[va-richmond-general] Legislative Update - including Sunday Hunting Bill
- From: Eileen Geller <geller.eileen@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: RAS Listserv <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 09:38:24 -0500
Hello All -
Wanted to pass on the attached update from the Virginia Conservation Network
on the status of some of the Virginia legislation we are tracking this year.
Also, three bills will be up for debate in front of the Senate Committee on
Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources on Monday:
-SB 850 - to allow hunting on Sunday
-SB 765 - management of the Menhaden fishery
-SB 1055 - regulations on lawn fertilizer aimed at reducing phosphorus
run-off
I'm told that supporters of the Sunday hunting bill will be out in full
force at Monday's Committee hearing. If you would like to attend, the
meeting begins at 9 a.m. in Senate Room B of the General Assembly Building.
If you plan to head down, be sure to leave enough time to find parking and
get through security.
You can always voice your support or opposition to these bills before Monday
by sending a quick email to the Senators on the committee. Their email
addresses can be found by clicking here:
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?111+com+S1
Thanks,
ERG
Eileen Geller
RAS Legislative Chair
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dana Roberts <dana@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 12:31 PM
Subject: VCN E-Newsletter Jan. 26th - Legislative Update
To: geller.eileen@xxxxxxxxx
View this Message
Online<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=cQCe4BGIEH2shF-9vCThsA..>
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[image:
border] January 27, 2011 E-Newsletter
Dear Eileen,
Greetings from Richmond, where conservation professionals from across our
network are busy reviewing bills, discussing them other stakeholders, and
testifying before lawmakers. The Virginia Conservation Network’s
Legislative Committee is a dedicated team of “green lobbyists” working full
time at the capital. Already, that committee has evaluated hundreds of bills
and taken an official position for or against 60 bills. You can stay
up-to-date with our online bill
chart<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=0j9bJYP3aX4k3KfP9oBmrw..>.
*Clean Energy*
Unfortunately, some of the good bills have already hit the committee room
floor. Last night the House Commerce and Labor Subcommittee axed bills to
create Inclining Block Rates (still alive in the Senate), Agricultural Net
Metering, and a Mandatory Renewable Portfolio Standard. However, the
subcommittee advanced bills to raise the household ceiling on net-metering,
create a Voluntary Solar Resources
Fund<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=f8o1CMex4JST9_N_ExsbdQ..>,
and authorize Distributed Generation Pilot Projects. These bills can help
more Virginians power their homes with clean solar energy.
In the Senate, a measure to better protect the coastline and Chesapeake Bay
from any future offshore drilling was tabled. Senate Commerce and Labor
still has time to consider a bill requiring externalities be considered in
energy planning.
*Healthy Rivers*
Menhaden is only fishery still managed by the General Assembly, and the only
menhaden
bill<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=5UsjFb9kgHN50uVuvGA16g..>still
viable seeks to change that. The measure is due for a Senate hearing
next week; a slew of related House bills were pulled or tabled.
Numerous bills seeking to ban or restrict the use of phosphorus in lawn
fertilizer will be considered soon. Conservationists are united with the
homebuilding and realtor lobby in supporting this change, and we endorses a
point-of-sale ban as the most consumer-friendly approach. While this law
won’t solve the problem of polluted runoff, it will remove thousands of
pounds phosphorus pollution from our rivers.
*Green Communities*
Yesterday the House Finance Committee killed a measure to raise much-needed
money for the Water Quality Improvement Fund through a five-cent fee on
disposable shopping bags. This measure would also have helped curtail the
problem of plastic-bag pollution. To make matters worse,
several<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=cXEt395utTL3M2avxlvozQ..>
bills <http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=eN9D10DCc8VwLTU4NnQoJg..>have
been introduced that would redirect funds away from the Water Quality
Improvement Fund for road-building. Conservationists are united with the
Farm Bureau in opposing these bills.
Finally, conservationists have
opposed<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=1_0qVq7-SZECWJqQoQNloQ..>
bills <http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=cdZkEhCUKVyR_imEy-wGnw..> to
gut Virginia’s Urban Development Authority requirements. A contingent of
the Tea Party has branded these smart growth requirements as overreach, but
in fact they can save local governments millions of dollars by targeting
infrastructure spending.
