Conservation Policy Updates: Week 1 of General Assembly
Defending Clean Car Standards
In a recent state survey, 76% of Virginians support having a policy requiring auto manufacturers to provide a minimum number of new electric vehicles for sale in Virginia—but most still can’t find EVs available at dealerships. Image Credit: Drive Electric RVA.
Clean Car Standards are the best way to cut toxic emissions from the transportation sector, which accounts for more than 40% of Virginia’s air pollution, but there is a series of bills attempting to repeal this existing policy.
Clean Car Standards offer more consumer choice at dealerships by requiring a certain amount of EVs to be sent by manufacturers to dealerships. Without the Standards, manufacturers will prioritize sending their EVs to other states even when the majority of Virginians are likely to consider buying an EV soon.
Thank you to our many partners who are actively defending Clean Car Standards, including Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Southern Environmental Law Center, and The Nature Conservancy.
Clean Car Standard Repeal Bills
(Sen. Stuart) Repeals the State Air Pollution Control Board’s authority to implement low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle standards for vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later.
(Sen. Stuart & Newman) The bill prohibits the Board from adopting or enforcing any model year standards related to control of emissions from new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines.
(Sen. DeSteph) Repeals the requirement that the State Air Pollution Control Board implement a low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later.
(Sen. Reeves) Repeals the requirement that the State Air Pollution Control Board implement a low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later.
(Sen. McDougle) Repeals the requirement that the State Air Pollution Control Board implement a low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later. Companion to HB1372.
(Del. Fowler & McGuire) Repeals the State Air Pollution Control Board’s authority to implement low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle standards for vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later. Companion to SB785.
(Del. Wilt) The bill prohibits the Board from adopting or enforcing any model year standards related to control of emissions from new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines.
Lowering Electricity Bills
Bill Patrons Del. Lee Ware, Del. Rip Sullivan, Sen. Jennifer McClellan, and Sen. Creigh Deeds introduce the Affordable Energy Act.
Virginians’ electric bills no longer reflect the actual cost of producing and distributing electricity to customers; rather, they are padded with overcharges from Virginia’s electric monopolies.
The Affordable Energy Act (HB1604/SB1321) is bipartisan legislation to restore the historic regulatory authority of the State Corporation Commission (SCC) to adjust utility companies’ electricity rates when customers are being overcharged. The SCC reports that Dominion’s current rates overcharged customers by $152.1 million in 2021 alone. Since 2009, Dominion has overcharged customers by at least $1.9 billion.
In response, Dominion, once again, pushed its own bill to rewrite the rules this past session.
“To the extent the system is broken, Dominion broke it. We shouldn’t ask Dominion again to fix it,” says Will Cleveland, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center.
Virginia needs legislative reform to create a fair system for everyone who pays an electricity bill, from families juggling gas in the tank and food on the table to businesses seeking affordable prices so they can create jobs and boost the economy.
Rate Reform Bills
(Sen. McClellan) Restores the State Corporation Commission’s authority to direct Virginia’s investor-owned electric monopolies (i.e. Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company) to lower rates when they overcharge customers in exchange for allowing these companies to have monopolies in their service territories. Companion to HB1604.
(Del. Ware) Restores the State Corporation Commission’s authority to direct Virginia’s investor-owned electric monopolies (i.e. Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company) to lower rates when they overcharge customers in exchange for allowing these companies to have monopolies in their service territories. Companion to SB1321.
(Sen. Saslaw) Undermines the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA)’s mandate to transition to a low-cost, reliable, carbon-free grid; prevents the State Corporation Commission (SCC) from fairly regulating monopoly profit margins; and destroys customer choice in power supply. Companion to HB1770.
(Del. Kilgore) Undermines the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA)’s mandate to transition to a low-cost, reliable, carbon-free grid; prevents the State Corporation Commission (SCC) from fairly regulating monopoly profit margins; and destroys customer choice in power supply. Companion to SB1265.
Reducing Plastics
It is estimated that humans consume about a credit card’s worth of microplastics every week!
As plastic production has increased significantly in the past decade, microplastics are being found in our blood, lungs, and in the unexplored depths of our oceans with little still known about the consequences.
Environment Virginia took the lead in supporting a series of bills to protect our communities from plastic waste.
Plastic Reduction Bills
(Del. Clark) Creates a workgroup/report to study the amount of microplastics found in Virginia’s drinking water and share its findings by the end of the year.
(Sen. Edwards) Prohibits the use of single-use plastics and styrofoam by state agencies. The bill also allows localities to prohibit by ordinance the purchase, sale, or provision of single-use plastics and styrofoam.
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: RGGI Budget Battle
Virginia must rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and is poised to do so through a proposed budget amendment.
Bill of the Day: Paying for Small-Scale Nuclear Reactors
Small-scale nuclear reactors aka "SMRs" are one of the most expensive power projects to build, and several bills this session would allow utilities to push cost risk onto ratepayers.
Bill of the Day: Better Bus Stops
Virginia must continue to invest in transportation infrastructure to provide Virginians with a comfortable, convenient, and safe access to public transit.
Bill of the Day: Statewide Flood Planning
Virginia needs additional capacity to successfully leverage and distribute flood resilience funds to reduce flood risk throughout the state.
Bill of the Day: Advancing the Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund
VCN advocates for the Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund, securing funding for wildlife corridor and crossing projects, fostering improved habitat connectivity and ensuring motorist safety.
Bill of the Day: Mitigating the Impact of Data Centers’ Explosive Growth
VCN advocates regulating data center growth to assess their impact on natural resources, energy consumption, and public health before development.
Bill of the Day: Addressing Virginia’s Plastics Crisis
VCN is supporting efforts to address Virginia's plastics crisis, improving our understanding of the impact of plastic pollution on our environment and health.
Bill of the Day: Investing in the SAVE Act
VCN is supporting efforts to strengthen energy efficiency across the Commonwealth through the SAVE Act.
Bill of the Day: Simple Solutions for Safer Streets
VCN is supporting efforts to support pedestrian and bicyclist safety, further reducing fatalities on Virginia's roads.
Bill of the Day: Funding Virginia’s Great Outdoors
VCN is supporting efforts to increase conservation and outdoor recreation funding.