Virginia Conservation Network

The recent devastation from Hurricane Helene has brought the impacts of climate change into sharp focus for Virginia's farmers. With over $125 million in damages to crops and infrastructure, many of us are left grappling with this storm's immediate and long-term consequences. Hurricane Helene is just one example of extreme weather becoming the new normal. Farmers depend on the land and the weather for their livelihoods. In an Op-Ed, Shenandoah Valley farmer Bobby Whitescarver says that our weather is getting “warmer and weirder every year.” Whitescarver has seen firsthand how the storm has underscored the urgent need for resilience in our agricultural practices–but these changes require resources and support that have been missing since Virginia withdrew from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). “If you talk to a dozen farmers, you’ll probably get a dozen different perspectives on the topic of climate change. But what most can agree on is that it’s costing them money. What most of them agree on is that it’s a real problem that needs real solutions. Taking Virginia out of RGGI is taking Virginia backward in our fight against climate change - a fight that needs to be accelerated, not hindered or delayed.” We need to listen to our farmers—who are on the front lines of climate change. The future of Virginia’s agriculture and the livelihoods of our families depend on recognizing the reality of climate change and finding effective solutions to combat its impacts.  See the full story: https://bit.ly/3ArB9jS

Exciting progress in Virginia’s climate efforts! The Virginia Conservation Network and The Community Climate Collaborative are highlighting federal funding opportunities that are driving transformative change in our state’s climate action efforts. Programs like the Low or No Emission Grant Program are not only increasing federal investment in clean transportation but are also empowering local communities to transition to zero-emission bus fleets. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eitaRqXp #ClimateAction #TransportationElectrification #FederalFunding #BIL #IRA

Virginia Conservation Network and Generation180 are highlighting federal funding opportunities that are transforming Virginia's climate action efforts. Learn how programs like the EPA Clean Clean School Bus Program are making the transition to electric school buses more affordable and the health benefits they bring to school communities. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gwhUT6Jt #ClimateAction #TransportationElectrification #FederalFunding #BIL #IRA

📣Congrats to Lynchburg City Schools for leading the way for a #cleanride4kids with their new 🚌 electric school buses! 👀 Check out this video from Generation180 and Virginia Conservation Network to hear about school leaders, drivers, kids and parents that are happy about zero-emissions rides that are healthier, quieter and offer thousands of dollars each year in operations savings. It’s great to see this leadership! #electric #schoolbus

Are you interested in participating in the Solar for All Advisory Board? 🌞 Virginia Energy just released a Request for Letters of Interest, due October 31st! Virginia Energy will use the groups' input to make final design decisions. Detailed information about the advisory group, letter requirements, and submission is available in link below. Also, please sign up for the email list on the same webpage! We will be sending out additional opportunities for stakeholder engagement and program updates to our list soon 📩

Bill Owen is a TNC Virginia trustee with many interests and talents. While a lifelong musician, Bill is also the owner of a farm and the Raccoon Creek Pinelands in Southeastern Virginia. His passion for conservation has led him to plant more longleaf pine on his property than anywhere else in the state. To get around his farm and growing longleaf forest, Bill bought an electric Ford Lightning pickup truck, and he sings its praises as "clean, quiet and fast" — the perfect vehicle for his needs and for helping to reduce carbon emissions and promote clean energy. Watch the video to see Bill and his beloved truck in action, and to hear about how it once helped a tour bus out of a sticky situation.

The rain hasn’t dampened our spirits at the Virginia Conservation Network’s Annual Retreat! 📷 Calandra Waters Lake | David W Sligh

The Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF) is a statewide grant and loan program offered annually that supports community-scale and nature-based flood resilience planning, capacity building, studies, and projects. Local governments, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and resource authorities are eligible to apply for this funding! Wetlands Watch will host a hybrid training next Friday, September 20th in Roanoke, VA for any local government, soil and water conservation district, and resource authority staff interested in learning more! Details and registration link here: https://lnkd.in/eiVWCD_f

Our 2025 Common Agenda is here! Our Common Agenda is the most comprehensive overview of Virginia’s environmental policy landscape. This year's publication features 49 of the most pressing issues facing Virginia's environment. The collection of papers, written by over 99 environmental experts and vetted through VCN’s 170 Network Partners, outlines why the issue matters, the background for the existing policies that are in place, and opportunities to address clean water & flood resilience, land & wildlife conservation, land use & transportation, climate & energy, and good governance. See it now: https://lnkd.in/ecXN8KsT

The VCN Common Agenda brings together the collective knowledge and experience from organizational experts all over the state to address the most pressing environmental issues of our time. From preventing polluted stormwater runoff to curbing the political influence of electric utilities, it's all in there. Responsible Data Center Development is on page 45 of the pdf (77/78 of the document) 😉