Virginia General Assembly General Assembly 2020 preview

Today I attended a General Assembly preview put on the Virginia Conservation Network. Or rather, I went to a "watch party" held in CitySpace, sponsored by Piedmont Environmental Council and Wild Virginia. This is another in my series of experimental posts where I seek to unspool tweet threads.

• In Richmond, there are about 100 people at a General Assembly preview being held by @VCNVAorg
• And about 50 people here in Charlottesville we're at a watch party being hosted by @piedmontenviron and @Wild_Virginia
• Governor Northam presents his biennial budget in 10 days. Peggy Sanner of @chesapeakebay Foundation updates us on clean-up efforts.
• Then states how important agriculture-related funding is important to those efforts. Take a look at @VirginiaDCR (bit.ly/2sSQqXP
• Now Sanner talks about requests for programs to:
  * upgrade wastewater treatment plants to make effluent cleaner
  * Stormwater Local Assistance Funds
  
  That last one is particularly important for improving impaired streams. Take a look here: (bit.ly/2PpeoBA)
• Next, @ZGSheldon of @nature_org gives an update on requests for additional funding for land conservation efforts. The specific requests are all in the @VCNVAorg briefing book (still downloading, or I would excerpt an image!) (bit.ly/2rrzLKu)
• There is a coalition of groups called Virginia Forever that is making a big push for increased funding for land conservation efforts. The details are in a five-year plan. (bit.ly/2Ly8ay9)
• There was a question about coastal resilience efforts. I didn't catch the specific figure that was mentioned, but it's important to note Governor Northam issued an executive order on the topic in 2018. (bit.ly/2Z02O3m)
• 
  
  Next, a panel discussion begins on reacting to Virginia's climate crisis. The first speaker is from the Chesapeake Climate Action Network @CCAN which has a specific Virginia program. Learn about them here: (bit.ly/353eN3a)
• Next year, Virginia is slated to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Learn more about Virginia and other states are on this website: (bit.ly/2s8I2D3)
• Next, Will Cleveland of @selc_org says what needs to happen in the energy sector.
  1) reduce carbon emissions from power generation
  2) reduce electricity consumption
  3) allow distributed generation (making it easier for rooftop solar)
  4) right-sizing utility scale solar / wind
  
  Now someone from Litter Free Virginia is going through the various bills related to reducing or taxing plastic bags. As #VGA2020 approaches, I'll be giving status updates on those bills. (bit.ly/2RtqPis)
  
  Someone from @VCNVAorg is discussing efforts to address issues in built environment, such as removing mold and lead.
  
  There's also work on PFAS, an issue we're all going to become very familiar with in next few years. Read about PFAS on DEQ page: (bit.ly/369oygz)
  
  Sally Thomas, one of my mentors who served on Albemarle Board of Supervisors for 16 years, asks who pays a litter tax in Virginia. I don't know, but Litter Free Virginia does (bit.ly/2rqmjXj)
• One #VGA2020 bill on plastics is from Senator @AdamEbbin. Here it is on @richmond_sun (bit.ly/2RutyYR)
• 
• Another plastics-related bill in the Senate is from Senator that would use tax proceeds to pay for Water Quality Improvement Fund. Take a look here: @ChapPetersen (bit.ly/36ccISH)
• 
• Lots of questions are coming in about recycling issues, plastic issues. Folks from the Hampton Roads watch party want to ban the release of balloons at weddings and other outdoor events.
  
  What do you want to happen?
• What actions are you taking? Now, onto transportation issues at the @VCNVAorg #VGA2020 preview.
• Cheers for Trip Pollard at @selc_org who will be talking about funding. As he says, transportation is the biggest source of GHG emissions and not enough has been to reduce them.
• Pollard said too much is spent on building roads and there's an imbalance of funding. There's also concern about sustainability of funding as vehicles use less gas. Check out @selc_org page: (bit.ly/36h3Zyz)
• Pollard singles out need to upgrade Long Bridge across the Potomac as a way to allow for increased passenger and freight rail. Learn about that project on @Wikipedia (bit.ly/36dSoAC)
• Pollard also discusses the Transportation Climate Initiative, which we will be hearing about more in the future. Here's some information on that: (bit.ly/2RuJjiM)
• Next, @Liz_Hylton with Clean Virginia talks about holding Dominion accountable in terms of environmental justice. Learn more on the Clean Virginia website: (bit.ly/2sXwX8F)
• Next, Susan Holmes of the Wildlands Network talks about the Virginia Safe Wildlife Corridors Collaborative which seeks to provide safer habitat, decrease fragmentation. Learn more here: (bit.ly/2qze4bc)
• Holmes mentions a Congressional bill introduced by @RepDonBeyer and others to have a national wildlife corridors program. Learn about that here: (bit.ly/36b66E9)
• Now someone from @oceana is talking about the need to fight against off-shore coastal drilling. Learn more about the organization here: (bit.ly/2PnaWHH)
• The events are winding down. There's been a lot of information and I've learned some things that are important. Please share with your friends and family.
  
  Oh wait -Delegate @Sam_Rasoul takes the stage to urge bold and intersectional thinking. Learn more about him on @richmond_sun (bit.ly/2DXvpNT)
  
  And now my @piedmontenviron colleague @RexLinville is speaking about our conservation efforts.
  
  And then I have to speak next about what I do in land use issues in Albemarle, Charlottesville and Greene.

Okay. This didn't work as well as the news round-ups, but now it's captured for some form of posterity.