A Year in Review: VCN’s 2023 Annual Report
Thanks to highly coordinated efforts and despite political headwinds, VCN — in our role as the strategic facilitator of our 150+ Network Partners — was successful in holding onto major environmental and climate policy successes from the last few years while celebrating historic investments in conservation funding through the budget.
Our Annual Report reviews Virginia Conservation Network’s work from Spring 2022 to Winter 2023. While it feels almost impossible to cover everything we worked on last year in only a few pages, we did our best to squeeze in the highlights, including:
- our strategy to advance conservation initiatives year-round,
- our policy gains and challenges through the General Assembly session and beyond,
- our Network Partner engagement events,
- and more.
As we sent this annual report to the printer, we learned of the tragic loss of our Clean Energy & Climate Justice Policy Manager, Shawn Soares, on May 4th, 2023. Shawn was committed to devoting his career to bettering the Commonwealth and was a rising star in the climate movement. We are dedicating this annual report to him and are committed to working in his honor moving forward.
Read more of our recent updates from our blog:
New Laws: Protecting Vulnerable Road Users
On July 1st, all bills that passed the 2025 General Assembly session became laws in Virginia. One of the bills that became law will strengthen traffic penalties for drivers who seriously injure or kill vulnerable road users.
New Laws: Curbing Invasive Plant Sales
A new law passed in the 2025 General Assembly session will take into effect in January 2027, requiring stores to clearly label invasive plants where they are sold and direct consumers to alternatives.
Highlights from VCN’s Intern & Fellow Day!
Virginia Conservation Network recently hosted its second Intern & Fellow Day at the VCN office in Richmond, bringing together interns and fellows from across our Network.
Report: Data Centers Power Demand Exceeds Chip Supply
London Economics International released a report commissioned by the Southern Environmental Law Center highlighting that projected data center power demand is exceeding the capacity of chip suppliers, with serious implications for the Southeast.
Report: Virginia’s Housing Innovations in Energy Efficiency (HIEE) Program
The Virginia Housing Alliance released a report highlighting the impact of programs through the Housing Innovations in Energy Efficiency (HIEE) funds.
New Laws: Sharing and Distributing Clean Energy Through Virtual Power Plants
On July 1st, all bills that passed the 2025 General Assembly session became laws in Virginia. One bill allows for local clean energy to be shared and distributed within a community through a virtual power plant.