The Virginia General Assembly meets annually, beginning on the second Wednesday in January, for 60 days in even-numbered years and 30 days in odd-numbered years, with an option to extend annual sessions for a maximum of 30 days. Because the General Assembly moves very fast, PEC tracks a number of bills and provides comments throughout each session. Please sign up for our email alerts and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for the most recent updates.
Not sure who your state delegate and senator are? Visit Who’s My Legislator? to find out.
More than 50 organizations across Virginia, including PEC, have formed the Virginia Data Center Reform Coalition to urge state lawmakers to study the cumulative effects of data center development across Virginia, and to institute several reforms for the industry. If the Virginia General Assembly fails to take action, unchecked data center expansion will have a disastrous impact on ratepayers, our communities and the environment.
Four pillars make up the framework of the Coalition’s advocacy for responsible action and robust reform. In 2025, several bills were introduced to the Virginia General Assembly thanks to direct legislative and community mobilization action from organizations like PEC and our partners. Read more about the Four Pillars and related data center legislation this General Assembly session in our post.
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Events
2026 Data Center Reform Lobby Day When: Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 Where: Richmond, VA Info: Join PEC and the Data Center Reform Coalition for our 2026 Lobby Day, where you’ll have the chance to meet face-to-face with state lawmakers and urge them to take action on the unchecked, exponential growth of data centers in Virginia. Learn more and register →
Virginia is undergoing an unprecedented economic, technological, and environmental transformation, all centered around the activities of one industry: data centers …
The outsized impacts of data centers in our communities will again make data center reform a priority for PEC and our partners in the Virginia Data Center Reform Coalition during this year’s Virginia General Assembly …
The Piedmont Environmental Council and the Coalition for Smarter Growth are proud to have co-authored six of the 47 briefing papers in Virginia Conservation Network’s Our 2026 Common Agenda Environmental Briefing Book …
The Virginia Data Center Reform Coalition will once again host our Data Center Reform Lobby Day in Richmond, VA, providing a unique opportunity to meet face-to-face with your legislators and make your voice heard on critical data …
The Virginia General Assembly will convene for a 60-day session beginning Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. PEC staff have co-authored several briefing papers that form the framework of the Virginia Conservation Network’s legislative priorities. Below, we …
In the pre-dawn hours in a Haymarket parking lot, a few dozen people huddled in record cold temperatures as they made their way to the warm glow of a charter bus. Their destination: Richmond. Their …
Every day, Piedmont Environmental Council staff engage at the local, state and federal level to shape public policy with an eye toward protecting natural resources and advancing sustainability. These efforts include the annual Virginia General …
Conserved public spaces have measurable impacts on our lives: research shows that spending time outdoors improves both physical and mental health, and can even improve students’ grades, lower blood pressure and drive economic growth. If …