Environment

passed · Virginia · Senate Mar 9, 2026

SB 499: Chesapeake Bay Pay for Outcomes Fund; established, report.

Chesapeake Bay Pay for Outcomes Fund established; report. 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 (i) administer the Fund; (ii) establish a competitive solicitation process for awarding payments from the Fund; and (iii) submit an annual report detailing the projects approved for funding, obligations from the Fund, and outcomes to the Chairs of the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and Finance and Appropriations and the House Committees on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and Appropriations by October 1 each year.

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

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passed · Virginia · Senate Mar 6, 2026

SB 336: Tier 2 emergency generators; SCC shall evaluate impact of requiring data centers to limit use, etc.

State Corporation Commission; data center generators. Directs the State Corporation Commission to evaluate the impact of requiring data centers to limit the use of Tier 2 generators and prioritize the use of Tier 4 equivalent or better generators. The bill requires the Commission to submit a report on any findings to the Chairs of the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and the House Committees on Appropriations and Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources no later than October 15, 2026.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentLimits Tier 2 generator use to true emergencies, reducing unnecessary emissions from planned outages that would otherwise contribute to pollution.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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passed · Virginia · Senate Mar 6, 2026

SB 519: Land and urban areas; DCR shall assess how best to achieve permanent conservation by 2036, report.

Department of Conservation and Recreation; permanent land conservation feasibility; report. Directs the Department of Conservation and Recreation to assess how best to achieve permanent conservation by 2036 of (i) 20 percent of the land area of the Commonwealth and (ii) 10 percent of urban areas of the Commonwealth. The bill directs the Department to submit a report on its findings and any recommendations to achieve such permanent conservation goals to the Chairs of the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and the House Committees on Appropriations and Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources no later than November 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentEstablishes 20% land conservation goal by 2036 and mandates annual conservation reports, directly advancing environmental protection through land conservation targets.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 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 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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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 422: 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, expanding land protection tools for environmental conservation without restrictive barriers.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 393: Virginia's Great Outdoors Act; established, creates data center land conservation tax.

Virginia's Great Outdoors Act established; land preservation distributions and appropriations. Creates a data center land preservation tax on and after January 1, 2027, in an amount equal to $3 per square foot of each data center facility footprint, as defined in the bill, and directs no less than $250 million of revenues from the tax to be distributed for various land protection and preservation purposes, including into the Virginia Tribal Commitment Fund, as created in the bill. The bill also repeals provisions requiring the Governor to include in the budget bill or in his amendments to the general appropriation act a recommended appropriation from the general fund, up to $20 million, for land preservation as follows: (i) 80 percent of the unissued credits to the Virginia Land Conservation Fund, of which at least 50 percent must be used for acquisitions with public access; (ii) 10 percent to the Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund; and (iii) 10 percent to the Virginia Farmland and Forestland Preservation Fund.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates $3/sq ft data center tax to fund land preservation with $250M minimum allocation, directly advancing fiscal management for conservation programs.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentCreates $3/sq ft tax on data centers to fund land preservation with $250M+ revenue, directly advancing conservation goals per bill language.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 9, 2026

SB 687: Gas-powered leaf blowers; local prohibition or regulation, civil penalty.

Local prohibition or regulation of gas-powered leaf blowers; civil penalty. Provides that any locality with a population density of at least 2,500 persons per square mile may by ordinance prohibit or regulate the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. The bill provides that any such ordinance shall become enforceable not less than 12 months after the date it is enacted by the local governing body. The bill also provides that the ordinance may include provisions for a civil penalty and that the funds from such civil penalties may be used by the locality to assist with the purchase of nonprohibited leaf blowers by residents and local businesses.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentAllows local bans on gas-powered leaf blowers, reducing emissions and pollution per bill's prohibition mechanism for environmental protection.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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