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Hi Friend,
2019 could have been a banner year for climate action in Virginia. The General Assembly could have bolstered renewable energy by relaxing limits on solar power. It could have raised the bar by making Virginia the first Southern state to reduce carbon emissions through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. And it could have protected coastal communities in a region that is the country’s second-most vulnerable to climate change and rising seas—behind only New Orleans.*
But the Virginia GOP used its majority in the General Assembly to block progress on these issues. Democrat-sponsored climate bills were routinely killed in subcommittees during the 2019 legislative session, leaving solutions to severe flooding, carbon emissions, and pollution off the table.
Flipping Virginia in November is the only way forward on climate action. The need for strong policies couldn’t be more critical: Virginia is home to the Hampton Roads region, where flooding grows more frequent and a combination of sinking land and rising sea levels will subject 38% of homes to chronic flooding by 2100. Several of our candidates live in Hampton Roads, and they’ve made fighting climate change one of their top priorities:
Phil Hernandez is one of several Flippable candidates running to represent Virginians in the Hampton Roads region.
- Phil Hernandez: In the next 30 years alone, an estimated 4,000 homes will experience extreme flooding in House District 100. Faced with this threat, Phil is advocating for stricter environmental regulations to reduce harmful pollution and strengthen coastal infrastructure.
- Martha Mugler: Martha believes that joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is a smart move for Virginians, especially in House District 91. In addition to cutting carbon emissions, the cap-and-trade program could bring in up to $100 million annually for reinvestment in environmental programs.
- Nancy Guy: The health rating for the Chesapeake Bay, which runs the length of House District 83, has dropped from a “C-” to a “D+” in the last two years due to unclean air and water. As Delegate, Nancy will pressure Dominion Energy, the state’s utility monopoly, to embrace renewable energy investments, including wind and solar power.
With gross inaction and harmful policies occurring at the federal level, blue states are increasingly taking the lead on climate action. That’s why these elections are so important: by flipping Virginia blue, we can set the stage for more Democratic victories and stronger climate policies across the map in 2020. Pitch in to help Phil, Martha, Nancy, and the rest of our candidates run strong campaigns so they can flip Virginia blue and finally tackle climate change.
*According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Hampton Roads experiences the highest rates of sea level rise along the East Coast. 
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