Fighting for Cleaner Air and Energy in Virginia
L-R, Glen Besa, Quan Williams, Alexei Laushkin
“We realized that when we look at criminal justice, when we look at voting (rights), all of those issues are really important – but if we don’t have a planet to live on—none of those other issues will even matter,” Quan Williams
Chester, VA—in the recent panel discussion Climate and Clean Energy: Moving Virginia, NVM joined with local partners to dialogue on the best ways to move the state forward toward sustainable policies that support cleaner air and energy.
While NVM may represent a newer statewide voice on climate issues, NVM Policy Associate Quan Williams educated audience members on the growing importance of being able to make this issue relevant to communities of color.
“A lot of the issues we focus on are not environmental issues. We focus a lot on voting rights, other issues that low income communities and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by. However, we realized that when we look at criminal justice, when we look at voting (rights), all of those issues are really important – but if we don’t have a planet to live on—none of those other issues will even matter,” she added.
The panel was organized by the Chesterfield County Democratic Committee and participants included Sierra Club-Virginia chapter director Glen Besa, and Alexei Laushkin of the Evangelical Environmental Network (EEV).
Besa provided an overview of how the state lags other states in energy efficiency, solar and wind use. He also discussed Dominion’s role in slowing climate progress. He also covered the overall importance of the Clean Power Plan as well as the critical importance of politicians getting the CPP across the finish line.
Laushkin provided insight into the faith community perspective on climate and clean energy. He also discussed how congregations utilized clean energy resources such as solar panels and the expanding advocacy role by faith communities.
Currently NVM and most of its state partner organizations support The Clean Power Plan (CPP) which allows states broad flexibility in developing cost-effective plans to meet carbon pollution reduction targets. If states do not create their own plan, the federal government steps in with its own plan.
NVM is looking to build momentum across the state and build support for the CPP by engaging often ignored communities. NVM is also working to make sure Virginia has a State Implementation Plan that benefits all including our most vulnerable populations.
According to a poll done earlier this year by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), “64 percent of Virginians support the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan to set limits on carbon pollution from existing power plants, while 83 percent—including strong majorities of Democrats, Republicans and Independents—would like to see Virginia develop its own state-based plan to meet the standards, particularly through expanding clean energy and energy efficiency.”
Read more:A New Virginia Newsletter
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