Conservation Policy Updates: Week 1 of General Assembly

By |2024-05-01T12:51:25-04:00January 13, 2023|Categories: Conservation News Across the Commonwealth, Updates From The Capital|Tags: , |Comments Off on Conservation Policy Updates: Week 1 of General Assembly

Conservation Policy Updates: Week 1 of General Assembly

Defending Clean Car Standards

EV charging stations are being built across the state. Photo provided by Drive Electric RVA.

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

OPPOSE SB778

(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.

OPPOSE SB779

(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.

OPPOSE SB781

(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.

OPPOSE SB782

(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.

OPPOSE SB785

(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.

OPPOSE 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.

OPPOSE HB1378

(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.

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

SUPPORT SB1321

(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.

SUPPORT 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.

OPPOSE SB1265

(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.

OPPOSE 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.

Learn more: What is energy burden? (Watch)

Reducing Plastics

plastic waste in water

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

SUPPORT HB1721

(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.

SUPPORT SB1012

(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.

See our Bill Tracker

Support the Virginia Conservation Network

Help us continue to advocate for strong conservation policy for Virginia’s natural resources and public health with a donation. We appreciate your support!

Support VCN with a Donation!

See Other Policy Updates from the General Assembly

Bill of the Day: Expanding Solar Energy

Installing solar reduces energy burdens and costs for Virginians while making our buildings more energy efficient and clean. It's also critical to hit our 100% clean energy targets outlined in the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA).

Bill of the Day: Preserving BIPOC Resources

For Black History month, we are highlighting several bills that VCN and our Partners are supporting in this General Assembly session to improve the preservation of BIPOC historic and cultural resources.

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

Go to Top