Our Partners at the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter released a statement condemning the Governor’s disregard for environmental justice measures that are mandated by law. Dozens of environmental organizations, including Virginia Conservation Network and several Partners, oppose the Governor’s appointment of 5 individuals who represent polluting industries to the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice who’s background contradicts the Council’s fundamental duty to protect communities from environmental harm.

“Governor Youngkin’s appointment of individuals linked to polluting industries to the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice displays a blatant disregard for environmental justice and marginalized communities in the Commonwealth. These communities have born the brunt of toxic pollution and environmental harms for far too long, and they deserve better. We urge the General Assembly to reject these appointments and implore the governor to reconsider by retaining current Council members and filling vacancies with representatives from the diverse constituencies outlined in the law.” – Lillian Anderson, Virginia Conservation Network’s Clean Energy & Climate Justice Policy & Campaigns Manager

The statement calls on Governor Youngkin to withdraw these appointments, or otherwise for the General Assembly to reject the appointments. Instead, the signatories implore Governor Youngkin to reappoint existing Council members whose terms have expired and ensure that any remaining vacancies are filled with representatives from the diverse constituencies as mandated by law.

The Virginia Council of Environmental Justice was created initially by former Governor Terry McAuliffe in 2017 through executive order. The Council was made a permanent advisory body through legislation in 2020. The  Council was created “to advise the Governor and provide recommendations that maintain a foundation of environmental justice principles intended to protect vulnerable communities from disproportionate impacts of pollution.” The Council is comprised of 27 members, 21 of whom are to be nonlegislative citizen members. The 21 nonlegislative citizen members must be Virginia residents and must represent one of the following 7 groups:

• American Indian tribes
• community-based organizations
• the public health sector
• nongovernmental organizations
• civil rights organizations,
• institutions of higher education,
• communities impacted by an industrial, governmental, or commercial operation, program, or policy

For at least the past 2 years, Governor Youngkin had not made any appointments to the Council until this March, preventing the Council from maintaining a quorum, making official votes, and completing and delivering its annual report to the General Assembly. None of the 5 new appointments made by Governor Youngkin represent the groups that Council members are required by law to represent.