Finishing out the second week of the 2017 Virginia General Assembly, Virginia Conservation Network has taken 39 new bill positions, totaling 59 so far.
Updates from the General Assembly
Good news: Bill to cut Virginia land conservation funding tabled in subcommittee!
Yes, you read that right—HB1470 was tabled in subcommittee! This bill that would have cut the Land Preservation Tax Credit—Virginia’s single most effective tool to protect farm and forest land, historic and scenic landscapes, and important natural communities and ecosystems.
A big thank you to the delegates who serve on Finance Subcommittee #2 for voting unanimously to table the legislation, including Delegates Cline, Orrock, Cole, Marshall, Pogge, Head, Fowler, Filler-Corn, Kory, Sullivan, and Heretick. If you have a minute, please let them know you appreciate their vote.
Vote on bill to strip citizens’ right to know about oil & gas chemicals expected next week.
Four bills have been introduced in the Virginia General Assembly that hide fracking chemicals from the public. These bills—HB1678, HB1679, SB1291, and SB1292—create a wholesale exemption from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for “trade secret” chemicals pumped into the ground by the oil and gas industry. Across the country, there have long been concerns about the chemicals injected underground in fracking operations. These four bills allow for an overly-broad definition of trade secrets—not only is the “recipe” for fracking fluids exempt from FOIA, but each and every ingredient used in the recipe would be exempt from FOIA as well.
This means:
1) Localities, those responsible for emergency preparedness, and first responders could not access the information needed to prepare an emergency response – they must wait until the emergency is happening before knowing what chemicals are in use.
2) Property owners concerned about the chemicals used in fracking operations near their drinking water wells could not access the information. Even the homeowner who owns the land in which the chemicals are being pumped would not have access to the information!
These bills will likely come up in three Committees next week. If your Delegate or Senator sits on one or more of these committees, please contact him/her today to say you oppose FOIA exemptions for fracking chemicals and want them to vote no.
Upcoming Committees
Tuesday, January 24—House General Laws (ask to OPPOSE HB1678): Gilbert (Chairman), Peace (Vice Chair), Albo, Wright, Anderson, Greason, Knight, LeMunyon, Helsel, Robinson, Yost, Hodges, Bell, Richard P., Minchew, Leftwich, Ward, Bulova, Carr, Torian, McQuinn, Hester, Aird
Wednesday, January 25—House Agriculture (ask to OPPOSE HB1679): Marshall, D.W. (Chairman), Poindexter (Vice Chair), Ware, Wright, Orrock, Pogge, Knight, Edmunds, Wilt, Morefield, Webert, Ransone, Fariss, Miller, Bloxom, Plum, Bulova, James, Torian, Keam, Lopez, Sullivan
Wednesday, January 25—Senate General Laws, Subcommittee #1 (ask to OPPOSE HB1292 and HB1291): Locke (Chairman), Black, DeSteph, Dunnavant, Sturtevant, Surovell, McPike, Vogel, Ruff
Bill Tracker
[table “7” not found /]Mark your calendars!
Conservation Lobby Day | January 23 | Richmond, VA
We’re thrilled to say that we have completely sold out of Conservation Lobby Day! On Monday, January 23rd, activists from across the Commonwealth will join together in Richmond to urge their state legislators to support environmental policy advancements. The Honorable Lieutenant Governor Ralph S. Northam, the Honorable L. Scott Lingamfelter, and the Honorable Frank W. Wagner will be in attendance and will give their remarks promptly at 8:00 a.m.
Ditch Dirty Fuels! Rally | January 23 | Richmond, VA
Held in conjunction with Conservation Lobby Day, the Ditch Dirty Fuels! Rally will highlight public demand for clean energy and concerns about the fossil fuel industry’s attacks on the freedom of information about their operations in Virginia. The rally will highlight local voices from residents across the state on the dangers of fossil fuels and benefits of a clean energy-powered economy.
In this year’s General Assembly session, we’re expecting various pieces of legislation that will leave us exposed to the dangerous environmental and health impacts of fracking. Join a chorus of voices asking our legislators to strengthen Virginia’s standards on fracking and to transition our Commonwealth to a sustainable renewable energy-based economy.