Environment

passed · Virginia · House of Delegates Mar 4, 2026

HB 134: Virginia Conservation Easement Act; definition of federally recognized tribe.

Virginia Conservation Easement Act; definitions; federally recognized tribes. Provides that a federally recognized tribe, as defined in the bill, can be a conservation easement holder and that such a tribe is not bound by the same restrictions on the location of a principal office or the duration of existence that are placed on other types of easement holders. This bill is a recommendation of the Commission on Updating Virginia Law to Reflect Federal Recognition of Virginia Tribes.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentEnables federally recognized tribes to hold conservation easements without restrictions, facilitating land protection and conservation efforts per the bill's purpose.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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passed · Virginia · House of Delegates Mar 3, 2026

HB 500: New state park; Dept. of Conservation & Recreation to acquire prop. to establish in Loudoun County.

Department of Conservation and Recreation; acquisition of property to establish a state park; Loudoun County. Allows the Department of Conservation and Recreation to acquire from the Conservation Fund approximately 1,240 acres of real property and any buildings or structures thereon between Little River Turnpike, James Monroe Highway, and Tail Race Road, known as Oak Hill Farm, in Loudoun County for the purpose of establishing and operating a state park on such property. This bill incorporates HB 239.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill acquires 1,240 acres for state park establishment, directly conserving natural resources and protecting habitat per stated purpose.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 619: Habitat Policy Oversight Committee; established, powers and duties, annual oversight report.

Marine Resources Commission; Habitat Policy Oversight Committee established; powers and duties; report. Establishes the Habitat Policy Oversight Committee within the Marine Resources Commission to advise the Commission and the Habitat Management Division of the Commission on policies within their jurisdiction and to support the Commission's coastal resilience efforts. The bill establishes the powers and duties of the Committee, provides that the Committee shall have nine voting members and two ex-officio members, and directs the Committee to submit an annual oversight report to the full Commission.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentEstablishes committee to advise on habitat policies and support coastal resilience efforts, advancing environmental protection through governance structure.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 599: Marine Science, Virginia Institute of; duties, oyster stock assessment, report.

Virginia Institute of Marine Science; duties; oyster stock assessment; report. Directs the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) to conduct, in collaboration with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC), a stock assessment of the oyster population in the waters of the Commonwealth beginning in calendar year 2026 and occurring no less frequently than every three years thereafter. The bill directs VIMS to report its findings and any recommendations to the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources, VMRC's Shellfish Management Division, and the Chairs of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources no later than December 1 of the calendar year in which such assessment has been conducted. The bill also directs VMRC to utilize the findings and recommendations of such assessment in its fisheries and restoration management decisions no later than July 1 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which such assessment has been conducted.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates regular oyster population assessments to monitor marine ecosystem health and inform conservation efforts, directly supporting environmental protection and natural resource management.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 386: Chesapeake Bay Pay for Outcomes Fund; established.

Chesapeake Bay Pay for Outcomes Fund established. Establishes the Chesapeake Bay Pay for Outcomes Fund to provide outcome-based payments for verified reductions in nutrient and sediment pollution from nonpoint sources within the Chesapeake Bay watershed of the Commonwealth. The Department of Environmental Quality is directed to administer the Fund and to establish a competitive solicitation process for awarding payments from the Fund.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentEstablishes fund for verified pollution reduction in Chesapeake Bay watershed, directly advancing environmental protection through outcome-based funding for nutrient/sediment control.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 1089: Va. Brownfield & Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund; increases kilowatt of nameplate capacity.

Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund. Increases from $100 per kilowatt of nameplate capacity from renewable energy sources that are located on brownfields to $200 per kilowatt of nameplate capacity from renewable energy sources that are located on brownfields the grant amount a project developer can receive from the Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund. This bill is a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyIncreases renewable energy grant funding from $100 to $200/kW for brownfield projects, directly advancing clean energy infrastructure development.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentIncreases grant funding for renewable energy on brownfields, promoting clean energy development and brownfield remediation per Commission recommendation.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 1048: Menhaden reduction fishing; Marine Resources Commission to prohibit in the Chesapeake Bay.

Marine Resources Commission; Chesapeake Bay; menhaden reduction fishing in the Chesapeake Bay prohibited. Directs the Marine Resources Commission to prohibit all fishing for the purse seine menhaden reduction sector in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries until a determination has been made that research specific to the Chesapeake Bay has demonstrated that the menhaden reduction fishery does not negatively impact other fisheries or menhaden-dependent species. Such determination shall be made by the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources and certified in writing to the Virginia Code Commission.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentProhibits menhaden reduction fishing in Chesapeake Bay until research confirms no harm to ecosystem, protecting dependent species and fisheries.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 1435: Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program; funds to small farms.

Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program; small farms. Provides that no less than 30 percent of the funds distributed to the Virginia Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program used for matching grants for agricultural best management practices shall be granted to small farms, as defined in the bill.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates 30% of funds for small farms to implement agricultural best management practices, which reduce pollution and conserve resources per the bill's purpose.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 348: Residential Well Water Testing and Treatment Program and Fund; established.

Residential Well Water Testing and Treatment Program and Fund. Directs the State Board of Health to adopt regulations to utilize point-of-use or point-of-entry drinking water treatment or filtration systems to remove or significantly reduce concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorooctane sulfonate, and other established and emerging contaminants of concern that meet or exceed maximum contaminant levels or health advisory levels for the same contaminant adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or, in the in the absence of an EPA health advisory for such contaminant, a contaminant level determined by the Department of Health's Office of Drinking Water. The bill also establishes the Residential Well Water Testing and Treatment Program and Program Fund to allow the Department to test and treat contaminated drinking water through grants for the use of eligible treatment or filtration systems in private residential wells. This bill is a recommendation of the State Water Commission.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill establishes program to remove PFAS contaminants from well water, directly addressing pollution control and water protection per EPA standards.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes program to address water contaminants meeting health advisory levels, directly protecting public health through state regulation of drinking water safety.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 387: Occoquan Reservoir; low-flow protections for drinking water safe yield.

Occoquan Reservoir; low-flow protections for drinking water safe yield. Requires any Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit issued after July 1, 2026, authorizing the diversion of sewage or reclaimed water from a publicly owned treatment works for reuse that would otherwise discharge into the Occoquan Reservoir, the Occoquan River, Bull Run, or any of their tributaries above the Occoquan Reservoir to incorporate certain low-flow protection requirements for drinking water safe yield if the total diversion amount allowed by the permit exceeds 500,000 gallons per day. The bill also prohibits the issuance of any Virginia Water Protection Permit after July 1, 2026, authorizing the withdrawal of water for consumptive uses from the Occoquan Reservoir, the Occoquan River, Bull Run, or any of their tributaries above the Occoquan Reservoir for any purpose other than agricultural or irrigation purposes or for continued operation, expansion, or relocation of existing public water supply withdrawals.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill mandates low-flow protections for Occoquan Reservoir drinking water supply, preventing pollution from sewage/reclaimed water diversion and ensuring safe yield conservation.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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