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 Yes ✓ Supports 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 · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 157: Loudoun County; DCR to accept property to establish a state park.

Department of Conservation and Recreation; acceptance of property to establish a state park; Loudoun County. Authorizes the Department of Conservation and Recreation to accept 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 in Loudoun County, known as Oak Hill Farm, for the purpose of establishing and operating a state park on such property.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill authorizes DCR to accept land for a state park, directly conserving natural resources and protecting habitat through land preservation.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 627: Electric utilities; renewable energy portfolio standard program.

Electric utilities; renewable energy portfolio standard program. Repeals provisions (i) requiring Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power to participate in a renewable energy portfolio standard program that requires each such utility to procure and retire renewable energy certificates and (ii) permitting the recovery of certain costs associated with compliance with such program.

Topics ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyRepeals renewable energy portfolio standard requirements for utilities, removing mandates to procure renewable energy certificates and recover compliance costs.95% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentRepeals renewable energy portfolio standards, removing utility mandates for clean energy procurement, weakening environmental protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 470: Electric utilities; renewable portfolio standard program, zero-carbon electricity, etc.

Electric utilities; renewable portfolio standard program; zero-carbon electricity; accelerated renewable energy buyers. Classifies zero-carbon electricity generating facilities that are not otherwise renewable portfolio standard (RPS) program eligible sources and that are placed into service in the Commonwealth after July 1, 2030, as RPS eligible sources. The bill permits an accelerated renewable energy buyer to contract to obtain bundled capacity, energy, and renewable energy certificates from solar, wind, or zero-carbon electricity generation located within the PJM region and placed in commercial operation on or before January 1, 2015, if investments to increase the maximum thermal power output of such facility occurred after January 1, 2015, or if a financial agreement for procurement of energy and capacity was entered into with such facility after January 1, 2015, to prevent the early retirement or decommissioning of such facility due to financial constraints.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyExpands renewable portfolio standard to include zero-carbon facilities post-2030 and enables renewable energy contracts, advancing clean energy adoption.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentClassifies zero-carbon facilities as RPS eligible, expanding renewable energy requirements to advance clean energy adoption and reduce emissions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 752: Electric utilities; construction and development of renewable energy facilities, etc.

Electric utilities; construction and development of renewable energy facilities; powers of State Air Pollution Control Board; powers of State Corporation Commission. Repeals provisions (i) requiring the State Air Pollution Control Board to adopt regulations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from any electricity generating unit in the Commonwealth and authorizing the Board to establish an auction program for energy allowances; (ii) prohibiting the State Corporation Commission from approving any new utility-owned generation facilities that emit carbon dioxide as a by-product of energy generation under certain circumstances; (iii) declaring that statutory allowances for energy derived from sunlight, onshore wind, offshore wind, and storage facilities are in the public interest; and (iv) relating to the development of solar and wind generation and energy storage capacity, development of offshore wind capacity, and generation of electricity from renewable and zero-carbon sources. The bill provides that planning and development activities for new nuclear generation facilities are in the public interest.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyRepeals requirements for carbon emission regulations and barriers to renewable energy facility development, enabling expanded renewable projects by removing regulatory hurdles.92% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentRepeals requirements for CO2 emission regulations and energy allowance auctions, removing mandatory emission reduction measures for utilities.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 415: 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 grant funding for renewable energy projects on brownfields from $100 to $200 per kW, directly advancing clean energy infrastructure development.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentIncreases renewable energy grants on brownfields/coal mines, promoting clean energy development on contaminated sites per Commission recommendation.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 684: Va. Recycling Development Center & Va. Recycling Infrastructure Fund; established & created, report.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 2 of a chapter numbered 14.4, consisting of sections numbered 10.1-1465.1 through 10.1-1465.15, relating to establishing the Virginia Recycling Development Center and the Virginia Recycling Infrastructure Fund; supporting statewide recycling infrastructure; incentivizing voluntary stewardship programs; authorizing public-private partnerships; and addressing priority materials including waste tires, mattresses, and bulky waste.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentEstablishes recycling infrastructure fund, addresses waste materials (tires/mattresses), and incentivizes stewardship programs to enhance environmental protection and waste reduction.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 473: 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 EnvironmentRequires low-flow protections in permits for water reuse to maintain drinking water safe yield, preventing pollution and ensuring reservoir sustainability for environmental protection.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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