More than 200 conservation advocates met with legislators for Virginia Conservation Network’s annual Conservation Lobby Day. This was the first Lobby Day back in person since 2020, and Virginia’s conservation advocates had no problem jumping back into the fold with over 75 meetings held with our state legislators. With guidance from VCN’s Bill Tracker and environmental issue one-pagers, attendees lobbied their state representatives to support policies such as the Clean Car Standards, reforming utility regulation, increasing the state’s investments in clean water and natural landscapes, and more.

We kicked off and wrapped up Conservation Lobby Day as a group, including our champion legislators and state agency leaders as guest speakers.

Conservation Lobby Day started off with a bang (or technically, a chime) at the Bell Tower on Capital Grounds. Advocates met bright and early to pick up their lobby day materials, fuel up with breakfast burritos and coffee, and get pumped up for the day with our guest speakers.

The crowd heard from VCN Partners, including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Virginia League of Conservation Voters, the Garden Club of Virginia, and Appalachian Voices, who shared some of their conservation priorities and introduced state legislators to address the crowd:

• Delegate Jackie Glass,
• Delegate Shelly Simonds,
• Delegate David Bulova,
• Delegate Lamont Bagby, and
• Senator Ghazala Hashmi

Of course, we took the opportunity to get our first group photo in over two years, too!

Prepped with tips on lobbying, pre-scheduled meetings with legislators, and a handful of talking points on priority bills, advocates split up into district teams to meet with their legislators. Over 75 meetings were held with VA state legislators throughout the morning.

After legislator meetings, advocates gathered at the nearby St. Paul’s Episcopal Church for lunch and to recap a day well-spent. The group discussed the highlights of their meeting, and some environmental organizations shared some insights on the issues we are advocating for. McKenna Dunbar, Sierra Club, discussed the importance of solarizing our schools, and Jim Dillard, TIPS, discussed the funding needs for our state parks.

The crowd also heard from the leaders from Virginia’s state agencies, including

• Mike Rolband, Director of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
• Matt Wells, Director of the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)
• Angel Deems, Chief of Policy at the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)

Conservation Lobby Day may be over, but our work is not! The General Assembly will conclude in late February. Until then, keep in touch with your legislator on our priority bills. Refer to our General Assembly Advocacy Guide for General Assembly actions to take through the session and key dates to follow!