I want to start by reporting some good news, and then follow it with a request for you to take action on two budget amendments—one to increase farmland protection and the other to address a critical lack of representation within Virginia’s cultural resource database.
Regional, State and National
PEC joins with partner organizations to promote thriving communities and healthy natural resources in the Shenandoah Valley, the central Piedmont, the Journey Through Hallowed Ground corridor and Northern Virginia counties.
Action Alert: Righting a Wrong – Help Bring Untold Histories to Light
Preserving historic resources is crucial to understanding our nation’s history. However, historic resources related to African-American and indigenous communities are woefully underrepresented in Virginia’s state database. This has resulted in important resources being overlooked or worse yet, irretrievably lost, and has meant these communities are rarely included as part of larger historic district conversations.
Action Alert: Protecting Farmland Now and For the Future
Farmland lost is farmland lost forever. Budget amendment 97 #2h (Gooditis) would provide an additional $2 million to the Farmland Preservation Fund grant program (current funding is only $250,000), providing much-needed matching funds and encouraging other localities to adopt Purchase of Development Rights programs of their own.
Support SB 1199 and Reject the Proposed Floor Substitute
Good news! On Tuesday, January 26, Senator Stuart’s attempt at a floor substitute for SB 1199 was defeated. This allowed the bill that came out of full committee to proceed to a floor vote. On Wednesday, January 27, SB 1199 was read a third time and passed the Senate on a 25-14 vote. You can see the full vote count here: https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?211+vot+SV0144SB1199+SB1199
Take Action in Support of Land Conservation Legislation
Ask your elected officials to support bipartisan legislation that would strengthen conservation easements – HB 1760 and SB 1199.
Action Alert: Study on the Sale of Invasive Plants in Virginia
Contact your legislators now and ask them to vote for legislation which will help guide Virginia in controlling the sale of invasive plants.
Virginia’s Virtual General Assembly Session Kicks Off January 13
A shortened, fast-moving General Assembly session makes your voice all the more critical.
What Does 2021 Hold for Conservation?
The 2020 Special Session, focused on resolving budget issues stemming from Covid and addressing police and criminal justice reform, has ended just in time for the holidays. But as in the movie Groundhog Day, now we prepare to do it all over again. Virginia’s 2021 legislative session opens on Jan 13 and will prove no less challenging than the special session. At this moment, details are still fluid, but here is what we know.
Take Action: Help Save Metro and Other Public Transit!
Congress needs to pass a stimulus package with $32 billion in emergency operations funds for transit agencies across the country. Send a quick email to your Representative and Senators using this campaign set up by our colleagues at The Coalition for Smarter Growth.
Webinar: Keeping Land in the Family
Learn more about the new Heirs’ Property Act in Virginia and what it means for families who share ownership of land or have inherited land without a will.