On September 19, 2019, the Trump Administration officially repealed the Clean Water Rule, as crucial protection of the Clean Water Act protecting approximately 60 percent of the nation’s stream miles and millions of acres of wetlands. The Clean Water Rule was finalized by the Obama administration after years of planning, [...]

Governor Ralph Northam announced an Executive Order setting ambitious, statewide goals to reduce the Commonwealth’s carbon emissions and move the state’s electricity goal to 30% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% carbon-free by 2050. The Virginia conservation community released the following statements: Kristie Smith, Policy & Campaigns Manager, Virginia Conservation Network "Climate [...]

VCN’s own Mary Rafferty is featured in the Richmond Times Dispatch laying out a pathway for the Northam administration to ensure his 2020-22 budget reflects Virginia's shared priorities to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, protect our landscapes, and enhance our agencies. ...Virginia ranks 47th in budgeting for the protection and [...]

Virginia’s Secretary of Natural Resources released their report on commitments to enhance Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) under Gov. Northam’s Executive Order 6, issued in April 2018. EO6 was was released by the Governor last year. It looked to get immediate feedback on ways to strengthen policies at the [...]

Over the course of the summer, VCN partnered with the Virginia Transit Association to host community listening sessions throughout the Commonwealth to find out how public transportation could be improved. The six sessions were hosted by Jay Fisette, former chair of the Arlington County Board, and covered a wealth of [...]

The Virginia Environmental Assembly brings together conservation leaders from across the Commonwealth to discuss our Common Agenda to protect Virginia’s natural resources. This annual conference is hosted by Virginia Conservation Network, the partnership of more than 100 Virginia environmental organizations. Each year, this conference is hosted in a different region [...]

The Virginia Conservation Network (VCN) has now released Our Common Agenda - the 2020 Environmental Briefing Book.  Our Common Agenda is written by VCN’s partners - Virginia’s top conservation advocates. Published annually, it showcases the environmental community’s collective state-level policy priorities in the coming year. This book displays the breadth [...]

Community advocates gathered in Danville on July 18th to celebrate last month's Supreme Court decision to keep the ban on uranium mining in Virginia. These advocates - from Chatham, Halifax, Martinsville and Danville - have volunteered countless hours of their time to educate their neighbors, public officials and the media [...]

VCN's own Pat Calvert is featured in Charlottesville's The Daily Progress calling on all levels of government to support Virginia's cleanup plan and increase pollution reductions in the face of Climate Change. I have spent the past 22 years of my life as a Central Virginian working to protect the [...]

Today, Governor Northam declined to veto bad budget language that prevents the Commonwealth from taking bold and necessary steps to act on climate change. VCN executive director Mary Rafferty issued the following response: "We are deeply disappointed in the Governor’s decision to not use his authority to uphold his signature [...]