Updated Bill Tracker

Throughout the General Assembly session, VCN maintains an updated conservation bill tracker online. The bill tracker is updated every Friday after VCN’s Board of Directors votes on positions recommended by VCN’s Legislative Committee.

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Week Eight Legislative Update

Top Action: Restore Funding for Critical Land Conservation Programs

The budget conferees have been appointed. These 13 individuals will work over the next week to hammer out the differences in the House and Senate budgets. Contact the budget conferees (listed below) to let them know that you are disappointed that mitigation money is being used as a justification to reduce overall state funding for critical conservation programs.

Senate Finance:
  • Senator Norment (Co-Chair) — 804-698-7503, district03@senate.virginia.gov
  • Senator Hanger (Co-Chair) — 804-698-7524, district24@senate.virginia.gov
  • Senator Howell — 804-698-7532, district32@senate.virginia.gov
  • Senator Saslaw — 804-698-7535, district35@senate.virginia.gov
  • Senator Newman — 804-698-7523,  district23@senate.virginia. gov
  • Senator Ruff — 804-698-7515, district15@senate.virginia.gov
  • Senator Wagner — 804-698-7507, district07@senate.virginia.gov
House Appropriations:
  • Delegate Jones (Chairman) — 804-698-1076 | DelCJones@house.virginia.gov
  • Delegate Peace — 804-698-1097 | DelCPeace@house.virginia.gov
  • Delegate Knight — 804-698-1081 | DelBKnight@house.virginia.gov
  • Delegate Garrett — 804-698-1023 | DelSGarrett@house.virginia.gov
  • Delegate Torian — 804-698-1052 | DelLTorian@house.virginia.gov
  • Delegate Sickles — 804-698-1043 | DelMSickles@house.virginia.gov

As we mentioned last week, cuts to land conservation programs in the House and Senate budgets were worse than expected. Legislators are pointing to money that state and private entities will receive as mitigation money for two gas pipeline projects and the transmission line near Jamestown as a justification for reducing overall state funding for conservation.

This sets a dangerous precedent. Mitigation agreements are made to offset specific damages to the environment in a specific place. The money should not be diverted from its intended purpose or used to justify cutting conservation funding across the state. This is terrible public policy. Statewide, it would mean less funding for parks and trails, fewer resources to protect our waterways, less funding to protect historic and scenic resources, and the continued loss of farm and forest land.

The bottom line is that money paid by corporations to repair the damage caused by their pollution should not be used to offset the long-term obligations and commitments Virginia has to protect the water we drink, conserve the farms that grow our food and save places for people to experience our natural resources.

Top Action: Support HB1610 (Governor’s Menhaden Bill)

HB1610, which would keep Virginia in compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) menhaden management plan, passed the House Agriculture Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday. Now that this essential piece of legislation has cleared a key committee, the management of this economically and ecologically important species is up to Virginia’s full House and Senate. Passing this bill is the best chance for Virginia to avoid setting a misguided precedent of failing to comply with the ASMFC’s menhaden management plan. We expect this vote to happen early next week.

Water

#1: SUPPORT SB807, extending the moratorium on coal ash — SB807, co-patroned by Senator Surovell and Senator Chase, would extend the moratorium on coal ash disposal and incentivize responsible coal ash recycling and reuse. This bill was voted unanimously out of the House Commerce and Labor Committee this week and is now on its way to the House Floor.

#2: SB950 PASSED, protecting communities from pipeline construction — We’re happy to report that Senator Hanger’s SB950 had unanimous approval on the House Floor this week. This bill requires the State Water Control Board to analyze all critical information before it issues a permit for an interstate natural gas pipeline. It also requires both a Virginia Water Protection Permit and a Water Quality Certification under Clean Water Act § 401. Specifically, this bill prohibits the State Water Control Board from waiving its authority under Clean Water Act § 401 and would require review of individual water body crossings. This bill is now headed to the Governor’s desk.

Energy

#1: Update on Dominion’s Rate Freeze — Both the House and Senate versions of the legislation dealing with repealing and replacing the rate freeze — HB1558 and SB967 — have passed both chambers and are headed to the Governor. Both bills were amended to fix the double-dip issue and to incorporate additional benefits, including $1 billion in energy efficiency investments and 5,000 MW of wind and solar. Some issues remain in terms of rate structure, and groups will reconvene in the spring to determine next steps.

#2: HB1451 PASSED, solar energy distribution for schools — HB1451 allows for schools to have solar panels that generate more energy than the school consumes to send a net metering credit to one or more schools within that school division to use without any service charges or fees. This bill is now headed to the Governor’s desk.

Land Use & Transportation

#1: SUPPORT $154 million for Metro funding — Metro is critical to the economy and to protecting the environment, as it massively helps to reduce carbon pollution in Northern Virginia. VCN strongly supports fully funding the Metro at $154 million annually. There are currently two bills moving through the General Assembly dealing with Metro funding — SB856 and HB1539. VCN submitted a letter asking that Virginia fully funds its share of the Metro to keep this vital transit option functioning.

#2: OPPOSE SB405, zoning for wireless communications infrastructure — The conservation community supports wireless policies that promote responsible, sustainable deployment of innovative technologies for expanding broadband access. SB405 as drafted is a step backwards in that effort. The legislation fails to provide for responsible siting of wireless technologies by reducing/undermining community input and local authority. Towers resulting from this legislation would undermine the character of our neighborhoods as well as our significant historic and scenic resources. It also has the real potential to create citizen backlash against the deployment of broadband that results from understandable outrage caused by poorly sited towers and antennae arrays. SB405 is currently on the House Floor. A similar wireless bill (HB1258) has already passed out of the Senate.

#3: OPPOSE SB31, creating the I-73 Corridor Development Fund and Program — There are many reasons the Interstate-73 project has not advanced, including the tremendous cost of this project and concerns about the adverse impacts of this project and the availability of less expensive alternatives. Regardless of the merits of the project, it should follow the same process as other projects.

SB31 would direct $40 million each year in recordation taxes on deeds and mortgages to construct the $4 billion proposed Interstate-73. This proposal would sidestep transportation planning and funding processes, including the statewide project prioritization process (now known as SMART SCALE) that the General Assembly unanimously called for in 2014. This bill still sits in the House Appropriations Committee.