Environment

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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passed · Virginia · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SB 461: Commercial electrofishing; MRC to temporarily prohibit in portions of Rappahannock River, report.

Marine Resources Commission; prohibition of commercial electrofishing in the Rappahannock River; report. Directs the Marine Resources Commission to temporarily prohibit commercial electrofishing in the portion of the Rappahannock River north of the Downing Bridge in Tappahannock until January 1, 2027, and to examine the practice of commercial electrofishing in the waters of the Commonwealth and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to 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 January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentProhibits commercial electrofishing in Rappahannock River to protect aquatic ecosystems and fish populations, aligning with conservation goals.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Environment

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passed · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 24, 2026

HB 1152: Carbon market participation; coastal and marine resources.

Department of Environmental Quality; carbon market participation; coastal and marine resources. Allows the Department of Environmental Quality to participate in any carbon market for the preservation, restoration, and sustainable management of the Commonwealth's coastal and marine resources on state-owned bottomlands and property and enter into agreements necessary to facilitate such participation. The bill requires the Department to hold exclusive title to such credits until such credits are sold. Any revenues resulting from the sale of such credits are required to be distributed as follows: 75 percent to the Oyster Replenishment Fund and 25 percent to the qualifying leaseholder.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill establishes work group to evaluate fund for Blue-Green Carbon Credits, promoting carbon sequestration in coastal ecosystems and advancing environmental protection efforts.85% 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 115: Waste to Energy Grant Program; established, report.

Waste to Energy Grant Program established; report. Establishes the Waste to Energy Grant Program to incentivize eligible localities, defined by the bill as counties, cities, and towns located in Planning District 23, to dispose of their waste through use of a qualifying waste to energy plant, as defined by the bill. The bill provides that, for any year in which at least one grant is awarded by the Program, the Department of Environmental Quality must submit a report to the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources, the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations detailing information on the utilization of the Program and its impact on waste management in grant recipient localities.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyEstablishes grants for waste-to-energy plants, a renewable energy method, funding infrastructure to convert waste into power within specified districts.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill establishes grant program for waste-to-energy plants, reducing landfill waste and generating renewable energy, aligning with environmental protection goals.80% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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

HB 407: Light pollution education and dark sky preservation; DEQ shall serve as lead agency.

Light pollution education and dark sky preservation. Provides that the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) shall serve as the lead agency for public education and outreach related to light pollution. The bill requires DEQ, in coordination with the Department of Energy, the Department of Wildlife Resources, and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), to develop and implement an education and outreach program to (i) inform the public about the impacts of light pollution on public health, safety, wildlife, and the environment; (ii) promote best practices for outdoor lighting, including energy-efficient and properly shielded outdoor lighting fixtures; and (iii) encourage voluntary adoption of lighting practices that reduce light pollution and energy waste. The bill further provides that DCR may designate qualifying areas within the Commonwealth as Dark Sky Preserves, as defined in the bill, and that a Dark Sky Preserve designation shall be voluntary and advisory and shall not create additional land use or lighting restrictions beyond those established by local ordinance. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill mandates DEQ-led education on light pollution impacts, promoting dark sky conservation and reducing environmental light pollution.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Environment

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

HB 767: Wildlife Resources, Board of; prescribing seasons/bag limits for taking wild birds, animals, & fish.

Board of Wildlife Resources; prescribing seasons and bag limits for taking wild birds, animals, and fish. Provides that when an investigation of the Board of Wildlife Resources shows, for any species of wild bird, animal, or fish within the jurisdiction of the Board, that there is an unusual scarcity of such wild bird, animal, or fish or a risk that the population of such wild bird, animal, or fish in any city or county could be eliminated, the Board shall prescribe the seasons and bag limits for such wild bird, animal, or fish in such city or county accordingly to promote the recovery and stabilization of such wild bird, animal, or fish population.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill establishes protective seasons/bag limits for wildlife to prevent population decline, directly conserving natural resources through regulated harvesting.95% 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 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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