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Dear Friend,
This week’s newsletter reflects on the Virginia Clean Energy Summit, discusses Banned Book Week, shares information on early voting, and highlights select community engagements from this past week. Thank you for reading this newsletter and for staying informed.
Virginia Clean Energy Summit
On Wednesday, I provided the keynote address to the Virginia Clean Energy Summit [[link removed]] (VACES) in Richmond. Drawing hundreds of participants from across the country each year in the fields of renewable energy, law, environmental advocacy, and more, VACES provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made in clean energy solutions while also identifying next steps in building and expanding infrastructure, supporting new technologies, and securing private/public partnerships. Excerpts from my address are below:
I think it is safe to say that the single greatest threat to our clean energy goals is not the lack of resolve, purpose, or goals; rather, it is the sheer speed and size of what is coming at us. Explicitly it is the growing demands within our Commonwealth for energy.
I would like to begin by revisiting what the VCEA asks of us, as legislators, as industry leaders, and as a Commonwealth.
Passed in 2020, the Virginia Clean Economy Act set forth a transformative vision: that our Phase I and Phase II utilities delineate a carbon-free electricity sector by progressively increasing their renewable energy requirements, reaching 100% by 2050. These mandates for significant clean energy procurement include the following:
* Over 16,000 megawatts of solar and onshore wind by 2035
* 5,200 megawatts of offshore wind
* 2,700 megawatts of energy storage
Meaningful reductions in retail electricity consumption through energy efficiency
The VCEA codified clean energy as not just a goal but as a legal obligation . Ambitiously, we did so in a state with deep ties to traditional energy sources, a rapidly growing economy, and an exponentially accelerating demand for energy.
We have good news to share on multiple fronts . . .
First of all, solar growth has been impressive.
Virginia added a record 1.5 gigawatts of solar capacity in 2024 alone, pushing our total installed base to over 6.8 GW and placing us in the 8th position nationally.
In its 2024 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), Dominion projected an additional 12,000 MW of solar over the next 15 years. If that goal is realized, that puts us closer, perhaps even within striking distance, of the VCEA’s 2035 mandate. Achieving this goal depends on whether or not we stay on course.
Secondly, our efforts towards offshore wind have been significant and real. The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project is now over halfway complete, with projected completion by 2026. As we know, it is poised to be the largest offshore wind farm in the U.S., and it is a cornerstone of our path to help achieve some of the VCEA goals by the mid-2030s. Additionally, our goals towards energy efficiency are exceeding the legislative spending targets.
Utilities have launched over 70 energy efficiency programs since the VCEA took effect. Independent monitors report that our utilities either have met or exceeded their statutory spending requirements, and we are beginning to see some energy savings from those programs.
Additionally, Virginia is in the initial stages of launching the nation’s largest Virtual Power Plant which emerges from legislation that I carried and passed last year along with my colleague, Delegate Phil Hernandez. The pilot VPP program in Virginia is designed to aggregate up to 450 megawatts (MW) of distributed energy resources, coordinating those DERs to provide electricity to the grid when needed during periods of peak demand . . . .
And so as we look across this landscape, we know that we are making progress but we also have some real challenges ahead. Importantly, we must understand that we are at a pivotal moment in Virginia and also that the VCEA is not just a clean energy law. It is an economic strategy, a public health intervention, and a climate commitment.
The stakes are too high to let inertia or fragmentation slow us down.
The good news is that we know what to do. We have the tools. We have the capacity in a talented and developing workforce. And in many cases, we also have the political will.
The question is not whether Virginia can lead. The question is whether we will do what leadership requires.
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Banned Books Week
October 5 - 11 is Banned Books Week. This year’s theme “Censorship Is So 1984. Read for Your Rights.” pays tribute to George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984 and its themes on the dangers of totalitarianism, distortion of information and facts, and the risks of free thought in a world in which individual agency is tightly controlled. Sadly, our current reality seems closer to truth than fiction. A comprehensive list of banned and challenged books [[link removed]] , compiled by the American Library Association, highlights the range of literary texts that have been targeted for removal, for one reason or another.
In 2024, 2,452 unique titles were challenged across the nation, the third highest number ever documented and significantly higher than the annual average of 273 unique titles over the period from 2001–2020. In our own Commonwealth, a July 2025 report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) [[link removed]] found that legislation adopted in 2022 related to Virginia’s parental consent statute for classroom materials was used instead for the purposes of censorship and removal of books from school libraries. I passed legislation in 2024 ( SB235 [[link removed]] ) to clarify that this law could not be used to censor and remove books from library shelves; regrettably, Governor Youngkin vetoed the legislation.
Early Voting is Underway
Election Day is Tuesday, November 4 , and Virginians have already started voting! Voters can vote in-person from now until November 1. In recent General Assembly sessions, Democrats have successfully championed laws that expand voting access including no-excuse early voting, mail-in ballots, and same-day voter registration. Virginians now have the ability to vote early, in-person, 45 days before Election Day. To check voter registration status, request a ballot to vote by mail, and learn more information about upcoming elections, visit the Virginia Department of Elections website [[link removed]] or I Will Vote [[link removed]] .
For my constituents in Senate District 15 (Chesterfield County and City of Richmond), early voting information is as follows:
Early Voting Locations: Chesterfield County
Early in-person voting is available at Central Library (7051 Lucy Corr Blvd, Chesterfield). Please note that early voting is not available at the Chesterfield Registrar’s Office.