There are many more bills that Virginia Conservation Network has evaluated,
so please remember to consult our online bill
chart<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=LEJq9-6MqcmlS7TbXhEXug..>and
stay tuned for updates throughout the session. As always, we
encourage
you to contact your legislators about these important decisions that affect
us all.
Best,
Nathan Lott
Executive Director
*
<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=gk2pcVYSYCMqtK1qqf_pxA..>2011
Legislative
Positions<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=1RBJ52avD9hiDrcdtE6u4Q..>
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------------------------------
News
*Walmart cancels wilderness store
plans<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=7JJZ5_SE0cPpFai4_82Jxg..>
*
Walmart has canceled its plans to build a Supercenter and anchored retail
center at the Wilderness Battlefield.
*Blue crab research may help Chesapeake Bay watermen improve soft shell
harvest* <http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=hAymZ8A3uljrIWWaLdOtZw..>
Crab mortality in soft shell production facilities is common, where it is
typical for a quarter of all crabs to perish. Scientists attribute this high
loss to the pressures crabs face as they are harvested, handled and placed
in the facilities.
*Delay likely in creation of Oyster
Zones<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=_r22BF2bWVGDKUJxUuaQ2A..>
*
A proposal to create oyster aquaculture opportunity zones is headed to
Virginia regulators.
------------------------------
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- How to Get and Maintain Your LEED Green Associate and LEED AP
(Jan. 27<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=nyhdJ7DHUNNPT45LJgGbVA..>
)
- Looking Beyond the Deepwater Horizon: The Future of Offshore
Drilling (Jan.
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- Va. Beach Winter Wildlife Festival (Jan.
28-30<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=-0uS742jYoao2aUnTvLb1g..>
)
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22-27<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=blfjYo_X7fmltHALZPdMQw..>
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12<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=o0ByuV_n7fUVUdaDT6uiDA..>
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21-28<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=0PzbdIb3IXnzsvh6llyz3A..>
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*Richmond Green Infrastructure
Report<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=ac12bnCJjmJFV7XFjIribg..>
*
The Green Infrastructure Center Inc. (GIC) and E² Inc. partnered with the
Richmond Regional Planning District Commission (RRPDC) and the City of
Richmond in 2010 to assess the city's green infrastructure in a new report
Richmond Green Infrastructure Assessment. The project utilized satellite
imagery, city data and state models to map existing natural assets and
outline potential opportunities for adding green infrastructure to currently
underserved areas.
*Citizens Climate Lobby seeking Richmond volunteers,
partners<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=jNCO13mcpSuq3lIXxuShHw..>
*
Citizens Climate Lobby has two goals. One is to create the political will
for a sustainable climate. The other is to enable breakthroughs in personal
and political power. They focus on federal legislation. They help
volunteers build relationships with members of congress. They are hosting a
conference call on February 2nd at 8 pm. Their ED, Mark Reynolds leads the
call. He does a great job in explaining their values and approach. To call
in, dial 866-642-1665. log in: 440699#
------------------------------
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Responsible for donor cultivation through acknowledgment of gifts and
working closely with staff to help achieve the annual development revenue
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*Coalition Coordinator - Wise Energy for
Virginia<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=a_Zpm0PKBwNXBsUbXvPdFg..>
*
Focus is on our campaign against Old Dominion Electric Cooperative’s (ODEC)
proposal to construct and operate a 1500-megawatt, conventional-style,
coal-burning power plant in Surry County, Virginia.
*Executive Director - Dan River Basin
Association<http://vcn.citizen-networks.org/site/R?i=1Zml2O2egFv59T1hicnMKg..>
*
Executive Director to lead the organization into a new phase of growth and
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------------------------------
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lobbyists;Develop talking points and e-mail action alerts on critical
legislative or administrative proceedings;Meet with decision makers on
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policy, including best practices from other states;Network with Virginia’s
leading experts on environmental issues. Please send letter of inquiry and
resume to vcn@xxxxxxxxxx
------------------------------
Grants
*Environmental Protection Agency: SmartWay Finance
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*Application deadline: February 10, 2011*
This program provides support to create finance programs, such as low-cost
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*Department of the Interior: Bureau of Reclamation: WaterSMART: Water and
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