We have to admit that 2020 was not the year we envisioned – a global pandemic, national protests over racial inequality, and an adjustment to a virtual world. While 2020 looked different than we expected, we can’t help reflect on the year

This year, VCN and our 150 Network Partners pushed a unified agenda, gaining historic improvements to Virginia’s environmental policy. We passed the Virginia Clean Economy Act, securing a carbon-free energy plan for Virginia’s utilities by 2050, codified the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice, and banned offshore drilling in Virginia’s waters (to see a full rundown of policy wins / losses in 2020 – see VCN’s annual report here). In addition, despite economic uncertainty which put funding for our waters and lands at risk, VA secured record funding for key conservation programs to clean up the Chesapeake Bay and invest in our outdoors and while we continue to fight other pipelines, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline was cancelled. In 2020 VCN along with over 30 of our partners, publicly stood in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and later in the fall VCN released an equity and justice plan putting in place key initiatives to build a more just and inclusive movement in 2021 and beyond. 

VCN staff are taking time over the holiday seasons to re-energize so that we’re ready to come back in 2021 and continue fighting for our state’s natural resources. 

We are excited and confident in the policy priorities we have built with our Partners for 2021.  These priorities include: 

• tackling transportation pollution through cleaner cars & public transportation
• investing in our natural resources including funding key programs for the Chesapeake Bay, land Conservation and the outdoors & fully funding our natural resources agencies 
• Embedding environmental justice in the Commonwealth of Virginia 

Other big goals include reforming utility structures to ensure affordable clean energy, expanding tree canopies in our communities, fighting pipeline development, increasing flood resiliency,  promoting an inclusive and transparent government, and more! For full details on our 2021 policy priorities, please see Our Common Agenda here.