Additional satellite locations will be available beginning Monday, October 20. Verify voting hours for satellite locations through the Chesterfield Registrar’s Office [[link removed]] . Residents registered to vote in Chesterfield County may vote at any of the following locations during this next phase of the early voting period (October 20 through November 1):
* Clover Hill Library (6701 Deer Run Drive, Midlothian)
* Ettrick-Matoaca Library (4501 River Road, South Chesterfield)
* LaPrade Library (9000 Hull Street Road, North Chesterfield)
* Meadowdale Library (4301 Meadowdale Boulevard, North Chesterfield)
* North Courthouse Road Library (325 Courthouse Road, North Chesterfield)
Early Voting Locations: City of Richmond
Early in-person voting is available for City of Richmond residents at the Office of Elections (2134 West Laburnum Avenue, Richmond).
Additional satellite locations will be available beginning Monday, October 20. Verify voting hours for satellite locations through the Richmond Registrar’s Office [[link removed]] . Residents registered to vote in the City of Richmond may vote at any of the following locations during this next phase of the early voting period (October 20 through November 1):
* City Hall (900 East Broad Street, Richmond)
* Hickory Hill Community Center (3000 East Belt Boulevard, Richmond)
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As early voting continues across the Commonwealth, my campaign released a new ad highlighting my work expanding apprenticeships and technical training opportunities for Virginians, fighting for fair wages and access to healthcare for Virginia’s workers, and ensuring workers can support their families. You can watch it here [[link removed]] .
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Select Community Engagements
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On Wednesday, my staff joined the “LEGO Manufacturing Virginia’s Topping Out Ceremony” to commemorate the placement of the final steel beam for its $1 billion, carbon-neutral manufacturing facility within Senate District 15, scheduled for completion in late 2025. LEGO is continuing its investment in our Commonwealth with its Spring announcement of a 2,000,000-square-foot regional distribution center in Prince George County, scheduled for completion in 2027.
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On Wednesday, I was honored to join old and new friends, and my colleagues in the General Assembly Senator Creigh Deeds, Delegate Amy Laufer, and Delegate Katrina Callsen, in Charlottesville in support of my campaign for Lieutenant Governor. As the country entered its first day of a federal government shutdown, many remain concerned over the uncertainty for many Virginians. As Lieutenant Governor, I will work closely with the General Assembly and the Governor to ensure that our federal workforce in Virginia receives the necessary support from our state government in given circumstances.
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Later on Wednesday evening, my Chief of Staff joined the Virginia Nurses Association for its Legislative Advocacy Hour. During this meeting, VNA members highlighted the need to address nursing workforce shortages, ensure workplace safety, and ensure equitable access to health care across our Commonwealth with a focus on our rural communities.
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On Thursday morning, I joined Capital One and hundreds of its associates and regional bankers as part of the company’s “Meet the Candidates Series” to share my vision as Lieutenant Governor on topics ranging from education to the workforce pipeline, energy policy, approach to governance, ensuring we remain a top destination for business investment and supportive of families living and working in Virginia.
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Later that day on Thursday, I joined former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and Candidate May Nivar in her campaign for the House of Delegates. Congresswoman Giffords highlighted her ongoing work to expand gun safety measures and to protect children and families from gun violence.
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On Friday, I was delighted to meet with supporters in Fairfax County for my campaign for Lieutenant Governor. Across Virginia, I hear from communities ready to elect new leadership in Richmond who will move us forward and navigate our state through the chaos caused by the Trump Administration.
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On Saturday morning, I joined Delegate Destiny Levere Bolling, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), AFSCME, Local Union Ten, Teamsters Local 322, UFCW Local 400, and Communications Workers of America Local 2201 for a canvass launch in support of our Democratic candidates. All of our workers deserve fair wages, safe working conditions, and dignity in the workplace, and as Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor, I will continue to fight for these priorities.
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On Saturday, I joined supporters in Manassas and Prince William County (PWC) for my campaign for Lieutenant Governor. I thank our hosts, PWC Supervisors Jefferson and Boyde, Manassas Mayor Wolfe, Senator McPike, several other local elected leaders, and all attendees for their warm welcome.
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Later that afternoon, I was delighted to meet with supporters in Great Falls to share my vision for the office of Lieutenant Governor. Virginians seek leadership that will drive our Commonwealth forward and protect our diverse communities.
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On Sunday, I had the honor of joining Sheriff Vanessa Crawford, faith leaders, and congregants throughout Petersburg. Our shared values emphasize that we have a fundamental responsibility to ensure that our efforts focus on the betterment of all communities.
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Additionally on Sunday, my Chief of Staff joined community members at the Weinstein Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Richmond for an October 7: Unified Memory in Reflection event. Individual testimonies shared memories of those who lost their lives on October 7 and discussed how unity of purpose and action is necessary to combat anti-semitism and hate in all of its forms.
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Immediately following Sunday services in Petersburg, I traveled to Mantua for a meet and greet with supporters from across the Northern Neck. The gorgeous Sunday afternoon gave us an opportunity to discuss our efforts in health care, education, economic development, environmental protections, and much more.
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Finally, the weekend concluded in Richmond with an event surrounded by wonderful supporters. We are fewer than 30 days away from Election Day, and early voting is underway. In these final days, we have a collective responsibility to get voters to the polls and ensure that we are able to protect Virginians from the chaos, dysfunction, and harm that is being created by Majority Leader Mike Johnson and the Trump administration.
Connecting With My Office
My office can be reached at the following:
Email: [email protected] [gmail.com]
Phone: 804.698.7515
If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here [[link removed]] .
— Ghazala
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