Del. Bulova) Authorizes the Board of Agriculture to create regulations allowing the incidental movement of particular widespread agricultural weeds without a permit, facilitating their listing as noxious weeds: a public awareness benefit. The bill also adds requirements related to invasive plant species, including directing the Department of Conservation and Recreation to update the current invasive plant species list by 2024 and every four years thereafter.
See Our Bill Tracker
To see all of the bills we’ve taken a stance on for this year’s General Assembly and their status, you can check our Bill Tracker.
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See Other Policy Updates from the General Assembly
Bill of the Day: Rejoining RGGI
The General Assembly has advanced legislation that would return Virginia to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
Bill of the Day: Nature-Based Solutions to Protect Our Wetlands
Virginia’s coastal wetlands are among the most critical natural resources, but continue to be lost at a significant rate.
Bill of the Day: Preserving Tree Canopy
Virginia continues to lose tree canopy at an astonishing rate. This loss of tree canopy needs to be slowed and replaced to help manage stormwater, flooding, and mitigate against the most harmful effects of climate change.
Bill of the Day: Environmental Justice & Protecting Rights
Several bills this session build towards a more environmentally just Virginia.
Bill of the Day: Reduce, Reuse, Extended Producer Responsibility, Recycle
Extended Producer Responsibility is the concept that manufacturers are responsible for the entire lifecycle of their product, particularly for end-of-life disposal and recycling. These programs shift waste management burdens away from consumers, local governments, and taxpayers to the producers, which incentivizes producers to design programs and products to be more sustainable, reusable, or recyclable.
Bill of the Day: Creating Safe, Affordable Housing
VCN is supporting legislation that would create more safe, affordable housing across the Commonwealth.
Bill of the Day: Monitoring PFAS Contamination
Virginia does not currently require testing, disclosure, or limits on PFAS, including on our drinking water sources like in private wells or runoff from sewage sludge.
Bill of the Day: Data Center Reform
Legislation is needed to hold data centers accountable for their fair share of environmental burden while reducing harmful impacts, preventing pollution, and protecting the public.
Bill of the Day: Investing in the Transition to Electric Vehicles
VCN is supporting legislation to invest in the transition to electric vehicles across the Commonwealth.
Bill of the Day: Defending Attacks on Our Climate Laws
We’re defending attacks on the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), passed in 2020, that outlines a path for Virginia’s two largest electric utilities—Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company—to transition to 100% clean energy by 2045 and 2050, respectively.