2008 VCN Legislative Program
The Virginia Conservation Network Mission
and Purpose
It is the Mission of VCN to protect the
Commonwealth’s air, lands, and waters for the benefit
of the people as guaranteed by the Virginia Constitution.
It is the Purpose of VCN to coordinate and facilitate
the efforts of its member organizations to achieve
the mission. VCN strives to build the capacity of
its member organizations and conservation-minded
individuals of the Commonwealth to effectively protect
these vital resources. |
VCN supports an ambitious clean and safe energy program. A responsible program should begin with energy efficiency and conservation programs that benefit working Virginians. Specifically VCN supports greening the building code of Virginia through required HVAC system inspections. The commonwealth should pass legislation that decouples profits from sales within utilities. VCN does not regard uranium mining in Virginia as complimentary to a sustainable energy future.
VCN supports empowering communities to protect their quality of life through coordination of land use and transportation planning. The commonwealth should protect local proffers programs, maintain local government’s power to deny rezoning requests if outside Urban Development Areas, and support localities option to require inclusionary zoning – a policy that advances affordable housing for Virginia’s citizens.
VCN supports programs that make it practical and cost-effective for farmers and foresters to protect their land and to practice sustainable agriculture and forestry in order to minimize pollution, enhance habitat, and protect watersheds. VCN supports committed funding for agricultural and forestry best management practices, new investment in land conservation measures such as purchase of development right programs and the Virginia Land Conservation Fund, and sustained investment in the commonwealth’s effective Land Conservation Tax Credit program.
VCN supports safeguarding democracy in decisions that impact our shared natural resources. This must include protecting the integrity of our citizen environmental permitting boards.
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The VCN Board of Directors has adopted the following white papers.
- Healthy Farms and Healthy Rivers
- Wetlands Protection – Virginia Assumption of Section 404 Wetlands permit process
- No Pollution without Representation – Combating Efforts to Abolish Virginia’s Citizen Boards
- Public Private Transportation Act
- I-81: Tolls versus Rail Freight
- Context Sensitive Solutions
- Smart Growth
- VDOT Reform and Transportation Funding
- Virginia’s Land Conservation Toolbox
- Keep the Ban – Don’t lift Virginia’s Moratorium on Uranium
- Towards a Sustainable Future: Virginia’s Opportunities for Addressing Global Warming
- Energy Efficiency
- Transmission Lines
- A Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard
- Jurisdiction Conflicts in Forestry
- Sustainable Forestry Certification
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Coming Soon
See Positions Related to the Following VCN Priority:
Water
Land Use and Transportation
Land Conservation and Agricultural Vitality
Energy & Air Quality
Additional VCN Positions |
