Of the 219 bills that Virginia Conservation Network took a position on this session, 45 bills addressed clean water and flood resilience policy for the Commonwealth. Our Partners advocated for policies that:

• Monitor toxic pollution
• Protect Virginians from flooding impacts
• Reduce plastic pollution, litter, & waste

See the wins and missed opportunities for water & flood resilient policy below. You can see the outcomes of all of VCN’s bill and budget positions on our Bill Tracker.

POLICY WINS & LOSSES FOR CLEAN WATER & FLOOD RESILIENCE

Farmland in Madison County, Virginia. Photo by Hugh Kenny, Piedmont Environmental Council.

PFAS are the “forever chemicals” that are dangerous to human health and the environment. Unmonitored levels of PFAS in applied sewage sludge contaminates soil, crops, ground- and surface water resources. These contaminants leak and enter the food we eat and the water we drink, building up in our bodies and increasing the risk of cancer, reduced immune function, and other significant harms to our health. Virginia does not currently require testing, disclosure, or limits on PFAS from private wells or in sewage sludge applied to our farmlands. 

Legislators passed bills and budget amendments to implement stronger PFAS monitoring and testing requirements:

• Requires PFAS to be monitored and reported to DEQ by industrial users of wastewater discharges (HB938 / SB138).
• Allows local governments to test and monitor the land application of sewage sludge for emerging contaminants, including PFAS (HB1072).
• Prohibits the application of sewage sludge that contains high levels of PFAS (HB1443 / SB386 & Budget Item 365 #2s).

Learn more about efforts to address PFAS contamination on our Bill of the Day blog post.

Egret Gliding Across Wetlands at Assateague Island. Photo by Sara Cottle.

Virginia’s wetlands are among the most critical natural resources to protect our environment, economy, and public health. Wetlands act as natural buffers by absorbing storm surges, protecting shorelines from flooding and erosion, and filtering out harmful pollutants. Yet, these natural areas are being lost at a rapid rate to accelerating development, rising sea levels, and climate change.

Legislators passed three bills to strengthen nature-based solutions to protect wetlands:

• Makes it the policy of the Commonwealth to reuse dredged material for nature-based solutions (HB52)
• Ensures an up-to-date wetlands map that will allow planners to make smarter decisions about conservation, development, and flood protection (HB237)
• Strengthens Virginia’s wetlands protections by requiring no net loss of wetlands when reviewing permits (HB521) 

See all the passed bills regarding wetlands on our Bill of the Day blog post.

Mattresses on Curbside. Photo by Elly Boehmer Wilson, Environment Virginia.

Many localities are continuing to cut or reduce their curbside recycling programs across the state, making it impossible for consumers to recycle. Product stewardship programs are one of the best tools to shift waste management burdens away from consumers, reduce litter, and increase recycling.

Legislators passed a producer responsibility bill that would establish a Mattress Stewardship Program, a product stewardship program that makes it easier for Virginians to recycle their mattresses (HB86). Yet, critical bills intended to allow farm equipment and electronics owners the right to repair their own products were defeated.

Learn more about ways to manage plastic and other hard-to-manage waste on our Bill of the Day blog post.

Osprey Catching Atlantic Menhaden. Photo Courtesy of iStock.

Menhaden are a little forage fish and a big food source that support businesses, communities, and wildlife in the Chesapeake Bay. Yet, continued reduction fishing and the lack of menhaden science in the Bay further risk depleting menhaden populations and threaten the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

Legislators missed several opportunities to better manage menhaden. These bills would have:

• Halted industrial menhaden “reduction” catch in the Chesapeake Bay until the necessary science has been conducted.
• Improved regulation and oversight of menhaden removal by requiring the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) to create and manage a quota period system for menhaden removals throughout the season.
• Established the Atlantic Menhaden Research Fund to study menhaden in order to inform Bay harvest limits.

Learn more about all of the bills this session to manage and conserve menhaden on our Bill of the Day post.

Bills that passed the General Assembly now head to the Governor’s desk for her to sign, amend, or veto by April 14th. Legislators will make a final vote on amended bills during Veto Session on April 22nd to determine which bills will officially become law starting on July 1st, 2026. 

Be the first to know about new environmental legislation: register for our virtual General Assembly Recap on Friday, April 24th, from 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM. You’ll hear the inside scoop from environmental policy experts about the conservation community’s biggest victories, the missed opportunities, and any surprise outcomes from the 2026 General Assembly session.

See the outcomes of other environmental policies from the 2026 General Assembly session below: